3 Best Soy Beef Substitutes: Can You Really Use Soy-based Products In Place Of Beef?

Many people are looking for a way to substitute beef with a vegan, or soy product.

This is easy to understand because cutting down on animal protein is packed with many health benefits.

Even if you are a vegetarian or not, this article will help you figure out what is the best soy beef substitute so that you can eat healthier without sacrificing flavor.

What is the beef?

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Beef is one of the most popular kinds of meat in many cuisines in the world.

It is taken from any breed of cow and is usually sold in primal cuts like beef chuck, beef round, loin, brisket, shank, rib, or short plate.

Beef is considered red meat, which is dark red in color and bolder in flavor compared to pork or poultry.

It is also an excellent source of protein and iron but is high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

This makes it less healthy, especially harmful to your heart health if consumed in the long term.

Beef is also a versatile ingredient as it can be cooked in numerous ways depending on the cut.

Normally, you can grill, braise, stew, roast, stir-fry, or broil most cuts of beef.

The resulting dish can be fully cooked or medium-rare, but it should be tender and moist instead of being chewy or dried.

What is soy beef?

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Despite the amazing taste and versatility of beef, many people want to replace this kind of red meat with vegan substitutes so that they can still maintain the protein intake but can lower their cholesterol level as much as possible.

Soy beef is a great alternative in this case.

It is typically made from soybeans with other vegan ingredients and spices to replicate the texture and flavor of real beef.

Soy beef is also high in protein and fiber while containing no or very little saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat.

It can also be cooked in most recipes that call for real beef.

However, it is almost impossible to make soy beef look and taste completely like real beef from the cow.

Therefore, when cooking soy beef, people often use various spices to enhance the flavor of their dishes without sacrificing their health.

It also takes less time to cook soy beef because you don’t need to break down the connective tissue in real meat.

It is ideal for those who are following a vegan diet or just want to cut down some animal protein intake to treat their health and the environment in a better way.

However, it is not a product for soy-allergic people.

Can you substitute soy beef for real beef in cooking recipes?

Yes, as already mentioned, soy beef is meant to replace real beef in cooking recipes.

Soy-based meat was actually invented almost a hundred years ago when people started to use soy or other vegan protein to substitute for meat.

In most cases, soy beef is sold in the ground form, making it ideal for fake beef patties or burgers.

It can also be stir-fried with vegetables and other favorite ingredients.

What soy products can you use to substitute for beef?

So what products are soy-based beef that you can use to substitute for beef?

Let’s look below:

1. Tofu

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Tofu can be used as a substitute for beef.

It is a completely soy-based product that is mainly made from soy milk.

Tofu is especially popular in Asian cuisine and is reputed for being rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin B12.

The most common form of tofu when cooking is block or cube.

However, you can also crumble it and stir-fry or form a patty-like replacement for beef.

2. Tempeh

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Tempeh is another great soy-based alternative for real beef.

It is made by fermenting whole soybeans, so it has a different texture and more nutrients than tofu.

Thanks to the firmer texture, tempeh is perfect to substitute beef and used in many recipes without worrying to mess it up.

3. Textured vegetable protein

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Textured vegetable protein (abbreviated as TVP), also known as soy meat or soya chunks, is a popular vegan substitute for meat sold on the market.

It is made from soy flour that has been defatted.

Therefore, TVP is ideal for those who want to cut down their fat intake and lose weight.

Soya chunks are often seasoned with various spices to boost the flavor of the dish because it is typically tasteless on its own.

The bottom line

As you can see, there are various soy beef substitutes available on the market.

The best soy-based alternative for beef is the one that fits your needs and desires.

There are also numerous brands of vegan substitutes for beef, so we would recommend you to do some research before making a purchase, or just give all of them a try to figure out what soy beef substitute you like the most.