These easy vegan TVP recipes will grant you the ability to make delicious, high protein, plant based dishes in no time. No expertise required!
What is TVP?
TVP, or textured vegetable protein, is a dehydrated soy protein that can be rehydrated, seasoned, and used as a meat alternative. It can be pan fried, added to pasta sauce, or added to casseroles. TVP makes a great base for taco meat and vegan chili.
Is TVP healthier than meat?
Yes, TVP is definitely healthier than meat. It’s rich in nutritious soy protein and fiber and contains no fat. TVP is a culinary blank canvas so you can add as little or as much oil, seasoning, and sauce as you’d like to fit your nutritional preferences.
TVP Recipes
For more high protein vegan recipes, check out out our soy curl, Beyond Meat, seitan, tempeh, tofu, silken tofu and smoked tofu recipe roundups.
1. TVP Street Tacos
You can’t visit Mexico without sampling the famous tacos from street vendors. They are often filled with meat, beans, and fresh veggies. You can recreate a vegan version with the same meatiness using textured vegetable protein (TVP) that is well-seasoned.
2. TVP Meatballs
A big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs is the ultimate comfort food. These meatballs rival any ground beef balls once simmered in a pot of tomato sauce. Serve over pasta or in a ciabatta roll with and copious amounts of sauce and fresh basil leaves.
3. TVP Sloppy Joes
Grab a roll of paper towels because these vegan sloppy Joe’s are juicy and messy, just like you want them. Serve on soft hamburger buns so you can squash them and let the sauce soak into the buns.
4. Hearty Chili
You will want to make a big batch of this chili to stock your freezer for the colder weather. This meal is packed with protein in the form of TVP and a medley of beans. You won’t believe how economical it is to prepare this chili.
5. Vegan Big Mac Style Burger
I’m not sure if it is the grilled burgers or the special sauce that makes a Big Mac smell so good. You can easily recreate that childhood memory with a vegetable protein and black bean burger coated in magic Big Mac sauce.
6. Breakfast Sausage
Get your spice rack ready to be looted. Sausage patties are generally aggressively seasoned with herbs and spices, vegan patties included. enjoy with a tofu scramble.
7. Stuffed Bell Peppers
Looking for a terrific first course for your next veg-centric dinner party? Stuffed bell peppers are always a hit. Use green, red, and yellow peppers to add festive colors to the table.
8. Spaghetti Bolognese
You can make a big pot of plant-based Bolognese sauce to stock your freezer for the winter. This is a perfect recipe to take advantage of the farmer’s market’s bounty of freshly harvested ripe tomatoes. Vegetable protein is subbed in for the meat that is a non-negotiable ingredient in Bolognese sauce.
9. Swedish TVP Meatballs
Ikea isn’t the only place that serves those yummy little balls smothered in brown gravy. You can make a great copycat version that is just as tasty and completely vegan. Caramelized onion gravy brings completes the dish.
10. Vegan TVP Bacon Bits
Oh, this is epic – smokey plant-derived bacon bits. Top a loaded potato, add to a cobb salad, or stir into your non-dairy mac and cheese. You can choose the texture, either chewy or crunchy for the bits. A key ingredient is liquid smoke that every grocery store carries.
11. Creamy Moussaka
A good Greek-style moussaka definitely needs a “meaty” element to complement the softened eggplant. TVP to the rescue! Even your non-vegan friends and family members will not know there is no ground meat in this simple to prepare yet complexly flavored and thoughtfully layered main dish.
12. Vegan Chorizo
The taco lovers in your clan are going to thank you for giving them an upgrade from bean and cheese tacos with TVP chorizo. This chorizo has all the flavors of Mexico with ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon.
13. TVP Schnitzel
We’re going to Austria for the best-ever vegan wiener schnitzel. Weiner schnitzel is thinly sliced and pounded lean veal or pork that is breaded and fried. You can easily make the same dish with plant-based protein. Serve with any style of potatoes and sautéed sweet and sour cabbage for the authentic experience.
14. Hamburger Helper
Hamburger helper – what a throwback to childhood! This vegan helper puts a truly healthy spin on the boxed variety that busy moms made. Kids love some version of hamburger helper and they will love this homemade recipe more. It is creamy, cheesy, and satisfying with abundant carbs and protein.
15. Shepherd’s Pie
How about a vegan shepherd’s pie that doesn’t have lentils as the base? Look no further! TVP is the best high-protein alternative to lentils for shepherd’s pie. It really gives the dish a sturdier and more authentic quality.
16. Spinach Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
Yes, lasagna! There is nothing more beautiful or comforting than an intricately layered lasagna with pasta, veggies, sauce, cheese, and good plant-based ground meat. Like any excellent lasagna, this takes a little TLC. It is 100% worth the effort because the end result is a dish that is complete in terms of nutrition with protein, carbohydrates, and vitamin-rich vegetables.
17. TVP Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Giant heads of cabbage always make an appearance at farmer’s markets in the fall. The best thing I can think of to do with a whole is to make stuffed cabbage leaves just like Eastern European grannies do. It is a soothing meal that is also easy on the food budget. Most vegan versions have rice and mushrooms as the filling. This recipe is heartier with bulgar and soy protein.
18. Vegan Korean Beef
Korean cuisine is well-known for beef dishes made with prime cuts. You don’t have to give up your favorite Korean food because vegetable protein is a sponge for all those awesome salty, sour, and sweet tastes that give Korean dishes their umami essence.
19. Tomato Zucchini Pasta Sauce
How about we jazz up your vegan pasta sauce? Try adding some chopped zucchini, diced bell peppers, and textured vegetable protein granules to the tomatoes. This is a great way to add more body to the sauce and to stretch it for a few meals.
20. Nacho Pizza
Pizza meets Tex-Mex in this nacho pie. An easy homemade pizza crust is piled high with nacho fixings, like plant-based ground meat, veggies and savory fruits, guacamole, and dairy-free sour cream. Make sure to hit it with a bit of heat from jalapeño slices.
21. Italian Style Burger
Where’s the beef? Not in this burger! TVP and oat flour are the base of the burger mixture. Just grill the patties and place them on a bun that is spread with homemade tofu cheese. Fresh basil leaves are essential to give the burgers their Italian identity.
22. Italian TVP Sausage Crumbles
It isn’t much simpler than whipping up a large skillet of vegan sausage crumbles. These are generously seasoned and can be added to chili, pasta, pizza, soup, or a vegan breakfast scramble.
23. Lasagna
Lasagna is meant for sharing. Imagine a large baking dish of steaming hot lasagna in the center of the table with crusty garlic bread, leafy green salad, red wine, and good friends. This one-dish entrée is beefy and cheesy, yet completely vegan and costs pennies to make.
24. Red Lentil Curry (Instant Pot)
Grab your instant pot because we are making curry today. This curry is inspired by Indian dal. It is prepared with dainty red lentils that are high in fiber and protein. Coconut milk gives the dish richness.
25. White Chili (Instant Pot)
White chili stumped me for a minute. But it makes complete sense when you use pale TVP crumbles, white beans, and sweet corn. There are no tomatoes or red beans in this instant pot chili recipe. But all the familiar chili herbs and spices are there.
26. Vegan TVP Taco Meat
It must be Meatless Monday because we are making a skillet full of TVP taco meat to have for fast workday lunches of soft tortillas wrapped around spiced protein and crunchy vegetables. This is a great healthy alternative to ground beef.
27. Vegan TVP Fried Chicken
I love the idea of wrapping soy-based scallopini in rice paper that resembles chicken skin. Dip the wrapped packets in liquid plant-based eggs and breadcrumbs. Then fry until crispy just like fried chicken tenders.
28. Tom Yum Fried Rice
Everything that I like about Thai food is in this tom yum fried rice with vegetable protein. There’s galangal, lemongrass, chili paste, tom yum paste, kaffir lime leaves, and lemon juice. It is hot, sour, and fragrant.
What are your favorite vegan TVP recipes?
Leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- textured vegetable protein
- olive oil
- garlic
- tomato paste
Instructions
- Choose your favorite meal from the list.
- Click on the name to get to the recipe.
- Get cooking!
Video
Nutrition
TVP Recipes FAQ
TVP can be rehydrated by soaking in hot water or vegetable broth for about 10 minutes, then seasoning and using in a recipe as directed. It’s even better to rehydrate the TVP in a flavorful marinade so the flavor is fully absorbed. You can also add plain dry TVP to chili or stew and it will rehydrate as it cooks.
Yes, it’s okay to eat TVP every day, but like all foods, it’s best enjoyed in moderation. TVP is a healthier alternative to meat and meat alternatives that are high in fat and sodium so it’s an excellent choice to incorporate this protein into your daily diet over other options.
TVP and tofu are both healthy in different ways, so it depends on which factors are most important when determining the benefits. TVP is more nutritionally dense and contains more protein than tofu, but TVP is more processed than tofu, which is a fresh whole food.
Great list of inspiration, thank you!
I never knew how to use this until now, but some of these meals look very tasty.