The Best Vegan Korean “Beef” – Easy Weeknight Meal

This Vegan Korean Beef is uses textured vegetable protein (TVP) to replicate beef and is combined with a sauce that is the perfect blend of sweet, savory and spice. Your dinner will be on the table in only 20 minutes. That’s faster than takeout!

Other uses for this Vegan Korean Beef include lettuce wraps, tacos, sandwiches and bowls. This recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

What Is Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)


TVP is a highly nutritious soy product. It is a high-fiber, rich in complete protein and contains no fat so it is an excellent alternative to meat. TVP is made from defatted soy flour that has been cooked under pressure and then dried. TVP is naturally gluten free.

Although TVP doesn’t add much flavor, it’s low in fat and calories, contains a wealth of complete soy protein. Soy contains complete protein with all the amino acids essential to human nutrition, which must be supplied in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the human body. It is also a good source of iron, magnesium and phosphorus.  

Source: Bob’s Red Mill

Quick Meal Tip: Batch Cook Your Rice

This is one of my favorite tips to make weeknight meals quick and easy. I cook one large pot of rice on the weekend (whether we are eating that day or not).

1. Cook rice as directed. Be careful not to overcook or it may get mushy when reheated.

2.Use a fork to fluff the cooked rice. Scrape the fork’s tines across the surface of the rice, starting shallow and moving deeper as you go until all the rice is evenly fluffed. This step is key to great texture. If you use a spoon to stir instead, it will smash or squish the rice.

3.Allow rice to fully cool. Spread the cooked rice into an even layer on a baking sheet, keeping it fluffed with the fork as you go (don’t press or smash the rice onto the pan). If the rice layer is thicker than your baking sheet, spread it onto additional sheets for thinner layers. 

4.Allow it to cool on the counter or in the fridge until it has reached room temperature. Don’t rush this step – cooling it thoroughly maintains it’s fluffy texture and prevents it from becoming one giant clump in the freezer.

5. Place cooled rice into a freezer bag(s) or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Label the bags with the date if you are not using right away.

6.Make sure to reheat it from frozen or mostly frozen (thawed rice gets gummy).

For stovetop: reheat on low heat, in a large saucepan or frying pan with a lid to trap the moisture, adding a small amount of water or broth as needed to prevent sticking. Fluff/stir gently until heated through.

For oven: Place frozen rice in a baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with water (no more than ½ tablespoon per cup of rice). 

Cover with tinfoil and bake at 300°F for 30-40 minutes or, if you have allowed it to partially thaw, at 300°F for 20-30 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork again. If needed, top with fresh ingredients (i.e. lime juice, cilantro, shredded coconut, green onions, etc).

Serve rice very soon after reheating to avoid it drying out.

Source: Borrowed Bites

Is This Vegan Korean Beef Gluten-Free?

This quick and easy weeknight dish is gluten-free with one easy adaptation. Instead of using soy sauce in the recipe use gluten-free tamari. Tamari is soy-sauce-like product that originated as a by-product of making miso. It is always good practice to check the label before using to ensure there is no wheat in the product you are using.

Here is a great article from Eater.com outlining the difference between Soya Sauce and Tamari.

Ingredients Needed For This Vegan Korean “Beef”

Here is what you need to make this Vegan Korean “Beef” recipe:

olive oil

-onion

textured vegetable protein (TVP can substitute pre-made vegan beef crumbles

-cloves garlic

-fresh ginger 

mirin (rice wine vinegar)

brown sugar for caramelization

soya sauce or tamari for gluten-free

sesame oil

liquid smoke (optional)

black pepper

dried chilli flakes (or to taste)

To serve:

basmati rice (cooked or reheated)

-green onions thinly sliced

sesame seeds

dried chilli flakes (to taste)

Note: The above are purchase links to Amazon.com. I make a very small commission, at no cost to you, for anything purchased through my site.

More Easy Weeknight Recipes To Try

If you liked this Vegan Korean “Beef” recipe you will want to try my other quick weeknight recipes:

Vegan Katsu Curry with Baked Tofu and Greens

Quick & Easy Sweet Orange Ginger Tofu

Vegan Chow Mein

Sweet Ginger Cauliflower

Curried Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Show Me Your Creations!

If you make The Best Vegan Korean “Beef” please take a photo and share or tag me @SusanCooksVegan. I’ll feature your creation on my Instagram and Facebook stories.

You can also find me on my other channels YouTubeInstagramFacebook Pinterest and Twitter.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the recipe below and give a star rating.

Thanks for the love, my friends!

Susan xox

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The Best Vegan Korean “Beef”- Easy Weeknight Meal

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

This Vegan Korean Beef is uses textured vegetable protein (TVP) to replicate beef and is combined with a sauce that is the perfect blend of sweet, savory and spice. Your healthy dinner will be on the table in only 20 minutes. That’s faster than takeout!

  • Author: Susan Cooks Vegan
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course, Rice Bowl
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian, Korean
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cups hydrated textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh grated ginger 
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup soya sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (or to taste)

To serve:

  • 4 cups basmati rice (cooked or reheated)
  • 23 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • dried chillies (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Rehydrate TVP according to package directions. Skip this step if using pre-packed vegan beef crumbles.
  2. Cook basmati rice according to package directions or reheat frozen rice *see tip in blog post
  3. Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, diced onion and sauté until onions are translucent and starting to caramelize.
  4. Add rehydrated TVP or beef crumbles and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 mins stirring occasionally until TVP browns slightly.
  5. To a small bowl add fresh ginger, mirin, brown sugar, soya sauce (or tamari), sesame oil, liquid smoke (if using), black pepper, dried chilli flakes. Stir until combined.
  6. Pour sauce over the cooked TVP in the skillet. Stir well. Continue to sauté until sauce caramelizes and liquid is absorbed (4-5 mins).
  7. Serve over cooked rice and top with sesame seeds, sliced green onion and more chilli’s (if desired).

Notes

If you are sensitive to spice or cooking for children, leave out the red chilli flakes. Instead sprinkle on after serving to taste.

Adapted from: Lord Byrons’s Kitchen

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11 Comments

  1. Lois
    January 9, 2022 / 8:56 AM

    FIrst time using TVP. Really like this recipe. Very tasty, but I’ll cut back just a little on the red pepper flakes next time. Just a matter of taste – and heat. It’s a keeper!






    • admin
      January 10, 2022 / 11:31 AM

      Thank you so much for your comment Lois! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorites. I love how quick and easy it is. I love red pepper flakes but once you add too much you can’t take them away. 🤦‍♀️🔥 One tip is to sprinkle them on at the end. In fact, I will add that tip to the recipe. 💁‍♀️

      Since you enjoyed this Vegan Korean “Beef” I think you would also enjoy this recipe: https://susancooksvegan.com/quick-easy-sweet-orange-ginger-tofu-ready-in-30-mins/

      Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

      In gratitude,
      Susan 💗🌱

  2. February 1, 2023 / 3:52 PM

    Really delicious. Left out the red pepper flakes, and halved the sugar and my young kids my husband and I all loved it. Will try it next time with 1/4 the sugar and see if it still works! Thanks for the great recipe!






    • Susan Pratt
      Author
      March 6, 2023 / 1:37 PM

      You’re so very welcome Lexi! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it. It’s a favourite in our house too. ☺️

  3. Brent Wilson
    April 28, 2023 / 6:57 AM

    This recipe looks amazing, thanks so much for sharing. Can you clarify something for me? The recipe calls for “2 cups hydrated” TVP. Can you tell me how much dry TVP you start with before hydrating?

    When I look on my Bob’s Red Mill package, it has a suggested recipe where it uses 1 Cup of dry TVP to make 8 tacos. I’m thinking 1 cup dry to start with for this recipe would make sense. Obviously I could experiment to find out if 1 Cup dry TVP turns into 2 Cups rehydrated, but I haven’t worked with TVP much and don’t want to waste any. Thanks again.






    • Susan Pratt
      Author
      May 25, 2023 / 12:20 PM

      Hi Brent! I would suggest experimenting with your TVP. Different brands of TVP can absorb more liquid. If you have extra use it in a stir-fry, wrap or taco.

      With gratitude,
      Susan

  4. Travis Kane Snyder
    February 4, 2024 / 5:17 PM

    Tried this on a whim after buying some TVP. It was really tasty!! We hydrated the TVP using veggie broth. Didn’t have liquid smoke so we left that out. Will definitely make again!






    • Susan Pratt
      Author
      February 12, 2024 / 1:40 PM

      Hi Travis,

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for the comment. 🙏🏻

      With gratitude,
      Susan

  5. Jonas
    February 6, 2024 / 6:35 PM

    I accidentally made it with 2 cups of dry TVP and it came out great!






  6. Karyne
    April 4, 2024 / 12:42 PM

    This was delicious and easy (which is a bonus), I like my meals spicy so I would maybe add a bit more chili flakes but honestly so good!






    • Susan Pratt
      Author
      April 26, 2024 / 2:48 PM

      I like it spicy too! Cooking for the family means I need to cater to everyone’s tastes. Often, I leave out the chili’s in the recipe and top my bowl with dried chili flakes or chili oil so I can have heat and my daughter will still eat dinner. 💁‍♀️

      Thanks so much for sharing!

      Susan 💗🌱

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