Name: The Best Vegan Korean "Beef"- Easy Weeknight Meal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 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); 4 cups basmati rice (cooked or reheated); 2-3 green onions thinly sliced; 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds; dried chillies (to taste)

Print Recipe

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.

Add TVP to wok or skillet with diced onion

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 YouTube, Instagram, Facebook , 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