"Tastes Like Chicken," but It's Vegan!
Cooking with plant-based alternatives to familiar ingredients.
Reading time: About 9 minutes.
Several years ago, on an overcast summer day, Mike and I took a long walk down a winding lakeside road, past the houseboat used in the movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” and across a blue bridge into Seattle’s quirky Fremont neighborhood. Our destination was a tiny burger joint with sticky floors that touted the city’s first Impossible Burger. Our mission was to get our tastebuds on that burger.
Impossible Burgers were a revelation to the vegan and vegetarian scene. Marketed as “made from plants for people who love meat,” we had heard this burger mimicked beef so well that we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
They were right.
From the look to the texture to the taste, the Impossible Burger was identical to our memory of juicy burgers. They seemed so much like the original that we worried we had received the wrong order, but after confirming with the guy at the counter, whose weary look told me we weren’t the first to question things, we realized we had something special in our hands. This meant we could make burgers for our meat-eating friends and family. They wouldn’t miss the flavors and texture, and we wouldn’t have to sacrifice our vegan ethics. Mike and I were ecstatic. (See Mike celebrating below.)
Plant-Based Meats for All
Over the last two-and-a-half decades since I became vegetarian and then vegan, many “tastes like the real thing” products, such as the Impossible Burger, have entered the market, and most are available in the refrigerated or frozen food sections of grocery stores nationwide. I found excellent options not only here in Seattle but in the small Texas town where my dad and sister live, as well as in the Phoenix metro where my mother-in-law lives.
This is good for us, good for the planet, and, of course, good for the animals who do not have to give up their lives to feed us. Plant-based meats are good for all.
Of course, you can eat just as horribly as a vegan as you can an omnivore. If all you eat is burgers, french fries, and Oreos, it won’t take long before your body shows signs of trouble somewhere. It’s all about choices, right?
Even so, having a burger now and then isn’t a bad thing. It’s something ingrained in our culture, something we eat together when celebrating summer holidays or watching the game on TV. So, if you are going to have a burger, why not have one that doesn’t kill anybody, especially when you don’t have to give up taste and texture?
Beyond Meats and Impossible Foods
Not only do Beyond Meats and Impossible Foods cook up a mean burger, but they also offer brats and meatballs that taste so like their animal-based counterparts some vegans won’t touch them.
Their plant-based ground meats are excellent alternatives to cow meat for all kinds of recipes, including the Tater Tot Casserole I posted last week, or for tacos, pictured below. You can find their products in grocery stores and restaurants across the United States.
Field Roast
Field Roast is one of my favorites, not just because they are a Seattle-born brand. Their Stadium Hot Dogs come darn close to what I remember hot dogs were as a kid, without the worrisome body parts mixed in. For a fancier dog, try Field Roast Kitchens’ Executive Plant-Based Dodger Dog. They created it for fans of hot dogs and fans of the LA Dodgers alike.
I use Field Roast Italian Sausage in a tomatoey vegetable stew, pictured below, and in my mom’s Hobo Dinner Casserole. Field Roast also offers a bold, spicy chorizo, and their mini Apple & Maple Plant-Based Breakfast Sausages go great in Vegan Pigs in a Blanket from vegan blogger Cadry Nelson.
Other Meat Alternatives
Those are just three of the more well-known companies creating alternatives to animal-based meats. Gardein, Lightlife, and Morningstar Farms are some of the other brands that offer alternatives to things like chicken breasts, nuggets, and sandwich meat. You can even create Plant-Based Fried Chick’n using a recipe from Thee Burger Dude vegan blog. It features Gardein Chick’n Scallopini double dredged and deep fried.
All these options make it easier to share meals with loved ones, whether they’re vegan or not. I’m so grateful for all the curious cooks and food scientists who came up with these ideas.
Vegan Dairy and Egg Subs
Like plant-based meats, having access to vegan dairy and egg substitutions makes familiar recipes come together as if you didn’t change a thing. Of course, some brands are better than others. When I first became vegan, the only cheese available stuck to my teeth in a melted-plastic way.
Ew.
These days, the vegan butter, cheeses, milk, and even some egg alternatives are hard to tell from the originals. The cheeses melt and taste like those made with cow or goat milk. The number of choices available can be overwhelming, though. Allow me to share some of my favorites with hopes of giving you a launch pad to go out and explore the world of plant-based dairy and eggs.
Miyoko’s
Hands down, Miyoko’s Unsalted Butter is my go-to butter. I always use it in baking, even in something as butter-forward as croissants. I used Miyoko’s Unsalted Butter to make the pain au chocolate (pictured below) from the croissant recipe from Sur La Table. Miyoko’s is good in any recipe calling for butter, even simply smeared on toast. In addition to the butter, this brand has a couple of cream cheese flavors, melty mozzarella, and fun artisan cheeses to use on cheese boards, like gouda and a sharp English farmhouse.
Violife
I’ll try anything from the Violife brand at least once. This brand has become a staple in my kitchen for recipes calling for melting cheese, such as pizza or tacos. It has proven itself as a worthy contender for all melting cheese scenarios. No plasticky, stick-to-your-teeth grossness. These look and taste like what I grew up with.
They also offer excellent butter, sour cream, and cream cheese, all of which seem readily available nationwide. In fact, it’s available worldwide. Friends of ours went to Greece this past year and had vegan feta in a small cafe. When they asked the waiter about it, he told them it was Violife!
Kite Hill
Kite Hill is another go-to brand. I eat their unsweetened vanilla bean Greek yogurt every morning with breakfast. Their sour cream goes well with my mother-in-law’s veganized pierogi recipe. Click the recipe card below to see a larger version of that recipe.
Kite Hill also makes delicious dips like French Onion and Spinach and Artichoke. They have a ricotta alternative that I’ve been dying to try in lasagna. Ooo. And I love their mushroom or spinach ravioli, which you can find in the refrigerated sections in some grocery stores.
Egg Substitutes
The topic of egg substitutes could be its own post. There are so many ways eggs are used in American cuisine: baking with them, cooking with them, and simply eating them scrambled, fried, or boiled. For each of those uses, there is a different plant-based version. So, for the sake of brevity, allow me to hone in on egg substitutes used in recipes.
Just Egg
Just Egg is probably the most relatable egg substitute available. It comes in a pourable carton but is meant to look, taste, and work like a chicken egg. It’s yellow and gloopy when poured, just like an egg with its yolk and whites mixed. Although I recently had a memorable waffle sandwich with Just Egg layered inside, I have not enjoyed this product when it is the main player in a dish, like scrambles and omelets. Just not a fan of the base flavor. Or maybe it was the way it was prepared. That said, it makes things very easy when baking and cooking. Simply measure out about 3 tablespoons of product per egg called for, and—voila!—you’re…um…cooking without eggs.
Flax Eggs
Although Just Egg can be used in almost any recipe that calls for eggs, I’ve only purchased it once to try it and have never needed it for other recipes since. Instead, I rely on flax eggs for bread recipes, muffins, cakes, and cookies. Flax eggs are created using ground flaxseed, also known as flaxseed meal, which you can buy pre-ground at any grocery store. I keep a bag of it in my fridge, which lasts much longer than Just Egg.
To make a flax egg, simply combine 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 2-1/2 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for five minutes before incorporating it into your other ingredients. It works like a charm! For two eggs, double the ingredients; for three eggs, triple them.
My grandma Ruth was a brilliant baker. She actually baked for a living. Sadly, we took her talent for granted until she was gone, and we were only left with two of her recipes. One of those recipes was for Snickerdoodle cookies. Her recipe makes cookies that are soft in the middle with a crispy sugar crunch on the outside. I veganized them using Miyoko’s plant-based butter and flax eggs. Click the recipe card below for a larger version.
Applesauce
Applesauce is even more readily available than flaxmeal. As an egg substitute, it provides a light sweetness and moisture, and the natural pectin from the apples creates binding power. It’s especially good in pancake mixes and quick breads. Use about a quarter cup of applesauce for every egg called for.
Cadry Nelson is one of my favorite vegan bloggers. She has a down-to-earth approach to plant-based foods and has literally written the book on Living Vegan. Her Apple Cinnamon Pancakes are an “egg”-cellent example of replacing eggs with applesauce.
Phew! That’s a lot of information. Thanks for coming along with me through all these alternatives. While these aren’t the only options available (I haven’t even mentioned the wonders of tofu), they are probably the easiest to find and the most successful at providing familiar results in your dishes and bakes. If you still find it overwhelming, break it down section by section and just try one thing or another. My post will be here until Substack ceases to exist. You can return again and again. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing right this minute.
My aim in sharing all of this is to show how eating a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Vegan food is food that you already know and love. Choosing these alternatives to animal-based products, even one meal a week means the world to the animals and to me. It’s even good for the planet, helping to create a more livable place for our families for generations to come.
The link to Cadry Nelson’s book, Living Vegan, contains an Amazon affiliate link. Other than that, there are no affiliate links in this post.
One thing before I go. The yoga teacher who led the mindful eating meditation in my Christmas newsletter is hosting a workshop starting in February that focuses on posture! For those of us who spend too much time at our desks or looking at our devices, this six-week workshop will focus on counterbalancing all that slouching and finding relief from painful necks and shoulders. Below is the flyer for the workshop, in case you’re interested in signing up. Use the QR code to link to more information, or click the flyer to go there directly.
As two *almost* vegans the only thing we haven't given up are eggs. We tried out several of the cheeses you mentioned and Robert likes them. I'm choosing to simply make my own cashew cheese.
Neither of us are fans of any of the fake meats choosing instead to focus on tofu and veg. There are so many ways to make tofu.
My personal recipe for making homemade vegan burgers is with a base of onions, reconstituted dried mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, spices, beans (black or chickpeas) and mincing it all in my food processor. Sometimes I'll change up the recipe with some more veg, celery, carrots. They have that Unami taste from the mushrooms and the texture from the walnuts and are quite honestly the best veggie burgers I've ever eaten, if I do say so myself. I also use the recipe for Swedish non-meatballs.
Great informative article Sherry!
Suzanne
Wow, I've learned so much, Sherry! I'll never look at veganism the same, and I'm going to be checking my grocery store for the products you mentioned. Thanks for the tutorial!