What’s the best veggie substitute for beef mince?

[UsernameIsDeadToMe]

I am pretty clueless tbh. Husband and I are meat eaters but my children have been making noises about vegetarianism for a while now. I am keen to support them.

I make chilli using a recipe that they love (just the bbc good food one). They have asked for it this weekend but my eldest (8) is in a quandary about the beef (I’m honestly unsure where this is coming from - must be school).

what’s the best replacement?? I googled and there are so many options…

I use Holland and Barrett's Savory Soya Mince and even my carnivorous family all devour it as it has same texture.

As my concern is about climate I have really cut back on meat but I still use meat stock cubes along with the beans/ lentils makes a big difference to flavour.

The best bet is beans (not lentils in a chilli, for me): black beans, especially, but any mix they like.

Any 'veggie mince' substitute is going to introduce a very processed product into their chilli. So I'd try beans first. If they like it, all the better.

If it must be mince, I'd try to stick to soya mince. It's still a recognisable food. Ish. And it will do a good job of replacing meat.

Quorn, Beyond mince, etc... they'll do the job of replacing meat so well that you don't even notice it's missing. And that's great sometimes. But even better if they like whole, minmally processed foods like beans or lentils as replacements for meat.

green lentils, or any other beans, red lentils also, far preferrable to quorn type

Quorn/ vegetarian mince is OK but it is highly processed so not particularly healthy.

Honestly, the best thing to do is cook meals that are designed to be vegetarian, rather than trying to substitute meat with something else.

Look up recipes that use lentils, tofu, halloumi and other veggie proteins. If the recipe is especially designed for these it will taste better than a recipe designed for meat.

It makes it a lot easier to stick to being vegetarian too, because the meals are nice in their own right and you don't feel you are missing out.

I recommend getting a good vegetarian recipe book such as:

Veggie Mob
The Green Roasting Tin
One Pot, Pan, Planet

Sunflower mince. It's the by product of the sunflower oil production process. Has more texture than Quorn.

@mackthepony funnily enough, reducing the mince doesn't make it vegetarian 🙄🙄

@UsernameIsDeadToMe

it's all personal taste, but I think as a mince replacement the vivera one is the nicest.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/ProductDisplay?gbraid=0AAAAACKK22jz8_gINxRyQHrrBgyYNFuIM&storeId=10151&productId=1226342&langId=44&istCompanyId=1e096408-041f-4238-994e-a7cf46bf9413&istFeedId=689af7a8-5842-4d88-be59-1ee5688a81b5&istItemId=wpwplratm&istBid=t&&cmpid=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=15424330555&utm_content=shopping&utm_term=%7Bsku%7D&utm_custom1=129852755749&utm_custom2=759-449-0952&gbraid=0AAAAACKK22jz8_gINxRyQHrrBgyYNFuIM&gclid=Cj0KCQjwguGYBhDRARIsAHgRm4_7jqjCE648bXbJeZc5GMoPvPAawIHA_hnev5RSxPcT9L4r3wPoiXYaAk2PEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

if you all like it made with a good quality one, you can then experiment with others. Many years ago we were grateful for the dried tvp style stuff from Holland & barret, but things have really really moved on since then!

I've been vegetarian 30 plus years now, & have tried most 🤣 beans & lentils are good too, especially in things like chili. The vivera is really good in place of mince in things like Tacos.

with the kidney beans, try buying the ones that come in a chili sauce, much more paletable !!

I'd avoid Quorn, lots of people have a bad reaction to it & sometimes it develops over time.

the nicest sausages (imo) are the cauldron ones (cooked in the oven with a good coating of oil at about 200°, for about 20 mins. You need the oil as no natural fat in them & they're much nicer done in the oven than in a pan) Great cold too!!

Used tinned green lentils, or cook green lentils separately and add. Only red lentils cook in the sauce and IMO they are too mushy for chilli.

There’s a thread in Classics called something like “Tina’s Christmas stuffing and other recipes”.
Theres a recipe on there for vegan chilli which I’ve done loads (did it last night in fact). It’s absolutely amazing. I change the cooking to either slow cooker for several hours or oven on really low (about 110C) for 3 hours or so. It’s gorgeous. Uses just beans and carrot/celery.

Apologies for the super ugly link!!

This is a very good veggie chilli from BBC Good Food:

Burnt Aubergine veggie chilli recipe

I missed one recipe book off the list -

Bish Bash Bosh

One of our favourites :)

Seriously, check these out. It takes some effort but you'll barely miss meat if you start cooking proper veggie food.

Your kids are amazing by the way.

BBC good food burnt aubergine chilli is brilliant
anna Jones heart chilli also excellent
no meat substitutes but you’d never know.

Veggie! Not heart.

For chilli I just use tins of mixed bean salad instead of mince - I hardly every use meat for chilli now.

Fry up onion, peppers, other veg and garlic a saucepan.
Add tins of beans and cook for a few minutes
Add same number of tinned tomatoes.
Stir
Add cumin and chilli and square of dark chocolate.
Stir
Let it cook for a bit
Pile onto nachos/rice/baked potatoes/wraps
Serve with lashings if guacamole, sour cream and salsa

Aubergine is my favourite for chilli, works really well. My partner does one with aubergine and dark chocolate.

I make veggie chilli with a mix of puy lentils, red lentils, bulgur and quinoa- it’s lovely and not claggy like too many beans can be.

No need to prep anything ahead but you need to add extra liquid eg veg stock, for the pulses to absorb.

Tinned green lentils, not red ones. Plus other beans. Bulk up with mushrooms.
We never use Quorn or substitute mince.

cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-chili-recipe/

This is literally the best chilli and everyone complements it. The secret is to blitz it a few times with a hand blender which gives it more of a meaty and less beany consistency. It's all in the recipe.

Quorn etc are fine but won't have the same impact or taste as meat. However if they want a burger then Beyond Meat is probably really bad for you but tastes great!

Not quite what you're asking and I make veggie chilli with lentils and extra beans (quorn is vile but Asda's soya mince is nice), but have you tried using turkey mince?

I rarely eat meat and never red meat but have used turkey mince for fussy customers kids.

avirtualvegan.com/lentil-shepherds-pie/ Can recommend this recipe

This is honestly the best chilli recipe ever - much better than meat. Just don't use as much stock as the recipe says.

Another one for tinned green lentils
i am vegan and don’t use meat substitutes too processed!!

id also use finely chopped mushrooms
chickpeas

We have found that equal parts if Quorn mince (seasoned then fried in a bit of butter or oil) and puy lentils (can is fine) is best

took me 2 years but now the veggie spag Bol is just right like this in terms of taste and texture and nutrition

I use quorn I think it was from Sainsbury … kidney beans in sauce, onion, chilli, garlic, cumin, paprika, veg stock and hot pepper sauce, can of toms. DH (who eats meat) lapped it up.