Sliced veg as meat alternative

[JonahAndTheSnail]

I'm looking to eat less meat and can already make a decent chilli sin carne and those types of dishes with a 'mince' like texture. I get a bit bored of eating meals with this texture and am looking to try a few recipes where a slice of veg is intended to replace a 'steak' of meat. I'm guessing the key to making them tasty is all in the seasoning, which I'm a bit clueless about? I've spotted this one which I'll try next week: https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/crisp-cauliflower-steaks-with-harissa-and-goats-cheese/ . Can anyone recommend any similar ones?

What about stuffed peppers or big mushrooms ? I find mushrooms can feel quite ‘meaty’ when cooked right.

I do slices of butternut squash sometimes with a roast dinner instead of a meat component, usually seasoned with sage and thyme.

Aubergine is good cut into slices and grilled or fried, or even breaded as katsu curry. Works nicely with Mediterranean or Asian style meals.

And how about tofu?

IMO the best vegetable texture-wise for this is king oyster mushrooms. They have thick stalks which can be sliced and cooked with a teriyaki sauce. They are delicious. Sadly, I haven't been able to find any this year, but they really are worth looking out for.

Aubergines are a good one.

I have done that Rukmini Iyer one in your link and it went down very well. I recommend her book The Green Roasting Tin for a lot of veggie and vegan meals that don’t make you miss meat. I think the roasting as a method of cooking really helps in that respect.

Mushroom or aubergine is best, have you tried tofu as well? Because that contains protein and iron so a better meat substitute

Mushroom burgers realfood.tesco.com/recipes/mushroom-burgers.html

Also jackfruit is very ‘meaty’ and can be used in enchiladas, ragu, burger buns etc…

Sweet potato steaks https://www.asda.com/good-living/recipe/sweet-potato-steaks-with-salsa

Sorry, I disagree about jackfruit. I dislike the texture. It is too "slippery" for me.

Nut roast or a veggie loaf baked and sliced i.e 🍠sweet potato, carrots etc

Aubergine parmigiana is good as a veggie main, or stuffed butternut squash.

I think it depends on what you want. Mostly when I do vegetarian recipes I don't tey to do versions that replace meat. Eg a risotto or a veg curry.

Having said that, aubergine, mushroom and goats cheese burgers are v popular here - grill thick slices of aubergine and mushrooms ans create a stack auberine/mushroom/goats cheese/mushroom/aubergine. Drizzle a little honey over the goats cheese layer and some fresh thyme.

Also hallumi or falafel

That recipe is great by the way, we have it for tea every 3-4 weeks or so. Some great ideas here but also we bought the green roasting tin cookbook which is all one tin cooking and all veggie.

I make jackfruit with steak rub seasoning, tomato puree, bbq sauce and a little gravy browning to make it look better. I cook in the oven for a while, it dries it out and makes it closer to things like pulled pork. We have it as arepa filling.

Thanks, there's some really good suggestions here. Glad to hear people enjoyed the cauliflower recipe as I've just ordered the ingredients.

I like the idea of big mushrooms as a burger, I'll have a look for some marinade recipes to give that a try some time. I do like tofu, but it always seems to give me a bad stomach the next day (as does eating too many pulses), so I'm trying to just eat it in small amounts in the hope my body may get used to eating it. Protein is my main hurdle to going fully veggie!

@JonahAndTheSnail Yes, your body does get used to eating pulses and tofu. I found lentils and chickpeas easier to digest than beans, and tbh I find you can do more with them than you can with beans. Do you eat eggs or cheese much?

Celeriac "schnitzels" are a popular alternative in my neck of the woods. Parboil first, then slice, egg and breadcrumb and either fry or bake in the oven.

Yes, I eat eggs or cheese most days for lunch which should help with protein intake. I've been eating pulses a couple of times a week for decades even as a meat eater and it's always a bit of a gamble whether I regret it the next day! I've just ordered some probiotics to see if that helps.

Breadcrumbed butternut squash makes a great Katsu curry