This vegetarian ground beef makes a big batch so you can save time cooking once and eating twice! Use half the recipe to make a vegetarian version of your favorite ground beef recipe and freeze the other half for a future meal. Made with a savory blend of mushrooms and walnuts, this vegetarian ground beef substitute is my favorite thanks to the incredible flavor and texture.
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Have store bought vegetarian beef crumbles left you a little disappointed?
Store bought crumbles are better than ever, but still nothing beats homemade. I've created the easiest, better-than-beef substitute for all your favorite ground beef recipes.
It is soy free and uses easy to find ingredients. The only special tool you'll need is a food processor. I've used this "meat" to make tacos, burrito bowls, tater tot casserole, sloppy joes, salads, and more. It's a delicious, wholesome way to add more protein to your vegetarian diet!
This recipe is one of my favorites because it gets a little crisp on the outside but stays soft on the inside, similar to real ground beef. However, it is a little fragile, so if you plan to use this in a liquid like marinara sauce or bbq sauce be aware that it could fall apart if handled too roughly. I would not recommend adding this to a soup.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Cremini mushrooms
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Garlic
- Walnuts
- Panko
- Eggs
- Vegan worestershire sauce
- Onion powder
- Coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to make vegetarian ground beef
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and both mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, about 7-9 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Set the vegetables aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are the texture of a fine crumb.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the food processor and let it run just until everything is very finely chopped.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the walnut mixture along with the breadcrumbs, eggs, worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a rubber scraper or big spoon until everything is incorporated.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir the mixture, flipping it over and breaking it up into smaller pieces. Spread it out evenly once again and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Top tips and questions
What kind of mushrooms to use for vegetarian ground beef
I like to use a blend of cremini mushrooms (also known as baby bellas) and shiitake mushrooms. This gives the mixture both flavor and structure. I think white button mushrooms would be the next best swap, but this recipe will probably work with any mushroom you have on hand as long as you're keeping the measurements the same.
Allow the veggies to cool
You'll want to let your cooked veggies cool a bit before adding them to the mixture with the eggs. If you add them when they're too hot, they may cook the egg before incorporating and you'll end up with a scrambled egg and veggie mix.
How to use vegetarian ground beef substitute
This recipe makes 8 scant cups. Use 4 cups of these crumbles to replace 1 pound of ground beef. You may need to make other adjustments if you're using this in a classic ground beef recipe.
Ideas for using vegetarian ground meat
- Use as a filling for tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls
- Add to salads
- Serve over mashed potatoes or baked potatoes
- Add to nachos
- Season it like sausage and use it to make stuffed pasta shells or pizza
- Mix with sloppy joe sauce or bbq sauce to make a sandwich
- Use as a filling for lettuce wraps
- Add to marinara sauce to serve over spaghetti or make lasagna
How to store meatless ground beef
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. Thaw in the microwave for 30-60 seconds before using.
Tips for customizing vegetarian ground beef
- Make it vegan by swapping the eggs for two flax eggs
- Make it gluten-free by using a gluten-free breadcrumb
- Season it for how you'll use it, such as taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, etc.
- Make a double batch of this recipe to have "ground beef" on hand for weeks (you'll need to run separate batches through the food processor and use two baking sheets)
- Cut this recipe in half if you don't want to freeze any for another time
FAQ
This vegetarian ground beef is a delicious combination of walnuts, mushrooms, onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, and spices. Other vegetarian ground beef recipes may use lentils, soy, or beans to create a high protein ground beef substitute that can be used a number of different ways. You can also buy prepared meat substitutes at the grocery store that commonly use these ingredients as well.
I haven't tested this recipe with another type of nut, so I can't recommend it, but if you're going to try a substitute I'd try pecans first.
This recipe relies on nuts for texture and flavor. If you can't consume nuts I recommend trying my tempeh tacos to get started with other vegetarian meat substitutes.
Regular Worcestershire sauce is not vegetarian or vegan because it is made with fish. However, I can usually find a vegan version in the organic section of my grocery store. This is what I recommend using to keep this recipe vegetarian.
More vegetarian meat substitutes
- Mushroom Walnut Taco Meat
- Lentil Meatloaf Muffins
- Eggplant Meatballs
- Veggie Wellington
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Walnut Burgers
- Lentil Burgers
- Black Bean Burger with Avocado Whip
- Vegan Ham
- Vegan Tempeh Tacos
- Vegan Lettuce Wraps
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Big Batch Vegetarian Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 4 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and both mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and most of the liquid has cooked off, 7-9 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Set the vegetables aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are the texture of a fine crumb.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the food processor and let it run just until everything is very finely chopped.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the walnut mixture along with the breadcrumbs, eggs, worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a rubber scraper or big spoon until everything is incorporated.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir the mixture, flipping it over and breaking it up into smaller pieces. Spread it out evenly once again and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
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