Skip to content
Meat substitute products as a plantbased alternative

Meat Substitute Products - 13 Sustainable and Delicious Alternatives for Meat

In this post I now present you 13 delicious meat substitutes and alternatives before. From classics such as tofu and seitan to lesser-known products such as jackfruit and edamame. Let's go!

Tip: In the contributions "Vegetarianism Statistics." and "Veganism Statistics" you will find facts and figures about vegan-vegetarian nutrition and its effects.

13 products that are excellent substitutes for meat

Chickpeas as an alternative for meat

So which products can be used as an equivalent substitute for meat? It's not just about the nutrients and taste, but also how it feels in your mouth. Here are my 13 favorite products that I use to replace meat.

1. chickpeas

Chickpeas have definitely been one of my favorite foods since going vegan and regularly end up on my plate in various forms. You can simply use the chickpeas from the jar as a salad topping or as an ingredient in a curry. Or you can make your own hummus - I even have a separate Hummus contribution written in which you will find several recipes.

Soy products as a substitute for meat

Soy products are now probably the best-known group of pulses and one of the reasons for this is that soybeans are so versatile. Due to the large selection available, you are sure to find a soy product that is suitable for you as a meat substitute.

2. tofu - the classic among meat substitutes

Tofu, hardly any other product is discussed as controversially as the protein-rich blocks made from soybeans. In my opinion, tofu offers many advantages and is incredibly versatile. You just have to marinate it properly and it goes well with any dish. It also contains a lot of Protein, Iron and Magnesium.

3. edamame

Edamame are soybeans that are harvested unripe. The beans are cooked and then eaten without their pods. Edamame are now becoming increasingly popular in Europe and are also a sustainable meat substitute due to their relatively high protein content.

4. bean sprouts

The white, crunchy bean sprouts are actually mung bean sprouts. You can use them to top salads or spice up an Asian stir-fry. Of course, this is not a product that tastes "meaty" or has a meaty texture, but in classic vegetarian-vegan dishes, you can use bean sprouts to replace the protein content of meat.

5. soybean mince

Soy shreds are a relatively inexpensive meat substitute. They are first soaked in vegetable stock, which increases their volume. Then squeeze them out a little and fry them. Soy shreds are quite versatile, taste great and are easy to prepare.

6. roasted soybeans

You can easily find roasted soybeans online and they are a great alternative to normal snacks. You can also use them as a delicious salad topping. They have a high protein content and taste great. Roasted soybeans are also a relatively inexpensive meat substitute.

7. tempeh

Fried tempeh as a substitute for meat

I have already written a separate article about tempeh, in which you can find all the information about tempeh. Tempeh comes from Indonesia and has been consumed there for a long time as a nutritious and sustainable meat substitute. Tempeh is good for digestion and contains a lot of protein, Calcium and Folic acid making it ideal for replacing meat in a sustainable way.

8. soy crispies

You can spice up your muesli with soy crispies. The crispies are super crunchy, have a high protein content and can also be used for baking. So if you want a little more protein in your desserts, it's a good idea to use soy crispies.

9. seitan

Seitan is incredibly versatile. Seitan also has a very high protein content and, in my opinion, has the meatiest texture and often the meatiest taste. Seitan is now quite well known and in larger cities you can often find it in restaurants or

Seitan originates from Asian cuisine and consists mainly of gluten. People with gluten intolerance should therefore definitely steer clear of seitan.

10. jackfruit

Jackfruit is an Asian fruit that is harvested unripe and therefore still relatively tasteless. Thus, with jackfruit it is also most important to marinate it well.

Due to its fibrous texture, jackfruit is a particularly good meat substitute for pulled pork. The marinade is particularly important here: it is best to combine barbeque sauce, onion, garlic, tomato puree, a little mustard, smoked salt, paprika powder, a little chili and cumin.

11. beans as a substitute for meat

With beans, of course, you're replacing the nutritional value of meat rather than the texture and flavor. There are green beans, kidney beans, white beans, adzuki beans, mung beans, fire beans and several other varieties.

Beans look good in any stir-fry or salad. Or, of course, in the meat-free classic chili sin carne. Thanks to their variety, beans are a meat substitute that never gets boring.

I have described the soybean separately because there are so many different uses for soybeans. But of course the soybean also belongs to the bean family.

12. lentils as a substitute for meat

Lentils as a delicious meat alternative

The variety of lentils is similar to the variety of beans. There are red, yellow, beluga, mountain and green plate lentils. The possible uses are just as varied. Classics are Indian lentil dal or Kitchari. Or you can simply buy lentil noodles and replace them with wheat noodles. This will automatically increase the protein content of your meal.

13. the regional sweet lupine

A rather unknown option for sustainably replacing meat is the sweet lupin. The sweet lupin can be grown in Germany and can already be found in some meat substitute products. There is also lupin flour, lupin yoghurt or you can buy dried lupins and sprout them. sprout them.

Tip: In the article Pulses instead of meat you can find out more about the nutritional value of pulses and why they are much more sustainable than meat.

Replacing meat is easier than you think!

Meat substitutes and alternatives for meat - beans

I hope you have found something that you would like to try from the variety of meat substitutes. If you want to imitate both the taste and texture of meat, I recommend meat substitutes made from seitan, as these are the closest to meat in my opinion. But there are of course many other products that come very close to meat.

Have fun cooking!

Julian from CareElite

P.S.: In the Nutrition section of the blog you will find many healthy and sustainable recipes! Enjoy your meal!

Coffee box Suggestions for improvement Newsletter

* Links with asterisks are so-called Affiliate linksIf you click on it and buy something, you automatically and actively support my work with CareElite.de, as I receive a small share of the proceeds - and of course nothing changes in the product price. Many thanks for your support and best regards, Christoph!

Julian Hölzer

Julian Hölzer

Hi, my name is Julian and I am a trained vegan nutritionist. In 2016 I started to get involved with veganism and quickly learned how big an impact our diet has on the environment and how diverse plant-based diets can be. That's why I want to inspire you to get involved with veganism too.

2 thoughts on “Fleischersatz Produkte – 13 nachhaltige und leckere Alternativen für Fleisch”

    1. Hello Christof,
      thanks for the comment! You're definitely right, seeds and nuts can replace meat very well. My focus was more on classic meat substitutes so I didn't even think about seeds and nuts.
      Best regards
      Julian

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *