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Best Vegan Beef

Name: Vegan Beef Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 21 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces soy curls; 1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 2 cups vegetable broth); 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 inch ginger (minced or grated); 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce or dark soy sauce); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or blackstrap molasses•, plus more to taste); 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce; 1/2 tablespoon sriracha; 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (lightly steamed); 8 ounces noodles (cooked)

Published: Mar 21, 2023 by Nisha Melvani · 4 Comments

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The Best Vegan Beef made with healthy non-GMO soy curls. Low in calories and high in plant-based protein, this easy recipe tastes just like meat. Add broccoli and noodles for a complete and tasty meal.

Vegan beef with broccoli and noodles on a white plate.

If you haven't tried soy curls, this is your sign to start! They are so easy to prepare, their texture is very similar to chicken and stir-fry beef, and they are very healthy. Made with just one ingredient–non-GMO whole soybeans–soy curls typically have no additives, preservatives or sodium. Plus, they are a good source of protein and fiber.

This Best Vegan Beef dish was inspired by my Easy Soy Curl & Vegetable Stir-Fry on this site, as well as this sheet-pan recipe for Soy Curls in Creamy Peanut Sauce.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🥦 Substitutions
📖 Instructions
💡 Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Cornstarch, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic, broccoli, soy curls, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, and a bouillon cube on a gray table. — Ingredients for Vegan Beef

Soy curls are a healthy and delicious alternative to beef. They are gluten-free, and have no sodium, cholesterol, or trans fats. I use Butler Foods brand, but any variety will work.
Bouillon cube ingredients vary depending on the brand. I use cubes lower in low sodium and made with fewer ingredients. I used Edward & Sons' Low Sodium Not Chick'n for this recipe. You can also use low sodium vegetable broth and omit the water in the recipe.
Optional: The recipe card gives an option to add steamed broccoli and noodles for a complete meal.

See recipe card for quantities.

🥦 Substitutions

Tamari - Use gluten-free tamari for a gluten-free meal. Otherwise, you can use soy sauce or dark soy sauce instead for a richer flavor.
Maple syrup - use blackstrap molasses instead for extra umami flavor and a darker color
Bouillon cube - Substitute with 2 cups vegetable broth and omit the water as desired. Or use 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base for a real beefy flavor.

Craving a high-protein pasta dinner? Try this Easy Pasta with Peas. For more soy curl recipes, visit my Vegan Asian Recipes page.

📖 Instructions

Broth in a Pyrex measuring cup with a silver whisk, and a jar of Better Than Bouillon, and a packet of Edward and Sons' bouillon cubes.

Step 1. Make broth mixture: Dissolve 1 vegetable bouillon cube in 2 cups boiling hot water or use 2 cups boiling hot vegetable broth. Mix the cornstarch into the hot broth.

Step 2: Transfer the soy curls to a medium bowl and add the hot broth mixture to cover. (Add more water as needed to make sure the soy curls are completely covered in liquid.) Soak them for 10 minutes.

Soy curls cooking in broth in a black skillet.

Step 3. Transfer the soy curls to a large skillet with the broth mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 7 minutes, or until all the broth is absorbed.

Vegan beef in a black skillet beside a bowl of steamed broccoli.

Step 4. Add the garlic, and ginger and cook over medium-high heat. Mix in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, and sriracha until gently bubbling.

💡 Expert Tips

Soak the soy curls for 10 minutes. Do not soak them for longer or they will become mushy. Typically they are soaked in warm water, but this recipe calls for room temperature water as they are getting cooked in the broth to soften them further.
Using Black strap molasses instead of maple syrup adds a richer umami flavor, additional iron, and a dark beef-like color but it contains low levels of lead and acrylamide.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Vegan Beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave or saucepan.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Are soy curls good for you?

Soy curls are made from just one ingredient: whole soybeans. Many other chicken or beef substitutes contain oil, protein isolates, and other processed ingredients. Plus, soy curls provide fiber (6 grams per serving), a decent amount of protein (11 grams per serving), and have no sodium, cholesterol, or trans fats.

How long do soy curls last?

If you are storing them in their dehydrated form they can last up to 6 months in your pantry. If you want to rehydrate them ahead of time, they will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Should soy curls be refrigerated?

Soy curls are an all natural product and do not contain any preservatives or additives. Keep them refrigerated or frozen will keep them fresher for longer.