Vegan minced meat – even mince without meat is a winner!

Vegan minced meat is a plant-based alternative to meat-based minced meat. It consists of a mixture of various vegetable proteins and vegetable fats.

Common ingredients in vegan mince are soya, sunflower seeds, green spelt meal, oat flakes, mushrooms, lupin meal, lentils, jack fruit, wheat, and pea protein. The small-particle structure of minced meat can be achieved technologically with a wide variety of plant-based raw materials. Vegan mince can be given its distinctive flavour by seasoning these foods in a targeted manner.

Vegan minced meat is an animal-friendly option for those who want to avoid meat for ethical, health, or environmental reasons.

Vegan minced meat has now become a standard product on supermarket shelves. The texture and flavour are comparable to the original and many consumers take it as a welcome plant-based alternative. It is no longer only available in specialised vegan shops, but also in discount stores and in every grocery shop around the corner. Various online shops also offer vegan minced meat.

Beef generates a higher amount of greenhouse gases than its plant-based meat substitute. In most cases, soya from cleared rainforests is used in livestock farming, which leads to environmental damage on the one hand and involves another import route on the other. In the case of vegan minced meat made from soya, local soya is usually used. The water consumption of animal minced meat is also significantly higher than that of vegan minced meat.

Vegan minced meat is an example of how traditional foods can be adapted to fulfil a growing demand for plant-based alternatives.

Vegan minced meat is rich in plant-based proteins. It must be enriched with important nutrients.

Meat substitutes often contain a lot of sugar, which can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. They also usually contain a lot of salt and seasonings with flavour enhancers. The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum of five grams of salt per day.

The proportion of fat in the meat substitute can be compared with conventional meat products. Meat substitutes are often not lower in fat than meat.

Meat substitutes can contain phosphates, which in turn can adversely affect your health. You should therefore ensure that your consumption is regulated.

You should check the nutritional information and ingredient lists and make a conscious choice when buying vegan mince. It is also advisable to eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, and fibre to ensure that you are well supplied with all the important vitamins and minerals.

Important: when buying vegan minced meat, pay attention to the ingredients

• The shorter the list of ingredients, the better for your health. Pay attention to the main ingredient of vegan minced meat.
• Vegan mince is a highly processed food. As with the original animal product, daily consumption of vegan minced meat is not recommended.
• Depending on the product and manufacturer, vegan mince can contain high amounts of salt, sugar, spices, and artificial additives. Pay attention to the nutritional table when shopping. Eating too much of these ingredients may impact your health.

Want to know exactly what's in vegan minced meat? No problem, just do it yourself!

As an example, here is a recipe for vegan minced meat from the pan:

1. 1. Drain the kidney beans.
2. 2. Put the kidney beans and oat flakes into the blender with the oat milk.
3. 3. The mixture should be firm enough to cut. Otherwise, add flour as required.
4. 4. Mix the paprika, herbs, yeast flakes, and ½ the soya sauce thoroughly into the mixture and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
5. 5. Finely dice the onions and chop the garlic.
6. 6. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions with the garlic.
7. 7. Turn down the hob. Add the mince mixture and chop into small crumbs.
8. 8. Fry until the mince is crispy.
9. 9. Finally, fry the mince with 1 tsp more soya sauce and paprika to taste at the highest level.