Disclaimer: although these photos may look a little creepy, I promise, the food in these images is 100% vegan!!!
Let me introduce you to my Vegan Tofu and Beet Ground! Also known as vegan ground beef. No animals were harmed in the making of this delicious food. Instead this veggie ground is made with just a few simple ingredients that make for a chewy, juicy, meaty, totally vegan bite.
This vegan tofu & beet ground is flavourful, but only lightly seasoned so you can use it anywhere where you would have used ground beef. Lasagna, pasta, burritos, tacos, sloppy joes, nachos, soups, shepherds pie... the options are endless! Make ahead of time, and store in the fridge or freezer for later so you have it on hand.
There are a few keys to making the vegan ground beef so amazing.
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- Tofu crumbles. If you've been a fan of my blog for awhile you will know that I'm obsessed with tofu crumbles. Tofu is crumbled, seasoned, and then baked. This dries out the tofu making it crispy. Then when you add these crumbles back into a liquid, they absorb some of that liquid resulting in a tofu that is chewy, juicy, and and so meaty in texture. It's a favourite technique that I discovered back in 2015 and it has been a staple on my blog ever since.
- Beets. A beet is finely chopped and roasted along with the tofu in this recipe. This not only adds colour to the tofu, but the roasted beets add and earthy, deep flavour that enhances the meatiness of this dish. If you don't like beets, don't be afraid of this dish because my fiancé Adam also isn't a fan of beets, but he loves this vegan ground beef recipe!
- Broth slurry. To finish the dish, sauté some onion and garlic, then add the roasted tofu and beet mixture, and lastly add a slurry of vegetable broth and cornstarch. This may seem a little odd, but as mentioned under "tofu crumbles", the tofu needs some liquid to absorb to reach the perfect texture. The addition of cornstarch to the broth helps thicken the sauce. The combo makes for the perfect juicy crumbles.
How to make vegan ground beef:
Mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and smoked paprika together in a large bowl. It will make a brown paste-like texture.
Add the chopped beet, and then crumble the block of tofu with your fingers into the bowl along with the seasoning. You can alternatively use a potato masher in the bowl to mash up the tofu.
Mix with the seasoning making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated.
Spread the crumbles evenly over the pan. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then.
Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nice and browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's ok because it will provide a variety of texture.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the vegetable broth and cornstarch together. Set aside
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown. Add the tofu beet crumbles to the pan and pour over the vegetable broth slurry. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the tofu has softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If desired, add more soy sauce to taste. Enjoy hot or let cool and store to use later.
This vegan ground beef is delicious served hot, but it tastes even better the next day. I only lightly seasoned this recipe, so if you wanted to add your own seasonings you can go for it! I recently had this just on some lettuce wraps which was super delicious, but you could also try it in lasagna, pasta, burritos, tacos, sloppy joes, nachos, soups, shepherds pie, or anywhere that you would have used ground beef.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
Vegan Tofu & Beet Ground
Ingredients
For the tofu & beet:
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press it)
- ½ cup chopped raw beet, (½ cup)
To finish the recipe:
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ½ - 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or to taste, if needed), (gluten-free if preferred)
Instructions
To prepare the tofu & beet:
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line with parchment paper or lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- Mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and smoked paprika together in a large bowl. It will make a brown paste.
- Crumble the block of tofu with your fingers into the bowl along with the seasoning. You can alternatively use a potato masher in the bowl to mash up the tofu. Add the chopped beet along with the tofu crumbles, and mix with the seasoning making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated. Spread the crumbles evenly over the pan. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nice and browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's ok because it will provide a variety of texture.
To finish the recipe:
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the vegetable broth and cornstarch together. Set aside
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown. Add the tofu beet crumbles to the pan and pour over the vegetable broth slurry. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the tofu has softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If desired, add more soy sauce to taste. Enjoy hot or let cool and store to use later.
Notes
Nutrition
Malinda says
This came out awesome I used it for my fav sloppy joe recipe . I did half tofu crumbles & half lentils . The only thing I did different was I used my air fryer because it’s 90+ outside & I didn’t want to heat up the house either way it worked great you just have to watch it a little closer because it takes less time . I knocked the temp down the last 10 min.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it Malinda! 🙂
Di Ki says
Made a big batch last night and the flavor is fantastic. I kept nibbling every time I stirred it. It did take a little bit longer to cook, but perhaps because I made 5 batches in one go. It was also a little runnier than I thought it would be, but I either needed to cook down the tofu and beets more (or chop them smaller!) or add less liquid. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed! And yes, making 5 batches in one go will definitely affect cooking times and I imagine it would make it a bit runnier too, but yes you can just add less liquid or cook it down more. 🙂
Char says
Where do I leave a "thumbs up" for your recipes?
On YouTube, I can see the area.
When I go to your site on the Internet, I don't see the area.
Sam Turnbull says
When you leave a comment you can give the recipe a star rating 🙂
Carly says
I am so keen to try this, but need the metric conversion option please! I'm going to make it tonight and try to convert it myself. Wish me luck!
Sam Turnbull says
Whoops! I forgot to add the metric. I've fixed it so you can make it now 🙂
Char says
I haven't eaten meat for about 35 years. Could you please give a couple suggestions to use this vegan ground beef? I'm not a fan of tofu, but willing to try this recipe. I tried your cauliflower and corn flake dish. Out of this world! Fantastic.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Char, I include suggestions in the post. See the line I wrote just above the recipe. 🙂
AJ says
I was very skeptical and I don’t love beets... OMG! This is delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, amazing!!
Carla says
Might I just say, I am truly amazed. It looks almost freakishly authentic. Absolutely delicious and very versatile. I think I will be enjoying it with pasta tomorrow. Thank you, Sam.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, wonderful! So thrilled you loved it, Carla 🙂
Colleen says
Delicious! This is going to be part of our regular rotation. We already make your tofu crumbles often and now we have this versatile variation. This is so much better than any of the commercial vegan ground rounds that we have tried and, as an added bonus, we can pronounce all of the ingredients. Can't wait for your new cookbook to come out.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha love it!! Yes, homemade is always better for so many reasons! Glad you enjoyed, Colleen 🙂
Larry says
This is the best home made vegan crumble recipe I 've found so far ( I've tried many). It freezes and reheats well. My only issue is it takes too long to roast the tofu and I want to eat it right away. I always tell my friends to check out your recipes ,they are well thought out and they encourage me to try new things. Looking forward to your new book in March.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed Larry!
Melissa says
Sam, is this skooshy enough to hold together in a patty or a meatloaf? I really miss burgers but the Beyond and Impossible ones are so full of fat!
Sam Turnbull says
You would have to add some sort of binder like a flax egg and bread crumbs but it should work. You can also try my seitan burgers which many say are better than Beyond Burgers!
Melissa says
Sam, I saw the seitan burgers but my digestion prefers tofu over wheat gluten. I’ll give this a go with some kind of binder and let you know! Sure looks tasty!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! I hope it turns out beautifully for you 🙂
Sara says
Hi Sam, is arrowroot or tapioca ok? Instead of cornstarch? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, arrowroot should work perfect. Enjoy!
Kim Emons says
Made this a week ago. Had it for the first time on pasta tonite and wow...like always...Sam you deliver. Soooo good. Texture and flavour are fantastic. Thanks for another winner!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! SO happy you loved it, Kim 🙂
Val says
Hi. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! I’m making tofu crumble tomorrow and hope to use it in a Chilli con Carne. You say to use it as I would meat mince but wonder if I should add it later in the recipe to keep it firm? What do you think? Thanks Val
Sam Turnbull says
Yes I would add it later in the recipe. With my chili recipe I add the tofu crumbles in the last 5 minutes. You might want to try that recipe too 🙂
Tori Gillispie says
I have been a Vegan for almost 1 yr now. I cook a new receipe from your cookbook every week. My husband is kind of picky, but your recipes are out of this world delicious. I even pre-ordered your next cookbook. Thank you for making my Vegan lifestyle, so doable. Tori Gillispie
Sam Turnbull says
It's my pleasure Tori! Thank you for your support and congrats on being vegan for a year 🙂
Sonya says
Your recipes never cease to amaze me. I am having to make a permanent diet lifestyle change due to my progressing OA and i am forced to have a stricter diet. This recipe has two main ingredients that are helpful.
Thank you! Cant wait to try it.
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled you're enjoying my recipes so much, Sonya!!
Cindy says
Thank you, made it yesterday and loved it!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! SO happy to hear that 🙂
Anna says
Try it with a knife ...
Sam Turnbull says
Yep that's what I use, a regular ol' knif and cutting board 🙂
Marg says
If you were planning on freezing this should you freeze it before the last step? Then do the last step when you plan on using it.
Sam Turnbull says
Either way would work. If you just want to freeze the crumbles, and then sauté the onions and garlic fresh, that would be lovely. If you prefer the whole thing being complete, then that works too (it will take a little more time to defrost, however). Enjoy!
Eya Donald Greenland says
I'm going to make shepherd's pie with this. For anyone without a food processor, a box grater does a perfect job on the beets. Trouble finding beets in winter? Loose beets usually come in a bag. Check near the bagged carrots in your grocery store.
Sam Turnbull says
Great! FYI I just use a knife and cutting board to chop the beet. 🙂
M says
Can this be made with canned beets?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes! Since canned beets are already cooked, there is no need to roast them with the tofu. Just chop and add to the pan with the cooked tofu and the broth slurry.
Nancy Gallant-Turner says
I just want to say that I love your recipes. They are pretty much ingredient ready. After raising a family of 6, being responsible for their proper nutrition and myself eating meat for 60 plus years, I find making food the last thing on my mind.
I have given up meat but have no interest in cooking. I bought your book and love it. I’m sure one day I will be making each and every one of your recipes. Thank you for being my inspiration.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful, Nancy! Thrilled you're enjoying my recipes so much 🙂
Vin says
Hi Sam❣️
Looking forward to trying out this delish sounding recipe!
In your helpful introductory “keys to making the vegan ground beef so amazing”, you list “A beet is finely chopped…”
You just need to add “finely” in the subsequent ingredients list for “½ cup chopped raw beet”.
Also, it would be most helpful if you could provide a way of getting the raw beet finely chopped for your readers who don’t have a food processor.
Thanks‼️
Sam Turnbull says
I just chopped my beet with a regular ol' knife and cutting board. No need for a food processor. You can see the chopped beet in the pictures above, so you will have an idea of size. Enjoy! 🙂
Neil says
Where do you find black tofu? Kidding - it must be a typo right?
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Yes, a typo. It's been corrected now 🙂
Heather Elizabeth says
I can't wait to try this! It doesn't matter what it looks like..it's what it tastes like! Beets and tofu..yum! You're genius! Thanks again, Sam!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Heather!! I hope you love it 🙂
Vin says
Hi Sam❣️
You mentioned in the intro
“A beet is finely chopped…”
The recipe just needs your “finely” in the ingredient list for
“ ½ cup chopped raw beet”
Also, how to do so for folks without a food processor would be much appreciated!
Sam Turnbull says
I just chopped my beet with a regular ol' knife and cutting board. No need for a food processor. You can see the chopped beet in the pictures above, so you will have an idea of size. Enjoy! 🙂
Angie says
NOOOO. Please nothing that looks LIKE MEAT. and blood. that's sooo gross
Sam Turnbull says
Sorry, this doesn't suit your tastes, Angie. Lots of people love recipes like this, and if it helps some people reduce thier consumption of animal products, I'm all for it! 🙂
Cindy says
This looks so good! I'm just wondering if I can use canned beets, I have a hard time finding fresh beets in my grocery stores.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Cindy, yes you can. Since canned beets are already cooked, there is no need to roast them with the tofu. Just chop and add to the pan with the cooked tofu and the broth slurry. 🙂