Easy Vegan Swaps for Meat
There are so many incredible vegan meat and dairy alternatives out there now and all the health food shops and supermarkets stock them. If you can think of a meat or dairy item, there’s a vegan replacement for pretty much all of them. You can find something to suit every budget as Iceland, Aldi and Lidl are now on board! Some of the other supermarkets and health food shops have low-cost options too.
But why would you want to eat something that resembles meat or dairy?!
Most people stop eating meat because of the ethical, environmental and health implications not because they don’t like the taste! There are many textures, tastes and flavours that people enjoy and have been brought up on. So meat substitutes are convenient and fantastic for many. It means you can enjoy your favourite flavours without the suffering and environmental destruction.
Some vegans choose not to eat meat substitutes and that’s absolutely fine too. From a health perspective it’s always better to use fresh ingredients and to cook from scratch but substitutes are great from time to time (and healthier than meat!). Here are some of our favourites although there are loads more to choose from!
For all of our favourite dairy-free swaps, head to A Vegan’s Guide to…
Our top budget breaded chicken
Aldi No Chicken Burgers and Quorn Vegan Nuggets
Our top mid range breaded chicken
Linda McCartney Chicken Bucket
Our top posh breaded chicken
Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders
Try this recipe
Seitan – or gluten – is the original meat alternative. High in protein, low in fat, and dense in texture, it lends itself to all sorts of dishes, including stir fries, ‘steaks’, deli slices for sandwiches, meat balls/chunks and more. Get started with our Seitan Popcorn Chicken.
Our top budget chicken
Iceland No Chick Strips and Tesco Meat-free Chicken Style Pieces
Our top mid range chicken
Fry’s Vegan Chicken Strips, Quorn Vegan Pieces and VBites Vegi-Deli Chicken Pieces
Our top posh chicken
The Vegetarian Butcher Vegan No Chicken Chunks
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We highly recommend our Creamy Mock Chicken, Avocado & Tomato Wraps. Just yummy… a simple, quick dish to please sceptical meat-eaters and just about anyone.
Our top budget sausages
Aldi The Deli Sausages
Our top mid range sausages
Linda McCartney’s Sausages
Our top posh sausages
Beyond Meat The Beyond Sausage
Try this recipe
You can also make your own! We recommend our delicious Nutty Mushroom Sausages. They freeze well so it’s worth making a couple of batches.
Our top budget mince
Iceland No Bull Vegan Mince
Our top mid range mince
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda own brand or Linda McCartney
Our top posh mince
Naturli Pea Based Mince
Try this recipe
Our favourite mince recipe is the timeless classic, Traditional Lasagne. Lovely deep rich flavours, layered up with a creamy béchamel sauce, topped off with a layer of cheese… indulgence at its best.
Our top budget burgers
Iceland No Bull Burgers and Aldi No Beef Burgers
Our top mid range burgers
Linda McCartney ¼ lb Burgers
Our top posh burgers
Beyond Meat Beyond Burgers
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A brilliant vegan staple, Spicy Vegan Bean Burgers. Easy to make, economical and open to lots of creative variations! They can be as spicy or mellow as you like. You can also add more fresh veg – e.g. chopped peppers, celery. So raid the fridge and get experimenting!
Our top budget bacon
Plant Pioneers Smoky Vacon Rashers
Our top mid range bacon
VBites Meat-free Streaky Rashers
Our top posh bacon
This Isn’t Bacon Plant Based Rashers
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You can even make your own vegan bacon! This recipe is very tasty. It’s also cheap to make but takes a wee while so it’s worth doubling up the quantities to make a large batch – it freezes for up to 3 months so go for it.
Our top budget fish
Aldi Plant Menu Fishless Fingers
Our top mid range fish
Good Catch Fish-Free Tuna-Style Flakes. Also the VBites fishless range.
Our top posh fish
Gardein Golden Fishless Fillets
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This tofish recipe is a revelation as it really only takes 10 minutes! Lovely chunky tofu wrapped in seaweed and covered in crispy beer batter… perfect for evenings when you’re short of time and need some comfort food!
Our top budget beef
VBites Cheatin’ Roast Beef Slices
Our top mid range beef
Plant Pioneers Vegan Steaks
Our top posh beef
Gardein Beefless Strips
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Looking for some dinner inspo? Give our Vegan ‘Steak’ & Ale Pie a go. Full of lovely veg, a nice rich boozy sauce and golden, crispy pastry… what more could you want… well apart from gravy of course!
Our top budget ham
Quorn Smoky Ham Slices
Our top mid range ham
VBites Cheatin’ Ham Style Slices
Our top posh ham
Tofurky Plant-Based Deli Slices
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We recommend using vegan ham slices in a Deli-style Sandwich or Wrap. Simple, easy to make and very tasty!
Our top budget turkey
VBites Meat-Free Turkey Roast
Our top mid range turkey
Tofurky Roast
Our top posh turkey
Love Seitan Classic Seitan Log
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You guessed it, you can even make your own vegan turkey! This roast is just heavenly and the ultimate centrepiece for your Christmas dinner! It’s actually very straightforward to make and is sure to impress friends and family… not to mention saving some beautiful turkeys in the process.
Our top budget duck
Granovita Mock Duck
Our top mid range duck
Linda McCartney Vegetarian Shredded Hoisin Duck (it is suitable for vegans)
Our top posh duck
VBites Meat-Free Duck Pieces in Hoisin Sauce
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We love these brilliant, fast and healthy Mock Duck Pancakes – which are also much kinder to ducks, of course. Because you assemble each wrap yourself and pass dishes around, it’s also a very communal-style meal – a great conversation starter!
