5 Plant-Based Proteins to Replace Meat in Your Meals

5 Tasty Proteins to Replace Meat in Your Everyday Meals

Plant-based alternatives to eggs beef chicken and pork make a healthy addition to your diet

Getty Images Healthy, hearty alternatives to meat are proliferating. The best part? These absorb the flavor of whatever you cook them in, making them extremely versatile. Here's a guide to some options not concocted by modern food scientists in a laboratory. (I'm looking at you, fast-food veggie burgers!) These traditional ingredients are starring in trendy new dishes.

Mushrooms

Protein: Earthy, umami-rich fungi; white button and portobello are easy to find in markets When to use: Grilled for sandwiches and salads, stuffed with cheese, sautéed for pastas Pro tips: Instead of rinsing, clean with a damp paper towel; cook low and slow.

Tempeh

Protein: Cooked and fermented soybeans formed into a cake; nutty and chewy When to use: Sliced, to replace bacon (in BLTs), or crumbled like ground beef (for tacos) Pro tips: Cut into thin strips, then marinate before cooking. JOHNNY AUTRY Top: Caesar salad with marinated tempeh and barbecue jackfruit sandwiches. Bottom: Grilled portobello mushroom burgers, seitan fried “chicken” and southwest tofu scramble.

Seitan

Protein: Vegan protein made from wheat gluten and water When to use: Marinated and baked in slices, breaded and fried in strips, or grilled on kebabs Pro tip: Watch out for high sodium content in packaged versions — or make your own.

Jackfruit

Protein: A large green fruit with spiky skin, it adds a meaty texture When to use: Barbecued like pulled pork for sandwiches; chili; Asian-inspired dishes Pro tips: Buy it canned (packaged in water); the skin can be tough to cut.

Join today and save 25% off the standard annual rate. Get instant access to discounts, programs, services, and the information you need to benefit every area of your life.

Tofu

Protein: Condensed soy milk pressed into white blocks; bland flavor on its own When to use: In lieu of eggs in breakfast scrambles; in stir-fries or smoothies Pro tips: First, press out water with paper towels; next, marinate tofu as called for in a recipe.

More on Healthy Living

Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.