Textured vegetable protein substitutes

The closest match in size, and the swap that makes the most sense in a bolognese, chilli, sloppy joe or shepherd's pie. Lentils are softer than rehydrated TVP and have no chew at all, so the dish reads as tender and stewy rather than meaty, and they are earthier where TVP is neutral. They also break down a little and thicken the sauce, which TVP does not, so start with less liquid. Nutritionally the protein is lower but the flavour is much better.

Best for

bolognese and pasta sauce, chilli, tacos and sloppy joes, shepherd's pie, meatless meatballs

Undercook the lentils slightly, to just tender, then finish them in the sauce so they absorb it. Canned lentils work too: one 15-ounce can, drained, per cup of dry TVP.

The best texture match, and an old trick worth knowing: freezing tofu makes ice crystals that leave it spongy and full of holes, so once thawed and squeezed dry it crumbles into chewy, absorbent nuggets that behave almost exactly like rehydrated TVP. It soaks up marinade and sauce the same way and browns well in a hot pan. Flavour is faintly beany where TVP is flat neutral, and the pieces are more irregular, which honestly looks more like mince.

Best for

taco filling, chilli, stir-fries, bolognese, fillings for pies and dumplings

Freeze it solid, thaw completely, then press hard between your hands or in a clean tea towel to force the water out. Skipping the squeeze is what makes people think this trick does not work.

The best-tasting option here by a wide margin, and the one to use when the dish depends on savouriness rather than on protein content. Chop the mushrooms very small, brown them hard in a wide pan until they squeak and stick, then stir in chopped toasted walnuts off the heat. You get deep umami and a coarse meaty chew that TVP never has. What you lose is protein and the ability to soak up sauce, so the sauce stays looser; a tablespoon of tomato paste or a splash of soy sauce tightens it up.

Best for

bolognese, taco filling, mushroom ragu, veggie burgers, shepherd's pie

Cook the mushrooms in two batches in a wide pan. Crowded mushrooms steam in their own liquid and go grey and slippery instead of browning.

Also soy, also high in protein, and much firmer and chewier than TVP, which suits a chunky chilli or a taco. The flavour is the real difference: tempeh is fermented, so it tastes distinctly nutty and slightly bitter or mushroomy rather than neutral, and it does not disappear into a sauce the way TVP does. Steaming the crumbles for ten minutes before frying takes most of that bitterness away and makes them better at absorbing marinade.

Best for

chilli, tacos, stir-fries, bacon-style crumbles, grain bowls

Crumble it with your fingers rather than chopping it, for irregular mince-like pieces. It browns fast, so keep the pan moving.

Frozen or chilled vegan mince is the closest thing to a like-for-like replacement, because much of it is made from the same soy protein with flavouring and fat added. It is already seasoned and often already browned, so it tastes savourier out of the packet than TVP ever does, and it needs no rehydrating. The trade-offs are cost, which is several times higher, and softness: most brands are more tender than well-rehydrated TVP.

Best for

bolognese, chilli, tacos, lasagne, anything on a weeknight

Add it late and do not stew it for an hour; long simmering makes most vegan mince mushy. If it is pre-seasoned, cut the salt in the recipe.

The cheapest swap and a surprisingly good textural one, since coarse bulgur rehydrates into small chewy grains that hold their shape in a sauce and absorb liquid enthusiastically, which is exactly TVP's trick. It tastes nutty and unmistakably of wheat, and it brings starch, so the dish thickens more and feels heavier. Protein is much lower, which is why the half-lentil, half-bulgur mix is the version worth making.

Best for

chilli, taco filling, stuffed vegetables, meatless meatballs and koftes, bolognese

Use coarse bulgur, not fine. Fine bulgur turns to porridge in a sauce. It contains gluten, so this is not an option in a gluten-free recipe; use quinoa or brown rice instead, both of which are softer.

The honest last-resort option, and fine in a chilli, where beans belong anyway. Pulse them briefly or crush half of them with a fork so they read as filling rather than as whole beans. They are soft and creamy with no chew whatsoever, and they taste clearly of bean, so a dish designed around neutral TVP will taste quite different, if not worse. In a taco or a burrito nobody will complain; in a lasagne the texture is wrong.

Best for

chilli, tacos and burritos, casseroles

Rinse them and add them in the last ten minutes. Long simmering turns mashed beans into a uniform paste and the dish loses all definition.