Meat Alternatives So Delicious You’ll Never Know the Difference

By Lauren Hamer

What if we told you there was a way to satisfy both vegetarians and meat-eaters at your next meal? Believe it or not, there are convincing meat alternatives packed with protein. The Mayo Clinic offers tips for staying healthy on a vegetarian diet, such as a varied diet with all the nutrients your body needs. These ten meat-free protein alternatives do just that. They’ll satisfy vegetarians while enthralling the most steadfast carnivores, keeping energy levels up and hungry bellies at bay.

(S)BLT

An (S)BLT is a lunch-time classic with a trendy twist. Crispy fried bacon gets a meatless remodel using hearty shiitake mushrooms, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce on toasted bread. For a little extra protein, consider adding avocado slices and flavored mayo to the mix.

Black-Bean Veggie Burger

Wildly popular meals, like the hamburger, easily double as incognito faux-meat dishes with a few modifications. Feast your eyes on this vegetarian burger using black beans and corn as protein alternatives. It’s spiced with cumin, pepper, scallions, and vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce. Top it off with pepper-jack cheese, tomato, and bibb lettuce between two whole-wheat buns.

Spaghetti and “Meat” Balls

Your Italian grandma called, and she’s bringing dinner — spaghetti and “meat” balls. But these meatballs are packed with textured protein alternatives like tofu and bulgur wheat that are masked underneath Italian flavor. Build them up with bread crumbs, egg, and wild rice. And then enjoy with tomato sauce and serve with whole-grain pasta.

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