15+ TVP Recipes - What is TVP? How to use it? (2024)

FAQs

What is TVP and how do you use it? ›

Textured Vegetable Protein® is an excellent alternative to meat and a vegan source of complete protein. TVP® easily absorbs the flavors of any recipe and makes delicious chili, tacos, meatballs and more. Note: Once TVP® has been rehydrated, it must be kept refrigerated.

Plain TVP 1 cup yields 2 ¼ cups 3 oz. yields 14 oz. TVP can be added directly to soups and stews, or rehydrated for a healthy, meatless option. To rehydrate, add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of TVP and soak or simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Rehydrate: Since TVP comes dehydrated, the first step will always be to rehydrate it in hot water or vegetable broth. For this recipe, regular veggie broth works fine, but if you have beef-style vegan bouillon cubes, they will boost the umami factor a lot!

Possibility of consuming other harmful ingredients — Because TVP is found in mostly processed foods, you're likely to consume additives, preservatives, lots of sodium and added sugar, and other unwanted ingredients if you consume a lot of products that contain it.

In short, the answer is yes. While TVP is a processed food, it's derived from a healthy ingredient and provides a complete source of plant-based protein essential to one's health. That being said, like anything, TVP should be enjoyed in moderation. Additionally, it should not be your only source of protein.

Does TVP need to be soaked? TVP comes dehydrated so you need to add moisture. Some recipes call for soaking it ahead of time, but in this taco recipe, I found it quickest and easiest to add the dry TVP to the pan along with vegetable broth and allow it to soften and absorb the extra flavors right in the pan.

Measure a 1:1 ratio of TVP and water and pour the TVP into the water. Allow the TVP to soak in the water for roughly 20 minutes allowing the TVP to absorb the water and become moist and fluffy.

The meat equivalent is about 4-5x what you buy, so 1 pound of TVP, hydrated, is about 4-5 lbs. It doesn't expand when cooked much, but it does expand when you add the liquid to hydrate it. However, if you do this WHILE cooking, then yes it will expand.

The ratio of TVP to water is about 1 to 1, using just slightly less water than TVP. This is what most sources suggest but you can always add more water during the preparation of your recipe if you want to loosen it up a little.

Here's some things I learned while cooking, eating, and playing with TVP: You can eat it 'raw,' it's chewy but not tough like dehydrated chicken. It's pretty bland though.

Does TVP taste like ground beef? ›

Textured vegetable protein alone is pretty bland—which is one of the beauties of it. Because TVP absorbs the flavors in the liquid used to cook it in, it's incredibly easy to dress up the taste. Most commonly used as mock meat, TVP can be seasoned to resemble chicken, bacon, sausage, beef and so much more.

Items like beans, tofu, and textured vegetable protein can be used to replace meat in almost any dish and they cost less than meat. Beans and legumes are great in soups, burritos, and casseroles. Tofu works well in chilies, stir-frys, soups, or even when made into burgers.

Tofu does not contain nearly as much protein per serving as TVP – 1 ounce of tofu contains 2 g of protein – but I still rank it as a higher quality protein because it is far less processed.

* Many meat-based recipes such as tacos, sloppy joes, chili, etc. can be easily adapted to IBS guidelines by substituting TVP (textured vegetable protein, a soy food available in health food stores) for the ground beef. Simply eliminate the cooking oil and season the TVP as you would the meat.

Textured vegetable protein is dehydrated soybeans mixed with soy flour. Once dried, it is crushed into small pieces of varying size. The taste of TVP is neutral, similar to that of tofu, which also comes from soy.