The Best Vegan Steak We Found in a Taste Test

Vegan steak has come a long way over the past few years. In fact, at this point, the best vegan steak might be too convincing for some vegetarians. Some of the mushroom-based steaks we tasted look and feel so much like raw meat when you’re cooking them that when I sent a photo to a vegetarian friend, she wondered aloud, “Who is that for??” So, yeah—super realistic-looking plant based steak isn’t for some people. That said, we found something for everyone in this taste test, from mushroom-based steak that’s downright eerie to soy-based steak that’s more likely to appeal to people who are vegetarian because they’re actually grossed out by meat.

How we chose vegan steak for this taste test 

Even here in L.A., there isn’t a ton of vegan steak on the market, so we sourced everything we could get our hands on at grocery stores in our area, including the more niche ones. There are a couple of popular brands that either didn’t come in with our Instacart order or that we simply couldn’t find in our area—Beyond Steak and Gardein Be’f Tips. But that’s why we update our rankings! We’ll try them both in the next taste test, promise.

How we prepared the vegan steak 

A few of these vegan steak brands came with microwave instructions, but I cooked them all in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil at the temp and time dictated by the instructions. You want to get a sear on these things, and a microwave just isn’t going to do it. 

What we looked for in the best vegan steak

Since I’m aware that not all vegetarians and vegans are looking for one-to-one authenticity in vegan steak, I was mostly seeking out “steak” with a pleasant texture and good flavor, even if you couldn’t confuse it for real steak. The texture of one brand we tried reminded me so much of wet paper towels—vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous, I don’t think that’s what anyone has in mind when they’re in the mood for meat-free meat.

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Best Vegan Steak for Mushroom Lovers

Omni Lion’s Mane Mushroom Steak

Sprouts

That weirdly meaty looking plant based steak I mentioned? This is it. Omni Lion’s Mane steak comes in pre-sliced strips that really look like raw meat. That’s because, along with some seasonings—pepper, onion, garlic—the mushroom slices have been soaked in beet juice, which gives them an authentic pink color. And once the vegan steak is seared, it looks even more like real steak, although it tastes like and has the consistency of a nice, firm lion’s mane mushroom. As a mushroom lover myself, I’d say this is the best vegan steak for mushroom lovers who won’t be too weirded out by this meat substitute’s overall appearance. This would be SO GOOD in a vegan steak salad with the best vegan blue cheese dressing.

Credit: Merc / Sprouts

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Steak for a Rice Bowl

Nasoya Plantspired Plant Based Steak Korean BBQ Flavor

Sprouts

Here’s the best vegan steak for people who don’t actually want to eat steak. It’s made with vegetable protein rather than mushrooms, and it has a soft chew that’s very familiar to people who eat a lot of fake meat. The Korean BBQ flavor is what makes this Nasoya steak great. It’s sweet, savory, and a little smoky tasting. I made half the packet for our taste test, and then brought the rest home to serve with white rice and broccoli. I’d definitely buy this plant based steak again.

Credit: Merc / Sprouts

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Impossible Steak Bites

Instacart

I’m pretty brand loyal to Gardein in my own home, but even I have to admit that Impossible really changed the game when it comes to plant based meat. Their ground-breaking vegan ground meat really approximates the taste and texture of beef, especially in a smash burger format. And these little bits of steak, which come frozen, are pretty impressive, as well. They’re tasty, they char up nicely, and I think they’ll appeal to meat lovers and meat haters alike.  Although, if you’re in the latter camp, I should mention that my colleague Justine Sterling took a bite and said she doesn’t think she’d be able to tell this apart from grilled carne asada. Impossible Steak would be really good in tacos. Given the size of the morsels, it’s not as versatile as some other brands, but it’s some of the most convincing, best vegan steak we’ve tried so far. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other vegan steak we tried: Meati Carne Asada Style Steak, Meati Classic Steak