The ultimate guide to the best vegan meat substitutes that also happen to be gluten-free! This list includes my top 10 gluten-free, vegan meat alternatives plus recipes!
Vegan and vegetarian meat substitutes have never been more popular, more abundant or easier to find. In the UK, especially, we seem to be bursting at the seams with options for meat substitutes, and it’s been such a pleasure to see supermarkets dedicate whole aisles to plant-based meat alternatives.
With an interest in plant-based eating at an all-time high, vegan meat alternatives are an important part of making veganism more accessible to anybody looking to consume less meat. As a result, the plant-based meats category has seen a rapid rate of expansion and innovation, and the options are tastier and more convincing than ever before.
While many meat alternatives use wheat and gluten to give vegan mince, sausages, and burgers their characteristic bite or chew, more and more brands are turning to pea protein to give their meat alternatives a realistic texture.
Some of the best vegan meat substitutes out there are gluten-free, and often soy-free, so whether you’re an avid meat consumer or more of a tofu fan, there’s an allergen-friendly vegan meat substitute out there for you.
Top 10 Vegan and Gluten-free Meat Substitutes
1) Linda McCartney Lincolnshire Sausages
I exclusively buy the Linda McCartney sausages, and they are my favourite meat alternative. These sausages have a great texture and subtle sage and onion flavour, which is very pleasant.
The Linda McCartney range includes four kinds of sausages, not all of which are gluten-free but the Lincolnshire Sausages have no gluten-containing ingredients and no may contain gluten warning. They also happen to be soy-free and nut-free, which is a plus for any vegans and vegetarians out there with other food allergies.
Try them with this recipe for perfect vegan mash and gravy.
Other gluten-free, vegan sausages worth mentioning:
- Meatless Farm also makes plant-based sausages that are both gluten-free and soy-free. They are tasty with a pleasant texture and worth trying.
- Beyond Meats makes great sausages that are perfect for the BBQ and are again gluten-free and soy-free. If it didn’t cost £5 for two sausages they might be in my top spot!
2) THIS isn’t chicken
The plant-based sea salt and black pepper pieces from ‘THIS isn’t chicken‘ is by far the best vegan chicken alternative I’ve ever had. It has a stringy texture similar to that of chicken breast and a subtle flavour that takes well to marinades and sauces.
The salt and black pepper pieces have no gluten-containing ingredients but saddly, the nuggets are not gluten-free. They also make gluten-free vegan bacon but to be honest I don’t rate it.
Try it with this recipe for vegan grilled vegetable and chicken salad.
3) M&S Plant Kitchen No Chicken Nuggets
These guys are vegan, gluten-free and super tasty. While I don’t think the texture is as convincing as the THIS isn’t chicken pieces they are a great option when you want your vegan chicken coated in a crispy crumb!
4) Meatless Farm Mince
I’m pretty fussy when it comes to vegan mince as it tends to be very mushy when cooked and the taste often reminds me of the smell of dog food. I was pleasantly surprised by the Meatless Farm mince, which is firm in texture and has a pretty meaty taste. It’s also easy to shape into meatballs and patties, which is a bonus.
Try it with this recipe for vegan meatball subs or lasagne.
Other gluten-free, vegan sausages worth mentioning:
- I also really like the Aldi Plant Menu mince and would probably choose it over the Meatless Farm mince, but it’s much harder to find and often out of stock.
5) Beyond Meat Burgers
The Beyond Meat Burgers are by far my favourite ‘meaty’ vegan burger. They have an incredibly realistic texture, and although they don’t taste exactly like meat the hype is well deserved.
Other gluten-free, vegan burgers worth mentioning:
- Meatless Farm also does a burger that is vegan and gluten-free, it has a similar taste to the mince and a pleasant texture, plus two burgers are more than half the price of the Beyond Burgers.
6) Quorn Deli Slices
I often feel a little dark towards the Quorn brand because the majority of their meat alternatives are not vegan, only vegetarian, but one of the products I frequently purchase from them is their chicken free and ham free slices. I love a sandwich, and these deli slices will add a little extra something to your favourite vegan sandwich!
Try them with this recipe for vegan club sandwiches.
7) The Tofoo Co Smoked Organic Firm Tofu
I appreciate that tofu is not everyone’s cup of tea, but no list of vegan meat alternatives is complete without it! Tofu is the OG vegan meat substitute, and if you haven’t tried it smoked you need to. I love smoky flavours in vegan food, and smoked tofu is a great way to give any plant-based meal a little extra edge!
Try it with this recipe for smoked tofu tikka masala.
8) The Tofoo Co Tempeh
When it comes to vegan meat substitutes, tempeh and tofu are more my pace. They have minimal additional ingredients and are almost always gluten-free. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and has an acquired taste and texture, but it’s super nutritious and easy to prepare. If you’ve never tried it before, I recommend crumbing it and shallow frying for a ‘tempeh nuggets’ vibe.
Try it with the recipe for crispy crumbed tempeh salad.
9) Young Jackfruit
It took me a while to take to jackfruit,t but once I figured out the trick to cooking it, I fell in love. I prefer to use jackfruit as a shredded chicken or tuna alternative rather than a pulled pork because I think it works really well with creamy flavours.
Try it with the recipe for vegan pot pie or vegan tuna melt.
10) Oumph! Sticky Smokehouse
The rib style fillets by Oupmh! are the closest thing I’ve had to meat in 10 years. They look and shred just like ribs and have an incredibly convincing flavour. In all honestly, these were a little too meaty for me, but if you’re really missing meat or are trying to eat less of it the Oumph! is a great place to start.
The Sticky Smokehouse, Pulled, Kebab Spiced and Swedish Balls have no gluten-containing ingredients and no may contain warning for gluten, and while the Smoky Bits do contain wheat they are free from soy.
That's A Wrap!
Thanks for checking out this post on the best vegan meat substitutes (that also happen to be gluten-free) and please let me know in the comments what your favourite meat substitutes are!
