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Home » Round-Up

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

Published: May 17, 2023 by Bianca · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

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TVP Textured Vegetable Protein - What is it and how to use it? | ElephantasticVegan.com

In this guide about TVP, I'm going to share with you what the abbreviation stands for, where to buy it, how to use it, and last but not least my favorite recipes using TVP! Let's get started! 

TVP Textured Vegetable Protein - What is it and how to use it? | ElephantasticVegan.com

When I went vegan 10 years ago, I started veganizing classic, traditional recipes. And because I live in Austria (Schnitzel is our national dish, you go figure how meat-focused our cuisine is) I needed a good alternative for all the meat in the various dishes. And I found it by using TVP (= Textured Vegetable Protein).

It was an easy switch and allowed me to indulge in all the traditional dishes I grew up with without the need for meat.

TVP definitely has helped me transition to a vegan diet, it made the process of adopting a plant-based diet a whole lot easier. Now, 10 years in, I still love meals made with TVP and I always have a stash of various types of TVP at home.

Table of Contents
  • I love TVP because
  • What is TVP?
  • Where to buy TVP?
  • Nutritional info
  • How to use TVP
  • 15+ Awesome vegan recipes using TVP
    • Recipes with soy granules
    • Recipes with slices/medallions
    • Recipes with strips/curls/chunks

I love TVP because

  • it can be stored at room temperature - like forever,
  • it is inexpensive,
  • it expands when cooked, so it doesn't need much space when storing it
  • and it's versatile!

What is TVP?

TVP stands for Textured Vegetable Protein, often also called soy meat, soya chunks/granules/slices. It is made out of defatted soy flour, which is extruded into shapes (such as granules, flakes, chunks, slices, strips, nuggets,...).

Because there are so many different kinds, they can be used for all kinds of recipes - I've included my favorites below!

TVP Textured Vegetable Protein - What is it and how to use it? | ElephantasticVegan.com
  • Chunks - this kind is great for stews and goulash.
  • Slices or medallions - are perfect for vegan schnitzel or TVP burgers.
  • Strips or curls - you can use it in curries like butter 'chicken' or bread it like 'chicken' strips.
  • Granule, crumble, or mince - this type is ideal for meaty bolognese, lasagna, or chili.

Where to buy TVP?

TVP can be found in health food stores, and supermarkets (often in the bulk, vegan, or healthy section). I've also seen them in Asian and Indian stores, or ordered online.

You might not be able to find all shapes of TVP, but they are getting more and more popular and should pop up in more stores with time.

Nutritional info

As the name already suggests, it is high in protein (actually much higher than meat). It contains a wealth of complete soy protein and it's a great source of dietary fiber, iron, and magnesium. It's also naturally gluten-free.

How to use TVP

For the slices, chunks, and strips, it's best to cook them in water or veggie broth until they are soft and about double the size. This will take about 5-10 minutes.

For the granule, put them in a pot, add just a splash of water and let it cook on medium to low heat until the water has been absorbed. The granule should be soft and can be used in any kind of 'meaty' sauce. Because of its smaller sauce, it cooks much faster than the larger kinds of TVP.

15+ Awesome vegan recipes using TVP

TVP Recipes

Recipes with soy granules

Soy Protein Burger
Soy Protein Burger
Skip expensive store-bought burger patties, and make your own high-protein, healthy, you-know-exactly-what's-in-there-burgers!
Get the recipe
Vegan TVP Meatballs
Vegan TVP Meatballs with Spaghetti
These high-protein vegan Meatballs are made with TVP (short for Textured Vegetable Protein, also known as soy protein or soy granule). They are flavorful, easy to make, and freezer-friendly!
Get the recipe
Vegan Cashew Carbonara Pasta with TVP Bacon
Vegan Cashew Carbonara Pasta with TVP Bacon
Pretty pasta + creamy cashew carbonara sauce + flavorful TVP bacon = a match made in heaven! This totally unauthentic, but delicious vegan carbonara pasta dish needs to be on your dinner table soon!
Get the recipe
Vegan Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)
Vegan Lahmacun - Turkish Pizza
Lahmacun is a Turkish Pizza topped with minced meat, onions, garlic, tomato, red pepper, and parsley. This is my vegan version of the dish!
Get the recipe
Vegan 'Meaty' Tomato Dip
Vegan 'Meaty' Tomato Dip
This is the perfect smoky & ‘meaty’ Tomato Dip to serve with Tortilla Chips! Thanks to soy granule, no one will know that it’s actually vegan!
Get the recipe
Vegan Bacon Bits
Vegan Bacon Bits made with TVP
These vegan bacon bits are made using TVP (soy granule). You can enjoy them in tacos, burritos, salads, sprinkled over pasta, or sauerkraut, pretty much anything that needs extra flavor and crunch!
Get the recipe
Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese with TVP
Soy granule is the perfect alternative for the traditional meaty Bolognese sauce! This vegan Spaghetti Bolognese is quick to make, tastes like the real deal and no one would think it's vegan!
Get the recipe
Vegan Lasagna with Nooch Cheese
Vegan Lasagna with Nooch Cheese
This very "meaty" tasting vegan Lasagna with homemade nooch cheese contains soy granule. The vegan cheese sauce is made with Nutritional Yeast Flakes. So yummy! No one will notice this lasagna is vegan.
Get the recipe
'Meaty' Vegan TVP Chili
Meaty Vegan TVP Chili
If you want a meaty vegan chili, TVP (soy granules) is the way to go! This TVP Chili convinces even the most stubborn meat-eaters! It’s perfect for parties because it can be prepared ahead and it’s a real crowd-pleaser, or make a big batch for meal prepping.
Get the recipe

Recipes with slices/medallions

Vegan Schnitzel
Vegan Schnitzel
Recipe for vegan Schnitzel made with TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein). It's so delicious and tastes just like the real deal!
Get the recipe
Vegan Fried TVP Chicken
Vegan Fried TVP Chicken
This vegan Fried TVP Chicken is made by wrapping TVP slices in rice paper, dipping them in egg replacement and flour, and lastly pan-frying them until golden and crispy.
Get the recipe
Vegan "Chicken" Garlic Slaw Burger
Vegan Chicken Garlic Slaw Burger
The plant-based alternative to a Chicken Sandwich. Flavorful TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) slices with purple garlic slaw in homemade pretzel buns. This is burger perfection.
Get the recipe

Recipes with strips/curls/chunks

Vegan Gyros with Soya Chunks
Vegan Gyros with Soya Chunks
You can make really easy and delicious vegan gyros using soya chunks. It’s perfect for a gyros platter with rice and yogurt sauce or in wraps!
Get the recipe
Vegan Butter Chicken with Soy Curls
Vegan Butter Chicken with Soy Curls served with basmati rice and naan
Did you know you can make a delicious vegan Butter Chicken with soy curls? It's super rich and creamy! Serve it with fluffy Garlic Naan and basmati rice for the complete Indian-inspired feast! 
Get the recipe
Vegan Chicken Tacos with a Cilantro Coconut Sauce
Recipe for vegan Chicken Tacos using TVP soy strips as the chicken alternative. Served in homemade tortillas with salad, avocado, tomatoes and a Cilantro Coconut Sauce.
Get the recipe

Don’t forget to bookmark or pin this page, so you’ll always have TVP recipes at hand!

Let me know, have you tried TVP? What are your favorite recipes with textured vegetable protein?

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  1. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

    April 26, 2017 at 6:21 pm

    You do the most amazing things with TVP of anyone I've ever seen! And it's so much more fun and versatile than buying the frozen meat-mimic products that have already had their shape/flavor decided :)

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      April 26, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      Aww thank you! I'm still amazed by the texture sometimes. Just two days ago, I made "chicken fingers" aka breaded tvp strips and stored leftovers in the fridge - especially those cold tvp strips are so crazy similar to meat. More people need to know about this :D :D

      Reply
  2. Gurdip says

    May 03, 2017 at 11:59 pm

    I'm breastcancer patient estrogen positive. Is this soya product good for me to eat . I'm a vegetarian

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      May 04, 2017 at 2:19 pm

      Hi Gurdip, it's best to ask a Every Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist. I haven't studied in that field :)

      Reply
  3. Darrin says

    May 05, 2017 at 7:17 pm

    I've never found TVP anywhere in my state. I've been to PCC and Whole Foods, and a near by Co-op. None of those places have it. I haven't asked them but I've looked. And I don't see the point in ordering it online....having to WAIT for something like this is ridiculous.

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      May 05, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      I'm sorry you couldn't find them, Darrin. A few years ago, I always had to order them online, now we have them in regular supermarkets. I'm from Europe, but I'm sure they will pop up in stores in the US too sooner or later.

      Reply
      • Nikki says

        February 24, 2020 at 10:00 pm

        They have it on Amazon and it ships in one day!

        Reply
    • D says

      October 15, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Whole foods has it. Just ask.

      Reply
      • Bianca says

        October 17, 2017 at 11:53 am

        Good to know! :)

        Reply
    • Amy says

      October 30, 2017 at 11:40 pm

      Hi Darrin- You can buy TVP and TSP from the Bob's Red Mill brand in the US. We buy it in Ocean State Job Lots in New England, but not sure where you are. I have also seen it on Amazon. Good Luck!

      Reply
    • KC says

      August 25, 2018 at 2:34 am

      Walmart sells a line of long-shelf-life emergency rations by Augason Farms that includes a lot of TVP products. I searched "vegetarian" at the Walmart site, and they came up. They have big cans of beef, chicken, bacon, and taco -flavored TVP granules. Have it shipped to your local store.

      Reply
      • Bianca says

        August 25, 2018 at 10:18 am

        Wooho!! That's really cool! Thank you so much for the info, KC!

        Reply
    • Jamie says

      August 29, 2018 at 11:22 pm

      Usually in the bulk food bins at all Whole Foods

      Reply
    • Delores Wills Guyton says

      June 18, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      Just seeing this site.Yum! Will be trying all of the recipes ! For Darrin: by now you have found TVP somewhere close by but for you and others looking check some of the Latin/Mexican markets .It is called Soya comes plastic bags or containers and is usually near or in the produce area.or sometimes hanging near the dried spices and peppers.

      Reply
    • Sherry says

      December 13, 2019 at 12:53 am

      Amazon sells Harmony House dehydrated products. Including TVP.

      Reply
    • Peri says

      March 28, 2022 at 3:31 pm

      @Bianca, Bob’s Red Mill has TVP in a bag. Sometimes I find it in the cereal aisle and sometimes with vegan items. Good luck!

      Reply
    • Deb says

      February 09, 2023 at 9:34 pm

      @Darrin, If you have a Seventh Day Adventist church health food store close by, they usually carry it.

      Reply
  4. Alyssa Henker says

    July 27, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    So where do you buy your different sizes of TVP? I can only find the granules for a reasonable price and readily available. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      July 28, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      In Austria, we have many different forms of TVP in the stores, but here's a website where you can order it online. They also ship to the USA. I used to order it from there all the time before it hit the shelves. :)

      Reply
  5. Maddie says

    October 19, 2017 at 9:05 pm

    This is such a great post, thank you so much! I've been buying "meat" products from gardein and other brands but am just now discovering the wonder of cooking with tvp, soy curls, and seitan on my own!

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      October 22, 2017 at 9:44 am

      Yeay! I'm so glad you find the post useful! Because you say seitan, I have a recipe for easy homemade seitan steaks ready - I'll publish it within the next 2-3 weeks. :)

      Reply
      • Maddie says

        October 22, 2017 at 2:40 pm

        Awesome! I'll be on the look out!

        Reply
  6. Joanne m says

    November 06, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    You can buy soy mince in Tesco's in the UK. It is great and so good in spaghetti bolognese or chilli. I've never seen the fillet shapes though, just the mince and frozen quorn products.

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      November 07, 2017 at 7:31 pm

      Thank you for the info, Joanne!

      Reply
  7. James Wheeldon says

    September 03, 2018 at 5:46 pm

    Life would be so much easier for me as a vegan if I could get on with TVP and I really have tried but I just can't. My body reacts badly to it. I feel uncomfortable after just one meal containing TVP. If I follow it with another within 24 hours I start to get quite unwell. On the only occasion when I have eaten it on three consecutive days I have had violent diahorrea and stomach pains, with a lot of belching. It seems that while for some people TVP is a wonderful meat substitute, for people like me it is just impossible to digest.

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      September 03, 2018 at 6:54 pm

      Yeah, I've heard of people who can't digest it well. It's too bad because it has a great texture for 'meaty' dishes. Can you eat seitan?

      Reply
      • James Wheeldon says

        September 03, 2018 at 10:33 pm

        Thanks for replying. Yes, I'm fine with seitan, thank goodness. No problems with gluten, so I can make some dishes that have a similarity to some meat dishes. I particularly like making some seitan then breaking it up like mince and using it in Italian-type sauces or in a chilli beans
        ,

        Reply
        • Bianca says

          September 04, 2018 at 1:36 pm

          Okay, that's good! I love making seitan but I've never tried breaking it up and using it as mince. Good idea! :) I will have to try that.

          Reply
  8. Nora says

    November 08, 2018 at 7:20 pm

    Can't wait to try these recipes. I threw together some ingredients with TVP and made chili that the whole family devoured. They thought it was real meat!

    Reply
  9. San says

    January 15, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    Many Mexican grocery carry TVP.

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      January 19, 2019 at 4:27 pm

      Good to know, thanks San!

      Reply
  10. Núria says

    January 15, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    Hi Bianca, do you know where can I buy TVP from potato? Thanks and congrats for your blog

    Reply
  11. Janna says

    January 01, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Also try the Asian markets. They have lots of soy products.

    TVP is the way to go. It is so versatile and delicious when made properly with different herbs, spices, etc. It's good to have in an emergency pantry since it needs no refrigeration and you can make a variety of meals with it. Just play with it and try different recipes.

    Reply
  12. Igor Ryuzan says

    March 28, 2022 at 8:07 pm

    Cheers, Bianca!
    I’m an ethical vegan for more then 16 years by now and my favourite dish made of TVP is beef stroganoff/goulash thing^^
    ATB🙏🏻🍀🌱💚

    Reply
  13. Chris Reynolds says

    March 28, 2022 at 9:06 pm

    Can it be used in mashed potatoes? With such a high fiber content, shouldn't it delay the conversion of starch (in potatoes) to sugar to metabolize that starch much more slowly so your liver does not have to work as hard?

    Reply
  14. Martha James says

    January 21, 2023 at 5:22 pm

    I have the TVP steaks and don’t know how to prepare them . Do you have a recipe?

    Reply
  15. Cindy Brees says

    May 16, 2024 at 4:48 pm

    Good morning,
    Is there an alternative product for folks allergic to soy?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Bianca says

      May 23, 2024 at 8:13 pm

      Actually there is! Sunflower Family products (chunks and granule) are made out of sunflower protein! But they might be harder to come by, depending where you live.

      Reply

Welcome!

I’m Bianca. On my blog, you’ll find easy & delicious vegan recipes. I create 'meaty', 'fishy', and 'cheesy' recipes because I like to blow minds.

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