We tried nearly 20 different kinds of vegan beef jerky for this taste test. We looked for rich, savory flavors—the plant based jerky didn’t necessarily have to taste like a dupe for beef but we wanted it to be meaty in nature—and chewy texture. It had to simulate dried meat, whether it was a soft chew or a tough chew. (Personally, I’m all about the tough chew—the tougher the better—but I understand some people and their dentists would rather their vegan jerky not test the limits of their TMJ.) But there are other ways to make jerky that don’t involve farming animals. As you’ll see on the list below, today a number of plant-based brands are using ingredients like mushrooms, fruits, and soy to make jerky products. Because, while consumers might think of animals as the only “meaty” option for jerky-making, the terrestrial and marine plant kingdoms offer much more variety, flavor, and textures because, of course, anything animal-based foods can do, plants can do better.

Vegan jerky has come such a long way over the past few years! We’re so excited for the rapid growth and innovation happening in the vegan jerky space and will keep this article updated as new products come out. Whether you’re gluten-free, soy-free, or just want a delicious plant-based jerky option, there are plenty of choices out there for you.

4. Best tasting vegan jerky

Enjoyed our roundup of the best vegan jerkies? Then you might like our selection of cheap drinking glasses too.

For the vegan jerky category, the proof is in the chew. With this in mind, we’re highlighting 16 innovative vegan jerkies that we believe could potentially upend traditional animal-based jerky sales. Vegan jerky brands And the market is only expanding: look out for vegan kelp jerky. This is a favourite for sustainable heroes – kelp is a zero-input crop, which doesn’t require anything extra to grow. Consider flavor and texture. Some jerkies are made to imitate the taste and texture of meat, while others provide similar nutritional benefits. Vegan jerky is great because of the abundance of options, but it helps to know what aspect of jerky you want to imitate. Typically, the mushroom jerkies have a bit more of the chewiness of meat jerky, while fruit-based jerkies capture a close flavor with a less-similar texture. For your chance to win, simply complete the form below. The prize draw closes at midnight (GMT) on Sunday 10 October, 2021. For each of the vegan jerky products, we just taste straight out of the bag. Then compared for taste and texture. What are the vegan jerky brands? Savory Wild Portabella Jerky Review

Co-founded by Top Chefalumn Spike Mendelsohn, Eat the Change creates chewy vegan jerky using mushrooms sustainably sourced from a Pennsylvania-based family farm. Bruised and oversized mushroom stems—which wouldn’t normally make it to grocery store shelves—are marinated in a spice blend and smoked for a plant-based jerky you’ll want again and again. We had tried two of these brands before. However, we had never tried any of them side by side with other brands which we believe is really important when it comes to taste testing. How did we do the vegan jerky taste test? With flavors such as Buffalo Dill, Maple Bacon, and of course Smoky Carolina BBQ, it’s hard to beat the variety of flavors available from Louisville Jerky Co. Made from soy protein and a variety of flavors, this plant-based jerky is beyond tasty. Photo source:@louveganjerky on IG Beyond Meat Made from non-GMO soy protein, this vegan jerky is chewy, tasty, and perfect for bringing along on a hike or outing! BBQ seems to be the only available flavor but it’s quite a good one. Stonewall’s Jerky This prize draw will be governed by English law and entrants to this prize draw submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

The prize draw closes at midnight (GMT) on Sunday 10 October 2021 and entries submitted after this date will not be considered.

THE UNITED KINGDOM'S LEADING BILTONG & JERKY BRANd

The Herbivorous Butcher’s chewy and flavorful jerky is seitan-based and comes in four flavors: Teriyaki Jerky, Sizzlin’ Cajun Jerky, Salt ‘n Peppa Jerky, and Korean Jerky. “Frankly,” Kale Walch, The Herbivorous Butcher co-founder says, “I think ours is more flavorful and the texture is spot on. Some people may not like that ours is a more realistic texture, but different strokes for different folks.” The masterminds behind the world-famous Beyond Burger are now whipping up vegan jerky. Made from peas and mung bean protein, flavors include Original, Hot & Spicy, and Teriyaki.

From our friends at Sweet Simple Vegan comes this super flavorful vegan jerky made from soy curls and adobo seasonings! It takes a few hours to come together and is well worth the effort to enjoy a delicious homemade plant-based jerky. Make sure that you leave a comment below letting us know what other types of taste tests we should do! We know that everyone has different taste buds. What we may think is the best, may completely vary from what you actually like. Kelp– Plant-based jerky made from kelp? You bet! This salty sea treat makes for an excellent meat-free jerky. Between a few different stores, we were able to find 6 different vegan jerky products. Three of them were soy based and three were mushroom based. It was very clear early on into the taste test that we both had a preference and there was a clear winner for us.

Never miss another post! Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get them all delivered easily! Plus, 15 easy recipes delivered immediately! Famous for their fan-favorite vegan fried egg, BeLeaf’s line of plant-based jerky is another must-have for any vegan pantry. Made using soybean protein, the company offers flavors like Spicy, Wasabi, and Original. Wheat– Seitan jerky is made from vital wheat gluten and makes for a super meat-like vegetarian jerky! You may ultimately think our best is the worst and that’s okay. We created this video as hopefully a starting point for people and we can only go off our opinion. What vegan jerkey brands did we try? Looking for a good vegetarian jerky option free from gluten and soy? This coconut jerky from Foreal Foods is tasty, chewy, and free from any gluten or soy products! Photo source: @Coconut_Jerky on IG AKUA Kelp Jerky