Vegan Corned Beef

A white plate filled with vegan corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes

Image by Monica Davis via www.thehiddenveggies.com

Courtesy of www.thehiddenveggies.com, recipe by Monica Davis
Recipe Information
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes – Prep Time 5 minutes, Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4

This easy vegan corned beef recipe can turn tofu, tempeh, seitan or any meat substitute into a delicious corned beef dish. The secret to that authentic corned beef flavor is the seasonings in a salty brine. It’s perfect for a special St. Patrick’s Day dinner or just a delicious sandwich!

Ingredients

For the basic vegan corned beef:

  • 5 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp pickling spice
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 small beet, peeled, or 1 tsp brown sugar and a few drops of red food coloring
  • 2 14 oz packages tofu, tempeh or seitan

For a vegan corned beef and cabbage meal:

  • 1 small cabbage
  • 4-6 small potatoes
  • 3-4 medium carrots

Preparation

Basic vegan corned beef:

  1. Make a flavored brine by adding water, salt, pickling spice, mustard and coriander seeds, a bay leaf, and beet to a medium-sized pot.
  2. Boil the brine for about 10 minutes to get the spices to release flavor.
  3. Add thinly sliced meat alternative (about 1/4 inch thick).
  4. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then turn off heat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. (or cover and put in the fridge until you are ready to bake).
  5. Preheat your oven to 375°F .
  6. Bake the tofu on an oiled cookie sheet for about 1 hour until it starts to get crispy at the edges. (exact cooking time will vary depending on moisture level and thickness of slices).

For a vegan corned beef and cabbage meal:

  1. Wash and cut the desired vegetables into big pieces.
  2. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, plus and an additional cup of water to the brine once the tofu has been removed.
  3. Simmer the vegetables covered with a lid for about 30 minutes until potatoes are soft in the middle.
  4. Remove from the cooking water and serve with the baked vegan corned beef.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with cabbage and potatoes or colcannon, sliced in a vegan Ruben sandwich or chopped up in a vegan corned beef hash.

Tips & Notes

Refrigerate the tofu and brine if you will not be baking it within about 30 minutes of it cooling down. The longer the brine, the stronger the flavor.

If you don’t want mustard or coriander seeds sticking to your tofu, you can put those in a tea ball.
You can alternatively wrap the spices in cheesecloth and tie it with cotton string.

Use a cookie sheet with edges to catch any drips.

Nutritional Information

 169 calories, 8 g. fat, 38 mg. sodium, 6 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. fiber, 17 g. protein