Pork Swaps: A Grocery Store Guide to Replacing Pork
If pork is one of the meats you eat most often, figuring out what to replace it with can feel overwhelming. What do you eat instead of bacon? What about sausage or ribs? And what do you use when you're making collard greens, beans, gumbo, or another dish where pork traditionally adds a smoky, savory flavor?
The good news is that there isn't just one way to replace pork. You can use whole-food ingredients like carrots, mushrooms, jackfruit, tofu, and tempeh. You can make your own alternatives at home. Or you can grab a packaged vegan product when you need something quick and convenient. The best option depends on what you're making, the texture and flavor you're looking for, your budget, and how much time you have.
Here are some pork swaps to add to your grocery list.
Bacon Swaps
Carrots
Carrots might not be the first ingredient you think of when you hear "bacon," but thinly sliced carrots can be seasoned and baked to create a crispy, smoky bacon-style topping.
Our carrot bacon recipe uses soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Try carrot bacon in:
Breakfast sandwiches
BLTs
Wraps
Salads
Breakfast bowls
It's a particularly useful option when you want to make a bacon alternative from an inexpensive whole-food ingredient.
Portobello Mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms can also work as a bacon alternative. We've used thinly sliced portobello mushrooms in a portabella BLT, seasoning them with coconut aminos, miso, smoked salt, smoked paprika, maple syrup, and oil before baking. The result is savory, smoky, and substantial enough to build a sandwich around.
Tempeh
Tempeh has a firmer, chewier texture than tofu and can be sliced and seasoned for a bacon-style breakfast option. You can also find prepared tempeh bacon in some grocery stores.
Sausage Swaps
Vegan sausage is one of the easiest pork swaps to find. You can find plant-based sausage in refrigerated and frozen sections, and there are many different varieties available.
Use vegan sausage in:
Breakfast dishes
Gumbo
Rice dishes
Pasta
Skillet meals
Sausage and vegetable dishes
AVS's Vegan Sausage & Okra combines vegan sausage with okra, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and rice. The recipe is a vegan adaptation of traditional Southern Delta and Gullah cuisine. The recipe is a good reminder that replacing pork doesn't mean abandoning familiar flavors or dishes.
Rib Swaps
If you're looking for a replacement for pork ribs, Afro-Vegan Society has two recipes worth trying.
Baked Vegan Ribs
AVS's Baked Vegan Ribs use chickpeas and thinly sliced portobello mushrooms to create a smoky, savory, meaty texture. They're seasoned with ingredients including miso, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, cumin, Old Bay, and barbecue sauce. The finished ribs are baked and then broiled with barbecue sauce for caramelized edges.
Vegan Jerk BBQ Ribz
For a different flavor profile, AVS also has Vegan Jerk BBQ Ribz made with seitan and shredded jackfruit. The recipe combines barbecue sauce with Jamaican jerk flavors for a savory, sweet, and spicy rib-style dish. This is a great option when you want your plant-based meal to bring Caribbean flavors to the table.
Jackfruit
Young green jackfruit is especially useful when you're looking for a shredded texture. Unlike ripe jackfruit, which is sweet and eaten as a fruit, young green jackfruit has a more neutral flavor and can take on the seasonings and sauces you use.
Try it in:
BBQ sandwiches
Tacos
Wraps
Bowls
Pulled-pork-style recipes
Afro-Vegan Society's cookout guide also recommends jackfruit and mushrooms when creating hearty dishes such as pulled BBQ sandwiches.
Seitan
Seitan is another option when you want a firm, chewy texture. Prepared seitan can be purchased from the grocery store, or you can make your own using vital wheat gluten and seasonings.
Use seitan for:
BBQ sandwiches
Rib-style recipes
Sandwiches
Bowls
Stir-fries
Our Vegan Jerk BBQ Ribz recipe combines seitan with shredded jackfruit to create a hearty, chewy texture.
Tempeh
Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and has a naturally firm texture. It can be sliced, cubed, crumbled, marinated, or seasoned depending on the meal. For smoky dishes, try seasoning tempeh with ingredients such as smoked paprika, liquid smoke, soy sauce or tamari, and other seasonings. Tempeh can be particularly useful when you're replacing smoked pork in dishes where you want that smoky, savory element.
Tofu
Extra-firm tofu is another versatile option. Press it, season it, bake it, air fry it, or pan-fry it depending on what you're making. Tofu works particularly well when you're trying to recreate the flavor of a dish rather than simply find a product that looks like pork. Season it for breakfast, barbecue, bowls, or savory vegetable dishes.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of the most versatile whole-food ingredients you can keep in your kitchen. Portobello mushrooms can provide a substantial texture, while other varieties can be sliced, chopped, shredded, sautéed, baked, or roasted. We've used mushrooms in both its Baked Vegan Ribs and Portabella BLT. You can also use mushrooms in BBQ sandwiches, bowls, tacos, and other savory meals.
Replacing the Flavor of Pork
Sometimes pork isn't the main ingredient in a dish. It's there to add flavor. This is especially common in dishes like collard greens, beans, black-eyed peas, gumbo, and other savory dishes. When that's the case, think about what the pork is actually contributing.
Is it:
Smokiness?
Saltiness?
Fat?
Umami?
Texture?
Once you identify what you're trying to recreate, you can build those flavors with plant-based ingredients. Our holiday guide recommends smoked tempeh, tofu, or vegan sausage as alternatives to smoked meats in dishes like collard greens, gumbo, and black-eyed peas. Liquid smoke and smoked paprika can also help add smoky flavor.
Which Pork Swap Should You Choose?
Making a BLT?
Try:
Carrot bacon
Portobello mushroom bacon
Tempeh bacon
Vegan bacon
Making breakfast?
Try:
Tempeh
Vegan breakfast sausage
Carrot bacon
Vegan bacon
Making ribs?
Try:
Chickpeas + mushrooms
Seitan + jackfruit
Vegan ribz
Making pulled-pork-style sandwiches?
Try:
Young green jackfruit
Mushrooms
Seitan
Making greens or beans?
Try:
Smoked tempeh
Smoked tofu
Vegan sausage
Liquid smoke
Smoked paprika
Making gumbo or rice dishes?
Try:
Vegan sausage
Tempeh
Tofu
Mushrooms
Start With the Meal
When you're trying to replace pork, start with the meal you want to make. Making a BLT? Try carrot bacon, mushrooms, or tempeh. Craving BBQ? Reach for jackfruit, mushrooms, seitan, or a vegan rib recipe. Making greens, beans, or gumbo? Look for ingredients that can bring the smoky, savory flavor you're used to getting from pork. And if you're short on time, there are plenty of ready-made vegan bacon and sausage options that can make the transition easier.
The goal is to build a grocery list of options that work for the foods you already enjoy. Try a few different swaps and see what works best for you. You might find that some meals are better with a packaged product, while others are just as satisfying with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
The next time you're at the grocery store, instead of asking, “What do I eat instead of pork?” start by asking, “What am I making?” That answer will help you choose the right swap.
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