Name: Vegan Corned Beef
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 14 oz extra firm tofu; 1 cup vegetable stock; 1 1/2 cups water; 1/2 tsp black mustard seed; 1/2 tsp coriander seeds; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1 tsp beetroot powder; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

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This vegan corned beef recipe is easy to make at home and perfect for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration! Tofu is simmered in a smoky marinade and baked until firm and crispy on the outside. It’s an excellent meat substitute and would pair well with my vegan Irish stew, a side of cabbage, or make your own vegan Reuben!

slices of vegan corned beef tofu on white platter with side of peas

In honor of my dad’s love for corned beef and cabbage, I decided to make a vegan version with tofu!

Many vegan versions use a seitan recipe to recreate the texture and flavor of corned beef. They are made from seitan dough that uses vital wheat gluten as the main ingredient.

I wanted to create a simpler recipe, that didn’t involve as much time or as many steps. Tofu is the way to go!

It starts with a marinade of dried spices, liquid smoke, and vegetable broth with a combination of tomato paste, and beet powder to give the tofu the pinkish look of corned beef.

The tofu is then baked until it’s nice and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.

The trick is to be sure you use extra firm tofu and press the water out of the tofu before slicing and marinating. This improves the texture of the tofu immensely! It tastes like the real deal!

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Why This Recipe Works
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Variations and Substitutions
How to Serve
How to Store and Keep
More Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!
Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Meal
Great to add to your weekly vegan meal prep!
Perfect for Holiday Meals
Use in sandwiches
Healthy and low in fat and calories
Great texture
Gluten-free
High in plant protein
Meat Eater Approved
No special pickling spices needed

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

Extra-firm tofu, salt and pepper, liquid smoke, tomato paste, cumin, coriander seeds, vegetable broth, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black mustard seeds, beetroot powder.

Extra Firm Tofu: Make sure to use extra-firm tofu. Drain the tofu from the water, and press the water out of the tofu before cutting and marinating.

Spice Mix: A combination of both seeds and ground spices gives this spice rub a rich flavor that mimics the flavor of corned beef. I use black mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and black pepper. Add a touch of soy sauce too if you prefer.

Tomato Paste and Beet Powder: The tomato paste adds flavor to the marinade, while the beet powder helps to give the tofu a red/pink color.

Liquid Smoke: A little of this liquid smoke goes a long way! It adds a smoky “meaty” flavor that can’t be beat!

Scroll to the bottom of the post to the recipe card for complete measurements and directions.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: In a medium pot over medium heat, add the vegetable stock, water, all of the spices including salt and pepper, liquid smoke, tomato paste, and beetroot powder. Whisk together until combined.

Step 2: Bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the spices to incorporate into the marinade.

Step 3: While the sauce is simmering, cut the tofu into quarter-inch slices. Be sure to press the water out of the tofu before slicing.

Step 4: After the sauce has been simmering for 10 minutes, add the tofu. Cover the tofu completely with the marinade. Turn off the heat, and cover with a lid. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to soak up all the flavors. While the tofu is marinating, preheat the oven to 375 F.

Step 5: Grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place marinated tofu onto a baking sheet, leaving room between each slice. Don’t overcrowd. Spoon a bit of extra marinade on top of each piece of tofu.

tofu covered with red sauce on baking sheet

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the outside is crispy and the inside is soft.

Expert Tips

Use extra firm tofu, and take the extra step to press the water out before marinating.
Give the marinade a couple of minutes to simmer on low to release the flavors from the mustard, cumin, and coriander seeds.
Spoon a tablespoon of the marinade over the top of the tofu before baking for extra flavor, and a nice coloring effect.
Don’t over bake. Check on the tofu half way through the cooking process so that it doesn’t burn and become too crispy.

Variations and Substitutions

Tempeh or Seitan: You can use tempeh or seitan instead of tofu if you prefer the texture or flavor.

No beetroot powder? You can use actual beets for the color, just remove them before adding the tofu. Or you can also leave the beetroot out and double the amount of tomato paste.

How to Serve

Serve this vegan corned beef with vegan sautéd cabbage in a casserole dish.

I served mine with a side of green peas, potatoes and carrots.

This would also taste amazing added to Reuben sandwiches with rye bread, sauerkraut, and vegan Russian dressing!

How to Store and Keep

Store: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It has a tendency to lose some of its crispiness.

Keep: It will keep for about 3-4 days.

Reheat: When ready to reheat I recommend transferring to a baking sheet and heating in the oven or toaster oven at 350 for 10 minutes. This will help bring back the crispiness more so than reheating in the microwave.

slices of vegan corned beef tofu on white platter with side of peas, potatoes, and carrots

More Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!

If you made this recipe, please comment below and leave a ⭐️ rating. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!

Vegan Corned Beef