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  4. 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed
  • 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed 1
  • 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed 2
  • 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed 3
  • 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed 4
  • 6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed 5

6 Best Veggie Mince 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed

Vegetarians deserve spag bol too! Luckily, big brands like Quorn, Vivera and Heck have all come up with tasty, textured, meat-free alternatives to beef mince so you can cook up the perfect cottage pie, chilli or moussaka. But which plant-based mince is the best tasting? This article guides you through what good veggie mince is made from and compares the top-rated buys across Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Amazon Fresh. 


We'll help you decide between chilled and frozen products, look into how much protein each contains and even flag up soya-free alternatives in case you have an allergy. Thanks to our ranking, you'll be able to review which veggie mince is best for your recipes and diet, so you can whip up a meat-free feast in the kitchen that will leave you, your family or guests licking your plates clean!

Last updated 28/03/2024
Tara Corbett
Expert
Nutritionist
Tara Corbett

mybest UK specialist Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm, and get back on track so the whole family can benefit.

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The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.

Table of Contents

With Specialist Consultation From Nutritionist Tara Corbett

With Specialist Consultation From Nutritionist Tara Corbett

Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in assisting busy parents in improving their eating with ease and without overwhelm or to get them back on track so the whole family can benefit.

How to Choose Veggie Mince in the UK

Key Points to Consider
  1. Consider your consumption and choose between immediate eats or frozen
  2. Know your dietary requirements before picking up veggie mince
  3. Check the ingredients carefully if you're allergic
  4. Get the highest amount of protein
1

Choose Chilled Mince for Immediate Eats or Frozen to Plan Ahead

Choose Chilled Mince for Immediate Eats or Frozen to Plan Ahead

First, decide whether you'd like chilled or frozen mince. Though the process of freezing and defrosting vegetarian mince can have an effect on the texture, it doesn't affect any of the nutritional benefits or taste. The key advantage of frozen veggie mince is the fact it can be stored for months or put into a future spot on your meal plan.


Chilled veggie mince alternatives may not keep as long, so you'll need to cook them up quickly and make sure you don't forget them at the back of the fridge. They are ideal for chucking into lasagne, cottage pies and flavourful chilli without the faff of de-frosting. You may even want to consider buying both options; some for this week, some for a rainy day.

Tara Corbett
Nutritionist
Tara Corbett

Luckily, when choosing between chilled or frozen veggie mince, you don't need to factor in which one is nutritionally superior- it all comes down to preference! It can certainly be easier to select frozen, as you don't need to hurry to eat the chilled mince in the fridge. If you are planning your meals and bulk preparing, frozen certainly would be a better option.

2

Pick Products Based on Sustainability, Protein, and Dietary Needs

Pick Products Based on Sustainability, Protein, and Dietary Needs

If your body can't comfortably digest soya or you're concerned about the impact of this plant on the planet, you might want to consider something else. Quorn uses Mycoprotein, a fungus that's packed with amino acids just like meat. A downside is that some Quorn products contain egg, meaning you'll need to check them carefully if you're vegan.


A third great option is pea protein, which is totally vegan and very sustainable compared to soya. It doesn't pack as much protein as other mince alternatives though, so it's down to you to weigh up the relative pros and cons and your personal priorities, both dietary and ethical.

Tara Corbett
Nutritionist
Tara Corbett

Just like meat products, not all veggie mince is created equal. When selecting the products, it’s essential to look at the label and read the ingredients because many will have added preservatives. 


I would recommend choosing pea protein over soya products, such as Beyond Meat and Heck. Your body easily digests pea protein, whereas soya products can be more difficult for your body to break down and can cause inflammation in the body if you are sensitive to it.

3

Double-Check Ingredients If You Need Vegan or Gluten-Free Products

Double-Check Ingredients If You Need Vegan or Gluten-Free Products

As well as looking out to see whether your veggie mince is free from soya, some of you may also want to check the label for other helpful omissions from the ingredients list such as gluten, if you're allergic, or eggs and dairy if you're 100% plant-based. 


When you reach our top ten selections, you'll see we've included a handy row in our tables specifying whether each veggie mince product is free from soya, gluten, eggs or dairy. This means you can be sure the product that ends up in your basket is the very best for your health and ethical concerns. 

Tara Corbett
Nutritionist
Tara Corbett

If you have special dietary needs, it’s always vital to read the nutritional label to see if the veggie mince products have allergens. Because veggie mince is processed by nature (rather than a ‘whole food’ such as meat), there will be ingredients added in that you need to be aware of even if they seem unsuspecting.

4

Look For Mince With the Highest Protein per 100g

Look For Mince With the Highest Protein per 100g

Once upon a time, many more of us relied on meat as our biggest source of protein. While plenty of people now shun animal products, inspired by health goals or for ethical reasons, we still need a decent serving of the muscle-building macronutrient that is essential to our bodies!


When doing your weekly shop, consider the fact that the NHS recommends 45 grams of protein per day for women and 55.5 grams for men. If you choose a veggie mince product that's a little lower in protein, make sure you consider other sources of the good stuff such as lentils, beans, pulses, yoghurt and tofu.

Tara Corbett
Nutritionist
Tara Corbett

When selecting the best veggie mince for your household, I would suggest looking for the highest protein per 100g serving. Protein is an extremely important macronutrient for your body, as it aids in the proper recovery of muscle tissue, digestion, and hormonal balance. 


Protein is also helpful in making you feel more satisfied and fuller, longer, meaning you won’t overeat when you have a diet with sufficient protein. Because meat is the primary source of protein in many diets, making sure that you are replacing your meat intake with another source high in protein is vital.

Was the Buying Guide helpful?

6 Best Veggie Mince in the UK

This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
Popularity
Products
Image
Click to purchase
Price
Key features
1

The Meatless Farm Co

Plant Based Mince

The Meatless Farm Co Plant Based Mince 1

£3.00

High Mid

Super Tasty and Realistic With the Highest Protein

2

Richmond

Vegan No Beef Mince

Richmond Vegan No Beef Mince 1

£3.00

High Mid

Convincing Mince From the Experts

3

Vivera

Plant Mince

Vivera Plant Mince 1

£2.50

Low Mid

Hugely Popular and Protein-Rich With Added Vits

4

Quorn

Mince

Quorn Mince 1

£3.00

High Mid

Quality Chilled Mince Free From Soya and Low in Fat

5

Linda McCartney

Vegemince

Linda McCartney Vegemince 1

£3.00

High Mid

A Vegan Family Favourite With a Light Texture

6

Quorn

Frozen Mince

Quorn Frozen Mince 1

£2.00

Low

A Classic Soya-Free Freezer Staple

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

The Meatless Farm CoPlant Based Mince

Plant Based Mince 1
Source:groceries.asda.com
Reference price
£3.00
High Mid
Reference price
£3.00
High Mid

Super Tasty and Realistic With the Highest Protein

Our number one veggie mince is brought to you by relative new kid on the block Meatless Farm who are truly killing it in the world of plant-based vegan cooking. As with many of their innovative products, this mince is not far off actual meat in looks or taste. It's chilled but can be frozen if you prefer. 


We love the addition of carrot and potato which provide a carbohydrate punch along with the whopping 23.5 g of protein in every 100 grams. Totally gluten-free too, we think this scrummy mince will become a favourite for tacos, pies and spag bol suppers for many meals to come!

Was this Ranking helpful?
No.2

RichmondVegan No Beef Mince

Reference price
£3.00
High Mid
Reference price
£3.00
High Mid

Convincing Mince From the Experts

Visually resembling minced meat most closely of all our suggestions, this substitute from familiar brand Richmond has glorious bite and will have your guests asking you to show them the packet to prove they haven't been munching on meat. This chunky mince also has an impressive 22 g of protein per 100 g.


With healthily low levels of saturated fat, sugar and salt, this product is a super pick whether you're chef-ing on Meat-Free Monday or you're a fully paid-up vegan. No dairy or eggs whatsoever appear on the ingredients list and this chilled meat feels as fresh and filling as the real deal!

No.3

ViveraPlant Mince

Reference price
£2.50
Low Mid

Hugely Popular and Protein-Rich With Added Vits

We love the fact that this tasty, protein-rich veggie mince not only has some 20 g of the muscle-building stuff per 100 g, but it also contains an added boost of vitamin B12 and iron. This is especially good to know if you're on a health kick or serving up a veggie feast to growing kids.


Vivera is a big hit with vegan foodies as their entirely plant-based range is extremely varied and high on flavour – just like this mince. This option costs a little more than most of our other selections for a smaller portion, but if you can splash out a bit extra, you'll see it's worth it! 

No.4

QuornMince

Reference price
£3.00
High Mid

Quality Chilled Mince Free From Soya and Low in Fat

We think this is the stronger of Quorn's two key veggie mince offerings. It's chilled so has a rather more satisfying flavour and bite than the defrosted frozen mince. It also has a touch more protein than its frosty sister product, which we rate. 


Using mycoprotein rather than soya, this Quorn mince is a little more costly for the quantity than others we've recommended, but we feel if you're avoiding soy, this is a strong choice. Low in saturates, sugars and fats, it's not vegan-friendly but bulks up meals with a simple, unobtrusive flavour.

No.5

Linda McCartneyVegemince

Vegemince 1
Source:tesco.com
Reference price
£3.00
High Mid
Reference price
£3.00
High Mid

A Vegan Family Favourite With a Light Texture

A top-selling point here is the fact that this mince is freezer-friendly and can be stored up for months and cracked out on those desperate dinner days when inspiration runs dry. It's also vegan-friendly and has a light texture which is satisfying without leaving you stuffed.


The reviews for this product average around 3 to 4 stars, but we think the slightly higher protein content does boost it up over its rival minces; 19.9 g per 100 g isn't too bad, though it's far from the amount you'd expect from real meat. Tasty and affordable but not a star product!

No.6

QuornFrozen Mince

Reference price
£2.00
Low

A Classic Soya-Free Freezer Staple

Quorn is popular with the nation's veggies, and we totally get why. It may be made from fungus, but once you've come to terms with that, it's a tasty meat sub with much less fat that fools most non-veggies. This 300 g bag is ideal for chucking in the freezer and whipping out for emergency chilli or last-minute bolognese.


We are keeping this product at the lower end of our ranking for a few reasons. Though Quorn is a trusted family brand, this mince loses some of its meaty texture in the freezing and defrosting process. It's also low in protein; just 13 g per 100 g. Finally, it contains eggs; a no-no for vegans.

Written and researched by Annie Hopkins

Top 5 Veggie Mince

No. 1: The Meatless Farm CoPlant Based Mince

No. 2: RichmondVegan No Beef Mince

No. 3: ViveraPlant Mince

No. 4: QuornMince

No. 5: Linda McCartneyVegemince

View Full Ranking
The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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