If you’ve been grocery shopping lately, you may have noticed vegan jerky (aka animal-free jerky, plant-based jerky or meat-free jerky) on display at your local supermarket. It’s one of the most notable vegan explosions on the market since ultra-accurate vegan products like burgers, sausages, eggs, chicken and fish first hit the shelves in the 2010s.

What is vegan jerky made of?
Vegan jerky can be made from many different meat substitutes. Some of the most popular meat substitutes used in this jerky include

Soy protein
Green bean protein
Pea protein
Mushrooms
Kelp
Pineapple nectar
Pineapple
Banana
Mango
Does it taste like real meat?
Because of the many different meat substitutes used in meatless jerky, there are a variety of different flavors and textures depending on the brand.

Some brands that target their products to the existing vegetarian and vegan population (who may actually prefer foods that don’t taste like meat) are definitely softer or crunchier than real meat.

However, other plant-based brands that focus on pleasing the taste of the meat-eating public make jerky that can mimic the taste and texture of real meat quite well. Interestingly, the meatiest vegan jerky is made by Beyond Meat and Unisoy.

Is vegan jerky healthy?
Because vegan jerky does not contain any animal products, it is inherently healthier than traditional jerky because they are lower in cholesterol and fat. In addition, you can be sure that there are no added hormones.

However, you need to keep in mind that all types of jerky (vegetarian or not) are typically very high in sodium, with many brands offering 25% or more of the daily value in a single serving. So, be sure to enjoy this snack in moderation and balance it with other snacks that contain little to no sodium.

What is the best brand of vegan jerky?
There are many different plant-based brands of jerky sold on the market. Since everyone has their own taste and texture preferences, it’s important that you try them out for yourself to see which ones best meet your personal preferences. Here are some of the most popular and best-selling brands that you may want to research first.

Shooter
Beyond Meats
Aristocrat Jerky
Louisville Vegetarian Jerky Company
Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
Yuan Shen
Pure Organic Dried Fruits
Unisom
Where can I find vegan jerky?
You can find this animal-free jerky in the snack section of your local large supermarket (e.g. Walmart, Sprouts, Target, Whole Foods, etc.) or online by clicking on the brand links above.

More vegetarian posts
Vegan Chicken Nuggets
Vegan Chicken Nuggets: Do They Really Taste Like Chicken?