Filipino cuisine is known for its rich and savory flavors, with dishes that offer the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and salty. One such dish is Giniling, a Filipino style Picadillo traditionally made with ground meat. But today, we're giving this classic dish a vegan twist. Using Trader Joe’s Vegan Meatless Ground Beef and a medley of vegetables, we're creating a plant-based version of this ultimate comfort food. Simple ingredients that can easily be gathered from the grocery store is all you need to make your favorite comfort food.
This was inspired by my Vegan Piccadillo Recipe on this site! Feel free to add other veggies or spices to your own version! Maybe some green olives, shiitake mushrooms or the addition of raisins.
Ingredients
- Trader Joe’s Vegan Meatless Ground Beef
- medium red onion, chopped
- red pepper, chopped
- cup of green peas
- medium potatoes
- tomato paste
- soy sauce
- bay leaf
- Seasonings to taste (black pepper, salt)
- Olive oil for sautéing
- Hp Sauce
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent. Add in your plant based ground meat or vegan ground sausage. Throw in your tomato paste, soy sauce & hp sauce for savory flavor.
Add bay leaf and seasonings. Pour a cup of veg stock and let cook for 10-15 minutes.
Serve on white rice or pasta too!
Hint: Use plant-based ground meat substitutes like lentils, tofu, or tempeh to replace the traditional ground pork or beef in the recipe. Also, make sure to use a vegan-friendly soy sauce or tamari.
Substitutions
For a vegan version of Filipino giniling, you can use plant-based ground meat substitutes such as lentils, textured vegetable protein (TVP), or a store-bought vegan ground meat substitute. Replace the oyster sauce with a vegan-friendly version or use soy sauce or tamari instead. If the recipe calls for fish sauce, you can use a vegan fish sauce or a mixture of soy sauce and lime juice. For the egg, you can either omit it or use a vegan egg substitute
Variations
- Tofu Giniling: Replace lentils with firm tofu. Crumble the tofu and sauté it until it's golden before adding the vegetables.
- Tempeh Giniling: Use crumbled tempeh instead of lentils. Tempeh has a nutty flavor that works well with the savory ingredients in this dish. You can also use other soy protein.
- Mushroom Giniling: Use finely chopped mushrooms instead of lentils. Mushrooms have a meaty texture and absorb flavors well.
- Chickpea Giniling: Use cooked or canned chickpeas instead of lentils. Mash some of the chickpeas to give the dish a ground meat-like texture.
- Spicy Giniling: Add chopped chili peppers, red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
- Giniling with Vegan Sausage: Use vegan sausage crumbled or chopped into small pieces instead of lentils.
Storage
You can store the leftover vegan Filipino giniling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you want to freeze it, let the giniling cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight if frozen, then reheat on the stove over medium heat, adding a little water or vegetable broth if needed to prevent it from drying out stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
Top tip
When cooking with plant-based meat substitutes, it's important to season them well as they can be quite bland on their own. Don't be afraid to use a bit more soy sauce, garlic, onion, or other spices than you would with regular meat. Also, adding a bit of smoked paprika or liquid smoke can give your dish a "meaty" flavor.
FAQ
It's traditionally served with rice, but you can also serve it with quinoa, couscous, or even on a bed of greens for a lighter option.
Yes, you can add other vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, or whatever you have on hand. This dish is very versatile.
Don't be afraid to use more seasonings like soy sauce, garlic, onion, or other spices. You can also add smoked paprika or liquid smoke for a "meaty" flavor.
Filipino giniling is a traditional dish from the Philippines that typically consists of ground meat, vegetables, and seasonings. It's often served with rice.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Healthy Vegan Filipino Giniling
Ingredients
- - 1 pack of Trader Joe’s Vegan Meatless Ground Beef
- - 1 medium red onion chopped
- - 1 red pepper chopped
- - 1 cup of green peas
- - 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- - ¼ cup of soy sauce
- - 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon Ph sauce
- - Seasonings to taste black pepper, salt
- - Olive oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent.
- Add the vegan ground beef to the pan and break it into small pieces. Cook until it's browned.
- Stir in the chopped red pepper and green peas. Sauté for a few more minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the tomato paste and soy sauce to the pan. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the bay leaf and seasonings. Adjust to taste.
- Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together.
- Serve your vegan giniling over white rice for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
