Spag bol on a Wednesday?

Love mince? Try these.

Swaps for: Beef mince

Mince is the easiest swap of all. Once it's in a rich bolognese, chilli, lasagne or cottage pie, most people won't notice the difference.

Frozen soya mince is great value and cooks in minutes, while chilled 'beef-style' minces are designed to brown and caramelise like the real thing.

5 products 4 recipes

A glass dish of cooked soya mince with diced potato and peppers
A dish of cooked soya mince with potato and peppers. Photo: M Manyere, CC BY-SA 4.0

Cook it like you mean it

  1. Brown chilled mince in a hot pan before adding sauce — that colour means flavour.
  2. Frozen mince often wants a splash of water rather than oil; follow the pack.
  3. Season boldly: a little soy sauce, Marmite or smoked paprika adds depth.
  4. Mince usually needs less simmering time than beef — add it towards the end if your sauce is long-cooked.

Pack instructions always win — times vary between products. More in our cooking guide.

Vegan mince to buy

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Mince

Linda McCartney's

Linda McCartney's Vegemince

Frozen soya mince that cooks in minutes — a store-cupboard hero for bolognese and chilli.

Found at: Tesco · Asda · Morrisons · Waitrose +1

Mince

Sainsbury's Plant Pioneers

Plant Pioneers Meat Free Mince

Sainsbury's own-brand lightly seasoned soya mince, cooked from frozen.

Found at: Sainsbury's

Mince

THIS

THIS Isn't Beef Mince

Chilled soya mince that browns in the pan like beef — built for bolognese, chilli and cottage pie.

Found at: Tesco · Sainsbury's · Morrisons · Waitrose +1

Mince

Tesco Plant Chef

Tesco Plant Chef Meat Free Mince

Tesco's own-brand frozen soya mince — lightly seasoned and made for ragù and bolognese.

Found at: Tesco

Vegan status and stockists checked on brand and supermarket websites, September 2026. Always check the pack.

Cook something with it

Recipe · Burgers + Mince

Double Vegan Smash Burgers

Thin, crusty, lacy-edged patties stacked double with melty cheese and a tangy burger sauce.

27 min · Serves 4 · Easy

Recipe · Mince

Rich Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

A slow-simmered, deeply savoury ragù made with vegan mince — midweek-easy, Sunday-good.

1 hr · Serves 4 · Easy

Recipe · Mince

Smoky Chilli Non Carne

A big pot of smoky, beefy-style chilli with kidney beans and a hint of dark chocolate.

55 min · Serves 4 · Easy

Recipe · Mince

Vegan Cottage Pie

Savoury mince and lentils under a crisp-topped, mustardy mash. Pure comfort.

1 hr 20 min · Serves 4 · Easy

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