A flavorful plant based stir fry made with Trader Joe’s meatless ground beef and mixed vegetables. It’s an easy vegan dinner recipe.
Stir-Fry dishes are great options to add to a busy work week menu. They can easily be prepared and are very versatile. Making them a great option for utilizing ingredients you have on hand (goodbye unused food → trash). Plus, it’s a great way to add more vegetables to your meal. Play around with different combinations of colorful vegetables + proteins. You’re bound to find something delicious.
Note that cooking times will vary depending on whether you are cooking in a wok or just a regular frying pan.
Clean out your refrigerator today & let us know what combinations you come up with.
CSA box inspired recipe
This recipe was inspired by produce received in my latest CSA box delivery. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It’s a way to buy food directly from local farms.
Members join at the beginning of the season, and you don’t always know what produce to expect. Making next week’s menu planning a mystery & fun challenge of what will be delivered in the CSA box.
Take a look inside a full season of CSA boxes along with some recipe ideas.
Trader Joe’s Recipe
This recipe was also inspired from a shopping trip to Trader Joe’s. The vegan “ground beef” used in this recipe is their beef-less version.
If you like shopping at Trader Joe’s, you might also want to try this Tomato-less Salsa, Kale Chips and Roasted Rainbow Carrots recipes. They are all inspired products sold at TJ’s.
Ingredients
sesame seeds – toasted to bring out their nutty flavor
vegetables including: onions, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, garlic & scallions
package of Trader Joe’s Beef-less ground beef – as the vegan source of protein. Other brands of meatless ground beef can be substituted. (You might have to adjust the cooking time.)
spices & seasonings – including pepper, paprika, granulated garlic, oil, rice wine vinegar & honey.
Menu ideas
This recipe is a great addition to a meatless meal. Here are some ways to enjoy this plant based stir fry dish.
On top of your favorite pasta or rice
Baked inside a pasta dish like lasagna or as a filling for pasta shells or manicotti
Sprinkle some over your bowl of soup
Inside a sandwich, wrap or taco shell
Beefless Stir Fry
A tasty plant based stir fry made with Trader Joe's meatless ground beef and mixed vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons oil (avocado)
- 1 medium onion, diced (1½ cups, 209 grams)
- 1 green bell pepper, diced (¾ cup, 165 grams)
- ½ cup (90 grams) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 scallions, sliced (½ cup, 42 grams)
- 12 oz. Trader Joe’s Beef-less ground beef
Instructions
- Place sesame seeds in a medium skillet. Cook over a medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a plate and return the skillet to the stovetop.
- Add oil and onions. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown.
- Stir in the green pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Mix in the garlic and spices. Cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add in the beef-less ground beef, rice wine vinegar and honey. Break apart any large chunks with a spoon. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the scallions, cooking another 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 410mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 15g
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been revamped and updated in December 2020 .
