Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix, 5.7-Ounce (Pack of 6), Soy Based Protein Meat Substitute, Easy to use just like ground beef

I added ingredients to make it my own. I recommend using this as a "base" and add your own roasted tomatoes, garlic, peppers, etc plus some salt or salt alternative.

Big 1.78 lb bag reconstitutes to approximately 5 lbs, use what you want of it. YOu dont need to make it all at once, sheesh. Also, that ingredient says BEET powder, not beef powder. This is vegetarian,but it is not limited to vegetarian or vegan use. I am neither of those, but I eat a lot of plant based foods. I like having some TVP on hand for convenience and for times when I simply dont want meat, or I want to STRETCH meat. Nice way to bulk up a dish, or reduce the meat load for those folks who would otherwise miss it. Doesnt have to be all or nothing. Great especially now as prices go up, food becomes less available, etc.I like it for stuffed peppers, for basic base for hamburgers (though I have a trusty lentil burger recipe that is my go-to), meat loaf, meat balls, pasta and "meat sauce". Again... use on its own, doctor it up with other spices, or use it to cut into regular beef.Not my all time fave, but I like it enough and the price is reasonable enough ($17.74, or $15.08 with subscribe and save as of 04/2022)

Have had for awhile before using so was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to rehydrate and use. Made sloppy joes and they were delicious. It makes a lot and we will get multiple meals from a cup and a half of the mix. After rehydration it easily doubled. Add some veggies in and it is a great meal stretcher and meat replacement. Will order again when it comes back in stock. Great product and I highly recommend it.

I've been using TVP or similar products for a long time. I wanted to try something different and this seemed like a good idea.The packaging is a simple vacuum sealed bag and the instructions and nutrition labels are badly printed on a very small label and are difficult to read. Once you have a magnifying glass the usage instructions are minimal and not very helpful. You will need to add far more liquid to this than indicated. A lot, lot more. I ended up adding (carefully, stepwise) up to three times the amount indicated and could not get this to form burger patties. I used it as mince instead.The product itself has a nice meaty smell and using a mix of red wine and vegetable stock I was able to make it taste very pleasant. I will have to experiment more with the amount of liquid needed to fully hydrate this product. It is very, very thirsty for liquid though.I like it when cooked into food but will need to carry on experimenting to find the best way to make it into shapes. Recommended for those cooks who like to experiment.

I bought this mainly because another review (can't remember if it was on Amazon or another site) said it was better than Morningstar Farms crumbles and because it is GMO free. Now, I've been a vegetarian since I was thirteen (and that was decades ago), but I am the sort that DOES want fake meat resembling meat. I've little interest in a mushroom-quinoa burger; I want a meaty-yet-vegetarian burger with mushroom quinoa on the side. Also, I'm a professional chef, so I'm very picky about the foods I eat.I'm saying this because I think it is important to know what the reviewer likes to eat when you base your purchase on a review.Tonight, I used the Harmony Valley hamburger mix in lasagna alla bolognese. I also did the same recipe with the MF crumbles to compare. Two things I was curious about:1) flavor: they're *kind of* about the same, especially considering I was adding a browned mirepoix, marmite, and veg Worcestershire ... I guess I should fry up a patty of just the HV mix, but I did eat a raw spoonful and it was okay, but blander than MF2) texture: MF wins. It just does (sorry, MF haters). It has larger pieces with a more meat-like texture. Plus, even after absorbing water in the fridge and then simmering on the stove, the HV was too wet.Now, the reviewer who also liked it better than MF also said something about it holding together on its own and that MF doesn't. Well, that's true. This was thick and stuck to itself, much more like the texture of ground meat - if you were to puree it. I use MF often in meatballs, and it holds together when bound with eggs and cheese. I guess that's the difference; I don't just want to thaw or add water and *poof* have dinner. I expect to cook with an ingredient, the same as I would with real beef.So I wasn't bowled over in those ways, but I liked it. HV hamburger mix is good and I'm sure it will be useful, which is also a plus - no worry about not having bought a bag of frozen crumbles, you've got a half dozen packets at home. I have a tiny little freezer for someone who cooks for a living, so it is always an issue for me to be able to keep ingredients at home. And although I've seen some reviews complaining about the 15-20 wait for the HV mix to absorb water in the fridge ... really? Those people can't wait half an hour for a burger? If you want an instant veggie burger that can be microwaved in the time it takes you to grab the ketchup, buy a frozen burger. I think this mix will be good in better handmade veggie burgers and I look forward to trying!Addendum:After eating the lasagna made with the HV mix, both my husband and I experienced horrible stomach bloating and pain. I'm apparently a glutton for punishment, though, because I decided to give it another try and made meatballs with it yesterday. Not only did they not turn out as good as my usual ones (made with MF crumbles and Lightlife sausage), they had a sort of rubbery texture that I really did not care for. But, blander and texture I can overlook, except AGAIN, the product gave us both the same horrible stomach bloating pains and gas. Ugh!