BBQ Soy Curls cooked in the Instant Pot on the slow cooker setting make the best, easiest, most delicious vegan BBQ! They're so flavorful and have a perfectly meaty texture. Great for sandwiches, bowls, pizza, and salads! Even better, all you need for this recipe are 3 ingredients and a few minutes of prep time. These barbecue soy curls are also gluten-free, oil-free, and nut-free.
About Soy Curls
Are you cooking with soy curls yet? If not, I'm here to cheer you on. Soy curls are made from just one ingredient, whole, non-GMO soybeans, and they're incredibly versatile.
Those geniuses at Butler Foods figured out a way to cook and shape the nutritious soybean into meaty strands. Soy curls are also dehydrated, which gives them a longer shelf life and means they're great at soaking up sauces and seasonings.
You can sometimes find Butler soy curls in small, local health food stores. You can also order online through Amazon or directly from the Butler Foods website. I recommend buying them in bulk to save money. Trust me, you'll easily find ways to enjoy them!
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More Ways to Use Soy Curls
Update! Check out this post to learn more about soy curls and find 23 fantastic recipes you'll want to make ASAP.
- Vegan Sloppy Joes
- Air Fryer Soy Curls
- Vegan Pork and Cucumber Stir Fry
- 1-Skillet White Chili Casserole
- Vegan White Chili
- Mediterranean Soy Curl Pita
- Vegan Taco Meat & Ground "Beef"
- Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
- and Vegan Bacon Bits!
Why This is the Best Cooking Method
I tried a few different cooking methods for this BBQ soy curls recipe because I wanted to come up with an option with the best balance of simplicity AND flavor. I tried:
- Stovetop sauté - easy and quick, but not the best flavor or texture
- Instant Pot low pressure - not enough liquid; triggers a burn warning
- Instant Pot slow cooker setting - WINNER!
I'd really hoped the pressure cooker method would work but figured there wouldn't be enough liquid. And since we don't want to dilute the flavor of the barbecue sauce, I nixed that idea pretty quickly.
The great thing about the slow cooker option is that it's just as easy! Plus, during the 1 hour of cook time, the sauce really soaks into the soy curls and their texture improves.
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The soy curls end up firmer and meatier than when cooked on the stovetop.
How to Make BBQ Soy Curls
I'm someone who likes her Instant Pot recipes on the SUPER EASY side - like put everything in the Instant Pot, give it a stir, press a few buttons, and walk away. And that's exactly what happens here!
The basic process goes like this:
First, rehydrate the soy curls in vegetable broth for 10 minutes.
Optional: Once they're plump, use your hands to shred and tear some of the larger pieces.
Then add the soy curls and your favorite BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot or other slow cooker, and stir to combine. Close and lock the lid, and slow cook on high for 1 hour.
And that's it! You now have tangy, sweet, smoky, satisfying vegan BBQ to add to everything from sandwiches and nachos to bowls and pizza.
Ideas for Serving
BBQ soy curls taste amazing in almost any dish you can dream up...
- Vegan BBQ sandwiches with fresh vegan coleslaw and pickles
- In a tortilla loaded with veggies and lettuce
- In a bowl with your favorite steamed veggies and a side of oil-free cornbread or savory southern-style cornbread
- On loaded vegan BBQ nachos
- BBQ "chicken" pizza, anyone?
- On a huge salad with all your favorite toppings plus vegan ranch dressing!
And this Creamy Kale Salad is a delicious and healthy side to serve with a BBQ soy curl sandwich.
How to Store
This recipe makes a large amount so it's great for families, weekly meal prep, or if you're cooking for a party. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Barbecue soy curls can also be frozen. Just thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
More Vegan BBQ Recipes
If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you! Leave a star rating and comment below to let us know.
Recipe
BBQ Soy Curls (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Butler soy curls (1 bag)
- 3 cups vegetable broth, any salted variety - Or use water + bouillon powder/paste
- 1⅔ cups barbecue sauce - homemade or store-bought
- black pepper, optional
Instructions
- Place soy curls in a large, shallow bowl. Add broth, stir, and let sit 10 minutes. At this point most of the broth should be absorbed. If there's more than about ¼ cup of broth left in the bottom of the bowl, stir the soy curls again and let sit for another 2 to 3 minutes. Check again, and carefully drain away any excess.
- Optional step: If you prefer small pieces, use your hands to tear and shred some of the larger soy curls.
- Pour the rehydrated soy curls into the Instant Pot insert (see NOTES below if using a standard slow cooker). Add the BBQ sauce and black pepper, if using, and stir very well. Lock on the lid, and set the vent knob to sealing.
- Press the Slow Cook button. Slow cook on high for 1 hour. Carefully remove lid, stir, and enjoy.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Shawna Schwartz says
Made these last night! The crock pot feature really does change the texture of the soy curls to make them more like softer meaty bites. Loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Todd Boley says
I always add a little coconut oil to my soy curls for a little "fatty mouth feel". Never thought to do the soy curls in the IP...100% trying this.
Rebekah Vincent says
I loved this recipe! This was my first time trying soy curls, and now I'm looking at other recipes for other ways to use them.
The recipe was very simple. I was able to throw it together while doing other tasks. I followed the Instant Pot version and used store-bought BBQ sauce.
It kept well in the refrigerator, and the leftovers tasted great too. I'll be adding this to my meal prep lineup.
Alexandra says
good and easy
Pat says
This was amazing! My husband loved it. He said no one would know this was made from soy curls.
Suee33 says
Hi, I made this recipe tonight, it was delicious. The soy curls never did soak up all the water - drained it and carried on. I used a 360 Brand from Whole Foods. Kansas City BBQ sauce, super good and cook for 7 minutes in the instant pot. Thanks it was so good and easy.
Tracy says
These soy curls were amazing! I loved the texture and the flavour. Would it work to make the soy curls like this with any sauce, such as teriyaki as a base for other recipes? The texture of these soy curls was the best I’ve had yet!
Thank you,
Tracy