Vegan Beef and Cauliflower Skillet

With vegan ground "beef," cauliflower, peppers, rice, and melted cheese, after just one bite you'll know this hearty vegan dinner recipe is going into regular rotation! It's totally customizable, too, whether you choose to prepare the vegan beef and cheese from scratch (for an oil-free version), or save time with store-bought options. Either way, this one-pot vegan meal is seriously delicious comfort food!

A cast iron skillet filled with a casserole type of dish of cauliflower, rice, and soy curl beef topped with gooey melted cheese.

It's hard to believe, but My Quiet Kitchen has been around for almost 6 years, and I've been vegan for thirteen!

Over the years I've accumulated a number of favorite "staple recipes," which makes it easier and more fun to mix and match my plant-based meats, cheeses, and sauces for endless dinner ideas!

And friends, this cheesy, hearty, and satisfying vegan beef skillet is my kind of dinner!

Jump to:

Why You'll Love It
Ingredients & Substitutions
How to Make It
Equipment
Serving Suggestions
FAQs
Helpful Tips
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
Recipe
💬 Comments

Why You'll Love It

Crowd-pleaser: This is a dish you can feel confident serving to vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters, alike. It's perfect when friends or family come to visit and you need a stress-free, delicious meal.
Versatile: You can switch up the spices and veggies, and try different vegan cheeses and meats, whether homemade or store-bought.
Easy prep: With a little planning ahead, the entire meal comes together in one pan on the stovetop in about 35 minutes! And if you want to use the scratch-made vegan ground beef and vegan mozzarella, these ingredients are easily made in advance.

Ingredients & Substitutions

A labeled photo of the ingredients neded for the recipe.

vegan ground beef: I used my plant-based ground beef recipe, which is made with soy curls, mushrooms, and other flavorful ingredients. Honestly, it's 100% worth the extra effort (I'm not just saying that - many of you agree)! If you don't have access to soy curls you can use TVP, or take a shortcut and use a store-bought option like Impossible or Beyond Beef instead.
cauliflower: Tender cauliflower florets add great texture and nutrition to the dish. I used about half of a medium-sized head of cauliflower. Feel free to use frozen if that's what you have, or incorporate broccoli or other veggies.
other veggies: Sauteed onion, bell pepper, and garlic add tons of flavor. I used yellow onion and red bell pepper, but other varieties are fine, too.
rice: I included a few cups of cooked brown rice to bulk up the recipe and make it more of a full meal. You can get creative here with other types of rice, quinoa, or chewy grains like farro or barley.
tomatoes: One small can of diced tomatoes adds umami, acidity, and moisture. If you have fresh tomatoes on hand, chop 'em up and go for it! I told you this dish is very versatile, right?
cheese: Since I made the "beef" from scratch, I decided to save time with store-bought vegan cheese. I used Violife's Mexican-style shreds, but this is just as versatile as the other components. You could grate the cheese yourself from a block, or if you prefer an oil-free option, use my meltable vegan pizza cheese or this cashew cheese sauce.
spices and seasonings: I used chili powder, cumin, oregano, and chipotle flakes. Feel free to switch things up with Italian herbs and seasonings or other spice blends!
sliced pickled jalapeno: Assuming you like a spicy kick, don't sleep on these! Trust me, something about the acidity and saltiness really takes the dish to the next level. You can buy pickled jalapenos at the store, or make them at home in minutes! Find my tips below.

See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make It

Sauteing onion and bell pepper in a skillet.

First, saute the onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.

Adding cauliflower and vegan beef to the pan.

Add the cauliflower florets and vegan beef (if using uncooked, store-bought option like Beyond). Since the homemade "beef" has already been cooked, you can wait to add it after the cauliflower has cooked for a few minutes.

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Adding the optional cooked rice to the pan, along with shredded cheese.

Next, add the garlic, spices, salt, and rice. Cook for a few minutes, until the rice is hot.

The final step before adding the cheese is to add diced tomatoes to the pan.

Add the tomatoes, including the liquid, and half of the cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Cook for about 3 minutes more, until the cauliflower is just tender.

Finally, if using homemade vegan cheese, dollop more on top, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Let sit for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is hot.

If you're using store-bought shreds, add them to a bowl with a small splash of water. Microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth and melted. Spoon onto the finished dish.

Garnish with plenty of pickled jalapenos, and serve hot.

Equipment

I like to use a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe, but since it's prepared entirely on the stovetop, any similar size skillet or saute pan also works.

If there's a chance you might place the dish in the oven to keep warm, just be sure to use an oven-safe pan.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this hearty vegan dinner with tortilla chips and guacamole or sliced avocado.

It also pairs well with chipotle corn salsa, cranberry salsa, and light salads like:

FAQs

Can I make it in advance?

Absolutely. You can prepare the components in advance to save time, or fully cook the dish, cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Then reheat on the stovetop.

What can I use instead of vegan beef?

Any type of meaty and satisfying ingredient you enjoy can be incorporated into this recipe, such as crumbled tofu, lentils, and even seitan. The key is to make sure the meat substitute is pre-seasoned and delicious on its own. Otherwise, you'll need to increase the amount of savory seasonings added to this dish.
Try my tofu chorizo, lentil taco meat, or these seasoned black lentils.

Helpful Tips

Cut the cauliflower into fairly small, equal-sized florets so it cooks quickly.
For faster prep on weeknights, batch cook the rice and vegan beef the weekend before. Have pouches of heat-and-eat rice in the pantry for times when you run out of cooked grains.
The pickled jalapeno really brings it all together. Store-bought is fine, but if you have 2 extra minutes, I recommend making your own quick pickled jalapenos.
To do it, simply slice 3 fresh jalapenos into coins, place in a bowl, and cover with vinegar (I like white wine vinegar here). Add a generous amount of salt, and a pinch of sugar. Stir well, and set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Easy as that!