What Is Beyond Steak?
Beyond Steak is a plant-based steak strip product from Beyond Meat, sold pre-sliced and ready to cook, positioned as a swap-in for beef strips in stir-fries, fajitas, tacos, and steak sandwiches. It launched as part of Beyond Meat's push beyond burgers and sausages into a notoriously harder category to replicate — steak has a fibrous chew and bite that ground-meat formats don't need to match.
It retails for around $7.99–$8.99 per 8oz package, sold at Target, Kroger, Whole Foods, Walmart, and most major US grocery chains, typically in the refrigerated plant-based meat section. It comes pre-marinated with a savory, slightly smoky seasoning built in.
We tested it pan-seared solo, in a beef-and-broccoli style stir-fry, and folded into street tacos — the three most common ways people actually use steak strips — to see whether the texture holds up under real cooking conditions.
Beyond Steak Ingredients
The full ingredient list:
- Water
- Soy protein concentrate
- Refined coconut oil
- Methylcellulose
- Contains 2% or less of: natural flavors, potato starch, salt, soy leghemoglobin, yeast extract, sunflower oil, gum arabic, citrus fiber, pomegranate fruit powder, beet juice extract (for color), vegetable glycerin, sodium bicarbonate, vinegar, spice, garlic powder, xanthan gum, calcium chloride, thiamine hydrochloride
Soy protein concentrate provides the fibrous, chewy structure, while methylcellulose — a plant-derived binder used across the plant-based meat category — helps hold everything together and firm up when heated, similar to how egg does in traditional cooking. Soy leghemoglobin is the same heme-based ingredient Impossible Foods uses; it's what gives the strips a reddish, slightly bloody appearance before cooking and a savory depth once seared. Every ingredient here is verifiable through the spvegan.com ingredient checker — all are vegan.
Is Beyond Steak Vegan?
Yes, Beyond Steak is fully vegan. It contains no beef, no animal-derived heme (the soy leghemoglobin is produced through fermentation, not animal sources), and no dairy or egg. It is gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified. It does contain soy, so it is not a fit for anyone with a soy allergy, and it's produced in a facility that also processes other plant-based meat products, though not any animal products.
Beyond Steak Nutrition Facts
Per 3oz serving:
| Nutrient | Beyond Steak | Real Sirloin Steak | Impossible Steak Bites | Gardein Beefless Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 150 kcal | 160 kcal | 170 kcal | 110 kcal |
| Total Fat | 10g | 7g | 11g | 4g |
| Protein | 13g | 25g | 13g | 13g |
| Sodium | 390mg | 60mg | 420mg | 440mg |
| Iron | 15% DV | 10% DV | 15% DV | 10% DV |
Protein lands well below real steak — 13g versus 25g for the same serving size — which is worth knowing if you're using this as a direct protein swap rather than just a texture and flavor one. Sodium is also significantly higher than real steak, since the seasoning and preservation needs of a processed product require more salt than a cut of meat that's simply seasoned before cooking. Iron content is a genuine strength, edging out real sirloin thanks to fortification.
How Does It Cook and Taste?
Pan-seared in a hot skillet with a bit of oil, Beyond Steak develops a genuinely convincing seared crust in about 4-5 minutes, with grill-mark-style browning and a smoky aroma from the built-in seasoning. The exterior char is one of the most convincing textures in the plant-based meat category to date.
The interior texture is where it's more mixed. It has a fibrous, shredded quality rather than the dense, uniform bite of a whole-muscle steak cut — closer to a well-cooked flank steak or fajita strip than a thick-cut sirloin. This actually works in its favor for the dishes it's designed for (stir-fry, tacos, fajitas), where steak is already sliced thin and chewed in smaller bites, but it would be a letdown if you're expecting to replicate a standalone seared ribeye experience.
In the stir-fry test, it held its shape well and didn't break down or turn mushy after a few minutes of high-heat tossing, absorbing the stir-fry sauce nicely. In tacos, it was the strongest use case — the char, seasoning, and fibrous texture came together convincingly with lime, cilantro, and salsa. Overcooking is a risk here; leave it in the pan too long past the initial sear and it firms up into a slightly rubbery texture rather than staying tender.
How Does It Compare to Other Plant-Based Steak Products?
| Brand | Protein Base | Texture | Price per package | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Steak | Soy protein | Fibrous, convincing sear | ~$8.49 | Tacos, fajitas, stir-fry |
| Impossible Steak Bites | Soy protein | Denser, chunkier bite | ~$8.99 | Bowls, kabobs, heartier bite |
| Gardein Beefless Tips | Wheat + soy protein | Softer, less fibrous | ~$5.99 | Budget-friendly stews and casseroles |
| Trader Joe's Carne Asada Style | Soy protein | Similar fibrous texture | ~$4.99 | Budget tacos |
Beyond Steak and Impossible's steak product are the closest competitors, with Impossible delivering a slightly denser, chunkier bite that works better in bowls, while Beyond Steak's thinner strip format is purpose-built for tacos and stir-fry. Gardein and Trader Joe's versions are considerably cheaper but trade away some of the sear quality and texture refinement.
Who Should Buy Beyond Steak?
This is the strongest fit for anyone making tacos, fajitas, or stir-fry who wants a convincing sear and char without needing to marinate or season from scratch. It's also a solid option for flexitarian households looking for something that satisfies a steak craving in a familiar dish format.
It's a weaker fit for anyone expecting a whole-cut steak replacement for a standalone dinner, anyone prioritizing high protein per serving, or anyone managing sodium intake closely, given the seasoning-driven sodium content.
Final Verdict
Beyond Steak nails the hardest part of replicating steak — the sear, char, and smoky exterior flavor — better than most plant-based products attempt. The fibrous interior texture is well-suited to the dishes it's designed for, even if it won't fool anyone expecting a thick-cut ribeye.
Lower protein and higher sodium than real steak are the tradeoffs worth knowing, but as a taco or stir-fry ingredient specifically, it's one of the more convincing plant-based options currently available.
Rating: 8.1 out of 10. Docked for protein content and sodium level. Strong marks for sear quality and versatility across quick-cook dishes.
