This easy vegan jerky recipe is gluten-free, full of flavor, and packed with plant-based protein! It works great for camping or backpacking, in school lunches, or as a quick and filling high-protein plant-based snack.

Vegan jerky made from soy curls in a mason jar.

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Why make this recipe

This vegan jerky is perfect for hiking and backpacking!  (I would have loved to have this when I was backpacking the Appalachian Trail many years ago!  Instead, I had a few packs of dehydrated tofu, which was not nearly as tasty as this stuff!)

My family and I also love to take it on road trips, as vegan protein can be hard to find when traveling.

Excellent. I’ve made 3 batches so far and will be bringing some backpacking next week in the Grand Canyon. I’ve always wanted to make tofu jerky, but figured it would take forever to dry out. Brilliant solution using soy curls.

—Ryan

What is vegan jerky made from?

This vegan jerky is simple to make with Butler Soy Curls.  Soy Curls are made from dehydrated soy, much like textured vegetable protein, except they come in large pieces about the size of chicken strips. When rehydrated, they have a texture similar to that of meat.

When I first started using Butler Soy Curls, I knew that there had to be a way to make them into plant-based jerky. I tested a variety of different flavor combinations until my family finally agreed that the recipe was perfect.

Inexpensive vegan jerky

Compared to store-bought vegan jerky, this homemade jerky will save you a ton of money.  My family loves store-bought vegan jerky, but it can be expensive to buy regularly.  You can make this recipe for a fraction of the cost of store-bought vegan jerky!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Bragg’s Liquid Aminos – or tamari. You can also use soy sauce, but please note that it is not gluten-free, which may be a consideration for you.
  • Blackstrap molasses – this gives the jerky a rich, sweet flavor. If you don’t have it, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup, coconut sugar, or another sweetener.
  • Liquid Smoke (hickory flavored) – I use the Colgin brand. Please note that other brands may have a stronger flavor. You can also swap this out for smoked paprika if you don’t have liquid smoke.
  • Sea Salt – for flavor
  • Onion Powder – for flavor
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor
  • Cayenne – optional for a bit of spice.
  • Cooking Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil or light olive oil, will work. Alternatively, you can leave it out for a fat-free jerky. However, the oil helps the texture stay soft and chewy, giving you the mouthfeel of jerky.
  • Butler Soy Curls – you can also use any other TVP chunks or dehydrated soy product that you want.

Helpful tools

  • Medium-sized saucepan – to heat the homemade marinade in.
  • Sheet Pan – a metal baking sheet for dehydrating the jerky in the oven and allowing good airflow.

How to make vegan jerky

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Add 1 cup of water, along with the oil, liquid aminos, molasses, liquid smoke, salt, and spices, to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Then, turn the heat to low and pour in a bag (4 cups) of butler soy curls and stir.

A pot with a marinade to make vegan jerky from soy curls.
Add the water and spices to a pot and bring to a boil.
Butler Soy Curls added to a marinade to make vegan jerky.
Add the soy curls and mix well until the soy curls soak up the marinade.

Step 2 – Allow the soy curls to absorb the flavor for about 3-5 minutes, stirring them every minute or two to ensure they have soaked up as much marinade as possible.

Step 3 – Once the soy curls are rehydrated, place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 225°F for approximately 1 hour, turning them every 15 minutes or so, until they become chewy and have the texture of jerky.

Spreading vegan jerky on a baking sheet to put in the oven and dehydrate.
Spread the wet soy curls on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
Vegan jerky after it has baked in the oven for an hour and has dried out.
Bake the soy curls until they are dry and chewy.

It couldn’t be much easier to make this vegan jerky!

Note – You can dehydrate them a little more or a little less, depending on your taste. I like them slightly dry and crispy, and my kids like them soft and chewy.

Pro Tips

  • The vegan jerky pieces will continue to dehydrate slightly once you remove them from the oven, even while they are cooling. Therefore, remove them when they are still a little softer than you want your final product to be.
  • Bake for 10 minutes less for chewier jerky or 10 minutes more for crunchier jerky.
  • Variations in oven temperature and humidity can slightly alter the bake time. 
  • Watch the jerky closely at the end of the cooking time to prevent over-drying or burning.
A close up of vegan jerky on a baking sheet.

Why make homemade vegan jerky

I make a large batch of them at least once or twice a week.  My kids love them in their school lunches!  Once they cool, I store them in a sealed jar or put them in snack-sized bags, so they are ready to grab and go snacks. 

They are also great as car food on long trips or just to take along anywhere that it is hard to find a good source of vegan protein. 

Don’t forget to bring along a bag on your next camping or backpacking trip, too!

Where can I buy soy curls?

I can find them at my local natural foods store, but I go through so many soy curls now that we have to start buying them by the 12-pound box! If they don’t sell them at your local stores, you can find them on Amazon or order them directly from the Butler Foods website.

Storage

Since they are still slightly moist, I store them in the fridge to ensure they stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. They are fine to leave out of refrigeration for up to 5 days to go camping or on a trip. 

You can also freeze the soy curl jerky for up to 3 months in a sealed container.

A glass jar filled with homemade vegan jerky made from soy curls.

If you want a soy-free vegan jerky recipe, check out my mushroom jerky recipe instead.

More soy curl recipes

You can learn more about soy curls in my complete guide to soy curls, but here are a few of my favorite recipes that use them.

Vegan jerky recipe

Vegan jerky made from soy curls in a mason jar.
Diet
Gluten Free Icon
High Protein Icon
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5 from 25 rating

Easy Vegan Jerky

Yield: 8
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Vegan jerky that is simple to make and tastes like store-bought, for a fraction of the price.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos , or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, (hickory flavored)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne, more or less to taste
  • ¼ cup canola, or other neutral-tasting oil
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 4 cups Butler Soy Curls, (dry) (An 8-oz bag)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Add 1 cup of water, along with the oil, liquid aminos, molasses, liquid smoke, salt, and spices, to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Then, turn the heat to low and pour in a bag (4 cups) of butler soy curls and stir.
  • Allow the soy curls to absorb the flavor for about 3-5 minutes, stirring them every minute or two to ensure they have soaked up as much marinade as possible.
  • Once the soy curls are rehydrated, place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 225°F for approximately 1 hour, turning them every 15 minutes or so, until they become chewy and have the texture of jerky.

Notes

  • The vegan jerky pieces will continue to dehydrate slightly once you remove them from the oven, even while they are cooling. Therefore, remove them when they are still a little softer than you want your final product to be.
  • Bake for 10 minutes less for chewier jerky or 10 minutes more for crunchier jerky.
  • Variations in oven temperature and humidity can slightly alter the bake time. 
  • Watch the jerky closely at the end of the cooking time to prevent over-drying or burning.
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 220kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 7g, Sodium: 421mg, Potassium: 36mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 25IU, Calcium: 154mg, Iron: 5.1mg
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