Vegan Ribeye Steak is Coming Soon to a Menu Near You

Beef is currently the top contributor to agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to UC Davis. Every cow releases 220 pounds of methane a year, presenting a serious problem for the 55 percent of consumers looking to adopt a more sustainable, “climatarian” diet. Canada-based Urbani Brands is releasing a vegan ribeye-style steak this fall to serve consumers looking to start eating sustainably. The 'Misteak' will initially launch at specialty stores and high-end restaurants before gaining wider commercial availability.

The vegan steak will use a blend of wheat and soy proteins to replicate the texture and nutritional content of traditional steak. Spiced to taste similar to traditional ribeyes, this steak will encourage customers to try a more sustainable option.

“We wanted to show that plant-based alternatives can be more than just ground particle-style products like burgers and sausages,” Urbani told VegNews. “Technically, whole-muscle meats are harder to replicate, but [they] open up an entirely new area of plant-based products.”

Urbani Foods spent two years researching whole-muscle vegan meat techniques that would replicate the marbling and texture of traditional butcher shop-style steaks. Urbani co-founder Stefan Urbani aims to create a product that inspires consumers to give plant-based meat a chance. The entrepreneur also noted that he hopes that this vegan steak attracts the attention of a more adult audience than other plant-based products available.

“Most of the existing plant-based offerings seem like they are targeted to 10-year-old kids — nuggets, burgers, tenders,” Urbani stated. “Misteak will be a plant-based alternative targeted to a more adult audience that occasionally eats a meal at a table with a plate and cutlery.”

Leaving Behind the Meat Industry

For 50 years, the Urbani family earned its living selling salami. This all changed when the traditional meat brand announced its Noble Jerky selection in 2019. CEO Claudio Urbani revealed that he realized that feeding the world’s population with meat products was an unsustainable practice, inspiring him to develop new plant-based food products. Now, the Noble Jerky is available in Sweet BBQ, Chipotle, and Teriyaki flavors.

“Plant protein is becoming a real alternative for all consumers and their buying choices and habits are starting to reflect this,” the company said in a statement for its Noble Jerky debut.

Vegan Steak is Available Worldwide

This month, Redefine Meat just announced that its 3-D printed vegan flank steaks will be available at several food service providers in London. The company initially partnered with Chef Marco Pierre White, who added the innovative plant-based steak to his menus last November. Now, Londoners can find the nearly-identical vegan steaks at five additional restaurants across the city.

In the United States, Meati Foods released its first vegan flank steaks in 2020. The company claims that it can produce the equivalents of 4,500 cows every day, requiring only one percent of the water and land that it takes to produce conventional beef products.

Endorsed by vegan singer and TIkTok sensation Lizzo, Juicy Marbles has released another cut of vegan steak: the filet mignon. Made from soy and wheat protein, the Juicy Marble steak is designed to taste and look like its beef-based counterpart, marketed toward both meat-eaters and vegans alike. 

Why Eating Beef is Bad For the Environment

• Meat and dairy industries currently use 83 percent of total farmland, according to The Guardian.
• Cattle are responsible for 40 percent of global methane emissions.
• Methane holds 80 times more warming power than carbon dioxide in the first 20 years in the atmosphere.
• Eating beef one or two times a week for a year can contribute six to 30 times more missions than plant alternatives.
• Waste from only 200 cows creates as much nitrogen as the sewage from 10,000 humans, according to the USDA.

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