Sorry, Ronald: These Vegan McRibs Are Better

Last November, McDonald’s brought the McRib back to menus for a limited time. Made with barbecue sauce, seasoned pork, onions, and pickles, the sandwich is a longtime fan-favorite and has appeared on and off since the early 1980s. According to the chain’s UK head of menu, Thomas O’Neill, the McRib isn’t just another McDonald’s item, “it’s a phenomenon.”

But not everyone is thrilled by the McRib. Recently, the sandwich has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. McDonald’s is currently facing a lawsuit, with plaintiffs arguing that the McRib is misleadingly named because it isn’t actually made from rib meat.

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In a statement responding to the lawsuit, McDonald’s said: “Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100 percent pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the US. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”

Let’s be honest—we’re not too fussed about whether the sandwich contains ribs. If anything, we’d rather it were made with vegan pork instead. But for now, there’s no sign of a plant-based McRib from the fast-food chain. In fact, in the US, there isn’t even a McPlant.

Still, if all the online chatter about the McRib has you craving something smoky, sticky, and barbecue-slathered, here’s the good news: you don’t need to head to McDonald’s to enjoy it. You can make your own delicious, rib-free version of the McRib from scratch, and we reckon you’ll feel much better for it.

3 ways to make a vegan McRib, without the rib

Enjoy all the flavors of the McRib, without any of the animal products, with these tasty vegan recipes.

Thee Burger Dude

1 Jackfruit Seitan McRib

Brian Watson, the creative force behind Thee Burger Dude, is a master of fast-food copycats that often outshine the originals. So when we went looking for a vegan McRib recipe, his blog was the obvious first stop.

In this version, Watson combines young jackfruit, vital wheat gluten, and chickpea flour to create a convincingly meaty patty, before coating it in a flavor-packed marinade made with ingredients like vegan honey, beef-less broth, and liquid smoke.

As Watson puts it, the result is “miles ahead of anything that clown Ronald can slop together.”
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Thee Burger Dude

2 Vegan McRib With Plant-Based Meat and Jackfruit

Watson has not one, but two vegan McRib recipes on his blog. 

This version is slightly easier to make thanks to the addition of plant-based meat (he recommends using a Beyond Burger or an Impossible Burger), but it’s still packed with meaty texture and bold, satisfying flavor.

“Like with most of my fast-food copycats, these are way better homemade,” he writes. “And because they are vegan, you won’t feel heavy and lethargic afterwards.”
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Cheap and Cheerful

3 Veg Rib With Soy Protein

According to Andi and Lisa of Cheap & Cheerful Cooking, this vegan McRib recipe is the ultimate comfort food for a rainy day. It pairs dried soy meat with umami-boosting ingredients like tomato paste, smoked paprika, and barbecue sauce to create a sandwich you’ll want to eat on repeat.

Honestly, it might not be a bad idea to make two.
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