Vegan Sausage Recipe (2024)

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5 from 25 votes

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Homemade hearty and meaty Vegan Sausages. Easy to make, budget-friendly, freezer-friendly and packed with flavor. This vegan sausage recipe is just perfect for breakfast, weeknight dinners or grilling!

Vegan Sausage Recipe (1)
In this post:
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Vegan Sausages
  • Browning
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Seitan Sausage FAQs
  • Recipe
  • More Seitan Recipes

Are you even ready for this vegan sausage recipe? We're talking, meaty, golden, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The flavor and texture is balanced perfectly with plenty of seasoning and a little fat to make them juicy, tender, and just like actual, made with meat sausages!

In fact, with their herby, slightly peppery taste, these vegan sausages are reminiscent of the English bangers I grew up eating and that has me very excited!

Not only are these vegan sausages absolutely delicious, they are also really easy to make, packed with protein, and a lot more budget-friendly than store-bought ones.

Just look at the inside of this homemade vegan sausage - I am so obsessed!

Vegan Sausage Recipe (2)

Ingredients

Here's exactly what you'll be needing to make your homemade meat-free sausages:

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You'll notice that the ingredients are pretty much vegan pantry staples. For the best results, I recommend not making any subs. This seitan sausage recipe has been tested many, many times and will give excellent results if followed exactly.

A few notes on the ingredients that I know will get the most questions:

  • Vital wheat gluten - The main ingredient. Note that this is an essential ingredient in this seitan sausage recipe. There is no substitute and the sausages cannot be made gluten-free. You can buy VWG in a lot of bigger grocery stores these days, or online. The best value one I've found is Anthony's from Amazon. If you are in the UK you can buy vital wheat gluten from Holland & Barrett or Amazon.co.uk.
  • Oats - Really important for texture in this recipe.
  • Soy sauce, nutritional yeast, bouillon/stock cube, tomato puree, paprika, garlic, black pepper, salt - All important for layers of flavor and color. If you are soy-free you can use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and smoked paprika can be used instead of paprika.
  • Sage and fennel - For authentic sausage flavor.

Success Tip - Adding a little oil to the seitan dough makes a huge difference. If you want juicy, moist, and realistic sausages don't skip it. My preference here is refined coconut oil. It gives the best, most authentic sausage mouthfeel and texture. (Note that it must be refined coconut oil. We really don't want coconut-flavoured sausages!)If you don't have it though, use any neutral liquid oil like canola, vegetable, or sunflower. You can omit the oil but your sausages will be slightly drier.

How To Make Vegan Sausages

So how exactly do you make your own vegan and vegetarian sausages? The process is pretty simple. Let me show you how:

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  1. In a food processor or blender, pulse up the oats to break them up a bit.
  2. Mix the oats with the vital wheat gluten.
  3. Blend up everything else.
  4. Pour the wet into the dry and combine.
Vegan Sausage Recipe (5)
  1. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape into rough sausage shapes. They won't look pretty at this stage!
  2. Roll the paper over and tuck it under the sausage to secure it.
  3. Roll all the way then twist the ends closed. The rolling and twisting compacts the seitan sausage dough and neatens them up into proper sausage shapes.
  4. Make a foil package to nestle them in, seal it up and bake.

Browning

Once removed from the oven the vegan sausages are completely cooked through, but it is best to cook them again before serving to get them nice and golden. Methods for this include:

  • Pan-fry in a skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until golden on all sides.
  • Cook on a grill pan until nice char marks appear.
  • BBQ/Grill outside until golden.
  • Air fry at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until golden.
  • Oven bake at 350°F until golden and heated through. About 15 to 20 minutes.

Success Tip - You can reheat/brown the sausages without oil if you prefer, but they do benefit from being cooked with oil to keep them moist and to get a really lovely, deep, golden color and sheen. Also, we're talking sausages here and a good sausage should be a little greasy!

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Serving Suggestions

These homemade vegan sausages are rustic, hearty, and packed with protein. They can be enjoyed any way you please, for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

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My favorite ways to enjoy vegan sausages include:

  • In a sausage sandwich with plenty of the British fave HP sauce (as in the photo above!)
  • In recipes like sausage rolls, corn dogs, toad in the hole, vegan sausage casserole, and vegan stuffing.
  • Cooked up in a skillet with peppers, onions, and garlic then piled up into hot dog buns.
  • On salads, pizza and pasta dishes (you can make vegan sausage crumbles or slice them).
  • On the side of Red Cabbage with Apples.
  • With mashed potatoes, vegan gravy and vegan Yorkshire puddings.
  • As part of a full English breakfast with vegan scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, vegan bacon, mushrooms, toast etc.
Vegan Sausage Recipe (8)

Making Ahead & Storing

This vegan sausage recipe isn't one you want to be starting midweek when you need dinner on the table fast, because they do take a little time. But once made, they are so handy to have stashed away in the fridge or freezer for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. All they need is a quick sear in a pan or on the grill so your meal can be ready really quickly.

I like to keep the sausages wrapped in their parchment paper for protection, then I pop them in an airtight container or freezer-safe container/bag. They will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.

Seitan Sausage FAQs

Does vegan sausage taste like sausage?

This vegan sausage recipe is remarkably realistic in flavor and texture. My meat-eating family has been really enjoying them.

Do vegan sausages need casing?

This recipe needs no casings. The meat-free sausages hold together really well without them.

Can I steam them rather than oven-bake?

No. This recipe does not turn out well when steamed. For the best appearance, texture, and flavor they need to be baked.

Recipe

Vegan Sausage Recipe (9)

Vegan Sausage Recipe

Author: Melanie McDonald

5 from 25 votes

Homemade hearty and meaty Vegan Sausages. Easy to make, budget-friendly, freezer-friendly andpackedwith flavour. This vegan sausage recipe is just perfect for breakfast, weeknight dinners or grilling!

PRINT PIN

PREP: 25 minutes minutes

COOK TIME: 1 hour hour

Total 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (100 grams) oats , rolled, old fashioned or quick oats (not oat flour)
  • 2 cups (250 grams) vital wheat gluten
  • 1 medium onion (about 165 grams or 1⅓ cup if diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce , (or coconut aminos for soy-free)
  • 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon or a stock cube (beef, veggie or chicken style)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste , (puree in the UK)
  • 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil , or any neutral liquid oil (if using coconut you must use refined not unrefined/virgin) Oil-free? Omit but read recipe notes.
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon paprika , regular or smoked
  • 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
  • 2 teaspoons ground fennel , or fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 10 tablespoons (150 ml) water

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and cut 8 squares of parchment paper about 10 x 10 inches in size. Set aside.

  • In a food processor or blender, pulse up the oats until they are broken up and a mix of floury and small pieces. Tip them into a mixing bowl, add the vital wheat gluten and mix together.

  • Peel and cut the onion into a few smaller pieces then add it to the food processor/blender (there's no need to wash the bowl first). Add all of the other ingredients and blend until pretty much smooth.

  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir well with a spatula until mostly combined. There will still be some dry bits that won't mix in. Tip out onto a clean surface and knead for about 1 minute or until there are no dry bits showing, and a dough is formed.

  • Divide into 8 even pieces and shape into rough 1½ inch diameter sausage shapes. They won't look pretty or perfect at this stage (more like poops 🤣) but don't worry it gets better!

  • Roll each sausage up tightly in a piece of parchment paper, at first tucking it over and slightly under the sausage to secure it before rolling all the way. (There are pictures in the post above to show this process).

  • Once rolled all the way up, twist both sides really tightly like paper wrapped caramel candies. It's the rolling and the twisting that compacts the seitan sausage dough and neatens them into proper sausage shapes.

  • Tear a piece of foil about double the length of all your sausages lined up. Sit the sausages on one end of it then lift the other side of the foil up and over to cover them. Squeeze the edges tightly shut all the way around to create a seal.

  • Place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes then carefully turn the foil packet over and bake for another 30 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven, and use as needed or allow to cool in their parchment paper wrappers.

NOTES

Once removed from the oven the vegan sausages are completely cooked through, but they are best when cooked quickly again so they can brown. You can reheat/brown the sausages without oil if you prefer, but they do benefit from being cooked with oil to keep them moist and to get a really lovely, deep, golden colour and sheen.

  • Cook in a skillet over a medium heat, turning frequently until golden on all sides.
  • Cook on a grill pan until nice char marks appear.
  • BBQ/Grill outside until golden.
  • Air fry on 350°F for about 10 minutes or until golden.
  • Oven bake on 350°F until golden and heated through. About 15 to 20 minutes.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1sausage | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1151mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?Rate it & leave feedback in the comments section below. I love seeing your remakes too. Tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram! 🌟

More Seitan Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Susan Kaufman says

    Hello!
    I just found your site and I'm excited to try a lot of your recipes. For these sausages, could they be baked in a covered dutch oven instead of wrapping in foil? Just trying to reduce my use of disposable products.
    Thanks!
    Susan

    Reply

    • Melanie McDonald says

      I haven't actually tried cooking them like that so don't know how they'd turn out. Dutch ovens aren't airtight and the foil package would be so that could make a big difference. This recipe relies on trapping steam while baking. Also if your Dutch oven is cast iron that could change things too. Cast iron cooks very differently to a regular baking tray. I feel like they would probably end up much drier and tougher. Hope that helps!

      Reply

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Vegan Sausage Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan sausage made of? ›

The key ingredient in vegan sausage is typically either pea protein or soy protein, along with one or more oils (canola, coconut, sunflower), spices and other plant-based additions. Nutritional value varies depending on the manufacturer's precise recipe.

Are vegan sausages healthier than meat? ›

The truth is, probably not. Plant-based sausages sold in supermarkets are likely to have just as much salt as their meat counterparts, so they're unlikely to make it onto a list of health-foods. However, vegan sausages are likely to have considerably less saturated fat making them a healthier option overall.

Do vegan sausages need to be cooked? ›

You can eat uncooked veggie sausages because they are usually a blend of soy, veggies, and plant-based nutrition. You could even make your own by blending up some raw veggies like zucchini, carrots, kale with tofu. Add spices or other flavorers as desired.

What is in Ikea vegan sausage? ›

Its main raw ingredients are kale, lentils, quinoa, onions and wheat protein – all of which need less land and water than animal protein to grow. In fact, the overall climate impact of a veggie hot dog is approximately seven times less than that of a classic hot dog.

Does vegan sausage taste like real sausage? ›

Pig farming doesn't just impact the animals, however, it's also linked with environmental problems. Plus, processed meat is bad for our health. But there is some good news. Vegan sausages offer the same taste and texture as pork sausages, only they're made from plant-based ingredients instead.

Can you eat the casing on vegan sausage? ›

Why, yes, you sure can! Impossible Sausage Links are here to satisfy your pork sausage cravings, so all you need to do is heat and eat, just like you would pork sausage -- except with the knowledge that they're made from plants instead of pigs.

Do vegan sausages go bad? ›

An unopened package of vegan sausage usually stays fresh until the printed use-by date, which is typically within 4-6 months from the production date. Once opened, it's best to consume them within a week. When it comes to freezing, vegan sausages can typically be frozen for up to 2-3 months.

Can you eat Tofurky sausage raw? ›

Can I eat un-cooked Tofurky products? Cook up those products, they'll taste better and we like that. Is this a Tofurky Deli Slice or some delicious Plant-Based Chick'n? Yes, scarf them down chilled or cooked.

Can you eat Beyond Sausage raw? ›

Cook the Beyond Sausage® at 180 °C for 9-10 minutes. Boiling, microwaving, cooking from frozen, or reheating once cooked. Do not consume raw.

Is Beyond Italian Sausage vegan? ›

Beyond Sausage is a plant-based sausage made to look, sizzle, and satisfy like pork.

What is Tofurky sausage made of? ›

INGREDIENTS: Water, vital wheat gluten, expeller pressed canola oil, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride), soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), sundried tomatoes, soy flour and/or concentrate, contains less than 2% of basil, granulated garlic, sea salt, spices, sunflower oil, potassium ...

Are the plant balls at IKEA vegan? ›

Developed with meat lovers in mind, the plant ball is made from pea protein, oats, potato and apple. The meaty taste is achieved by adding umami flavors, such as mushroom, tomato and roasted vegetables. And because there are no animal-based ingredients the plant ball is suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.

Is vegan meat healthy? ›

They are generally lower in saturated fats when compared to traditional meat, making them a healthier choice in that regard,” she added. “They are a good source of plant-based protein and don't contain cholesterol.

Are there health benefits to vegan sausage? ›

Health and sustainability. If you love a good sausage, it's worth considering plant-based sausages for its health benefits. Meat sausages are often full of saturated fat, but plant-based sausages are typically lower in saturated fat which is great if you're wanting to prevent high cholesterol levels.

What is vegan sausage casing made of? ›

Plant-based casings

These are totally free of animal ingredients. Polysaccharide—a material similar to cellulose that's made of glycerin, starch, a seaweed derivative called carrageenan, and water—is a popular choice.

What is plant-based impossible sausage made of? ›

Impossible Sausage contains many of the same ingredients you recognize from other Impossible™ products. Soy protein concentrate to pack it with protein; sunflower oil and coconut oil to give it a fatty mouthfeel; soy leghemoglobin to give it a craveable, meaty taste… you know the drill.

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