Easy Vegan Sausage (Soy- & Gluten-Free!)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
8 (Sausages)
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Calories
140 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Breakfast
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Cuisine
Vegan
Easy Vegan Sausage (Soy- & Gluten-Free!)
Description
Easy Vegan Sausage (Soy- & Gluten-Free!) brings together quinoa, pinto beans, and cremini mushrooms as the base, textured further with pecans and seasoned with thyme, smoked paprika, fennel seeds, and garlic. Pinto beans are baked to dry and crack open, preventing a mushy result in the final mixture. Mushrooms are browned with coconut aminos, adding a depth of flavor and umami. The ingredients are pulsed in a food processor to achieve a rough yet cohesive consistency, allowing the formation of patties that hold together during cooking. Optional Medjool dates add natural sweetness and help bind the mixture.
The recipe uses baking to cook the patties, resulting in a firm sausage with a slight crispness outside while maintaining moistness inside. The combination of spices and herbs provides a balanced savory profile without overwhelming heat, and substitutions like different nuts or tamari adjustment can customize flavor and texture.
These sausages offer a soy-free, gluten-free option for those seeking a plant-based protein source with a complex yet approachable flavor and texture that can be served in place of traditional sausage in various dishes or as a protein addition to meals.
The notes advise cooking quinoa separately and thoroughly cooling it before use. Baking time depends on desired doneness, and nutrition estimates exclude optional ingredients. Adjust seasoning at preparation for personal taste.
Ingredients
SAUSAGE
- 1 cup quinoa see notes for cooking instructions, cooked and cooled
- 1 ounce pinto beans rinsed and dried // or sub black beans, canned
- 2 heaping cups cremini mushroom thinly sliced or button mushroom
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari, but start with less as it's saltier)
- 2/3 cup pecans or sub other nut such as walnuts, or seed such as sunflower seeds, raw
- 1/2 tsp sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp thyme or sub half the amount in dried, fresh chopped, or rosemary or sage
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper optional // omit for less heat, or red pepper flake
- 1 pitted Medjool date (optional // for binding — offsets the spice)
- cooking oil optional
Instructions
- If you haven’t done so, cook quinoa and set aside to cool (see notes for instructions).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and spread the rinsed and dried canned beans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake beans for ~10 minutes. They should appear dry and cracked open (when cooked this way, they do not become mushy in the sausage mix). Set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, heat a medium to large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos and cook on medium/medium-high for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently or until they’re browned, fragrant, and cooked down to half their original size (see photo). Set aside.
- To a food processor, add quinoa and pecans and blitz/pulse into a loose meal (some texture is good — you don’t want a powder).
- Next, add cooked beans, cooked mushrooms, sea salt and black pepper, garlic, fresh herbs, paprika, fennel, cayenne or pepper flake (optional), and date (optional for binding and well-balanced flavor). Pulse a few times to combine (some texture is good — you're not going for a purée).
- The texture should be moldable when squeezed in your hands. If too dry, add more coconut aminos. If too wet, you can stir (not blend) in some extra quinoa. NOTE: The more you pulse / blend, the wetter the texture will become. So pulse just until combined to preserve the texture.
- Taste a small amount and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cayenne pepper or red pepper flake for heat, salt to taste, coconut aminos for more depth of flavor / saltiness, or paprika for smokiness.
- Form the mixture into patties (about 8 as the recipe is written) using your hands first to form into balls and then pressing to form into discs. NOTE: At this point you can arrange the sausage between layers of parchment paper if stacking and refrigerate up to 4-5 days in advance for quick + easy cooking throughout the week. Though for best freshness, it's best to transfer to the freezer after 2 days.
- TO COOK: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add just enough oil to coat the surface (or use a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan) and add only as many patties as will fit comfortably in the pan. Sprinkle the tops with a bit more salt and black or red pepper. See notes for baking instructions.*
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the underside is browned (turn down heat if browning too quickly). Then gently flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more, or until the underside is browned.
- Serve immediately as is or alongside other breakfast favorites, like our Best Vegan Breakfast Potatoes, Southwest Tofu Scramble, or Easy Vegan Scrambled “Eggs.”
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. You can also make patties ahead of time (up to 1 month), freeze (uncooked), and thaw before cooking. Cook as instructed.
Notes
- Cook and cool the quinoa thoroughly before mixing to ensure the right texture in the sausage.
- Bake the rinsed and dried pinto beans to dry them out and prevent a mushy texture in the final product.
- Baking time for sausages ranges from 15 to 23 minutes depending on how crisp and done you prefer them.
- Optional Medjool date aids binding and adds a subtle sweetness, but can be omitted if desired.
- Nutrition information does not account for optional ingredients; consider adjustments for dietary tracking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8(Sausages)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 140 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1sausages | |
| Calories | 140 | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 15.1g | 5% |
| Protein | 4.8g | 10% |
| Fat | 7.4g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.7g | 4% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.3g | 14% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.9g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 294mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 279mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3.6g | 14% |
| Sugar | 1.9g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 200IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1.7mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.3mg | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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