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My wife’s dad was a real piece of work. A tough guy from Newark NJ who cursed a lot and was responsible for the illegal disposal of toxic waste on behalf of an organized crime family. As a lifelong lover of Italian sausages, he would have been so so pissed about this recipe. Imagine him biting into a juicy, savory vegan sausage, sautéed with onions, garlic, and peppers, perfectly spiced, only to realize it is a completely vegan Italian sausage recipe! That would have made my father-in-law so friggin’ red in the face!
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To honor my wife’s sorta weird memories of her criminal dad, and his love of vegan sausages, I’ve been on a quest, a delicious mission of sorts, to create the ultimate vegan sausage recipe. This wasn't just about mimicking the taste and texture of traditional Italian sausages but about seriously surpassing them.
Imagine a vegan sausage so packed with flavor, so satisfyingly chewy and smoky, that you'd choose it over meat any day of the week. And guess what? This recipe is my secret weapon against bland vegan stereotypes. Like my vegan pepperoni, it’s phenomenal on pizzas, added to spaghetti with red wine kissed plant-based bolognese sauce, or added to escarole and bean soup.
Maybe you’ve tried making vegan Italian hot dogs before and thought, "It's good, but it's missing something." That's because crafting the perfect vegan sausage is both an art and a science. But don't worry, I've spent the better part of my adult life trying to get this vegan sausage recipe right. With this recipe, you'll nail it on the first attempt. So, roll up your sleeves, and let's make vegan Italian sausages that will change your sausage game forever.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this vegan sausage recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Just like all of the plant-based Italian recipes I whip up, this one's made using unprocessed, cholesterol-free ingredients made from plants. You’ll have to try it to know that vegan sausages are pretty damn awesome.
🔥 Spice Life Balance: I have tweaked this hearty vegan sausage recipe a few different ways, and have refined it to the list of classic spices and seasonings you have in front of you. I didn't just phone in the flavor with a dash of premixed Italian seasoning! A little smoked paprika and crushed red pepper flakes bring a deep, smoky flavor and just the right heat, making these sausages both bold and balanced.
🥸 Fool Proof: Unlike my vegan breakfast sausage patties, this recipe doesn't require smoking with applewood chips, or any other ingredient that isn't easy to find in a regular ol' grocery store.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: I don’t mess around. I mean, I do, but not about sharing recipes that aren’t widely tested. Like all of my vegan recipes, this one was first shared with a massive team of recipe testers who gave it their seal of approval. Yup, there you have it! Not to toot my own horn or anything but this is probably the best vegetarian Italian sausage, and I’m not the only one who thinks it.
🌶️ Vegan Sausage Recipe Ingredients
Tomato Paste
Tomato paste gives these vegan sausages a reddish color and balanced sweetness and acidity.
Another great option to use in place of the tomato paste is tatli biber salcasi, the classic Turkish pepper paste that is used in dishes like Kisir, Cig Kofte, Lahana Sarma, and Mercimek Kofte. It’s mild and sweet like tomato paste, but you can opt for the spicier version aci biber salcasi if you want more heat.
Miso Paste
Whenever possible in my cooking, I like to impart salinity (saltiness) using something more complex tasting than plain ol’ boring salt. White miso paste is great for that. You can also substitute taucu (which is the secret ingredient in my vegan chicken and mee rebus recipe), or doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste).
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes add a salty, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor that enhances the sausages' complexity. I make this recipe using the soft sun-dried tomatoes in oil. If you can’t get those, you can rehydrate sun-dried tomatoes in warm water, drain them, and use those instead.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast, or "nooch," is a vegan pantry staple that gets used a whole frigin’ lot at my house. We love sprinkling some on popcorn, and it also adds great flavor to vegan garlic bread and homemade vegan parmesan too! If you don’t mess with it, you can use half the amount of asafetida—the funky Indian spice that I use in my vegan butter chicken and seitan tikka masala recipe.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are the secret to that unmistakable Italian sausage flavor. Anise seeds can be used in a pinch, although they're a bit stronger and better suited for recipes like picarones.
Molasses
Molasses? That’s right. Molasses is high in iron and calcium, which (I know, this is kind of gross) gives the subtle backbone flavors that meat and blood have in them. Another great option is to use kecap manis, the dark, sweet Indonesian soy sauce that I use to make tahu goreng and ketoprak salad. If you want to make your own kecap manis, I have a complete walkthrough of making it in my mie goreng blog post.
Smoked Paprika
You wanna know how to make a vegan sausage heart-healthy? Add smoked paprika: this pretty spice isn’t just good on the eyes, it’s great for the ol’ ticker too. Vitamins A, C and E, capsaicin, and carotenoid antioxidantsare amazing against cardiovascular diseases. Then there’s the iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium too that purify the blood and keep your heart pumping just fine.
Plus, smoked paprika provides a smoky aroma and vibrant color, echoing the charred flavors of traditional sausage. Since it's rich in antioxidants, it just is my go-to seasoning for braised celery root and Tukrish shakshuka! It’s honestly my wife’s fave spice of all time. Chipotle powder can be used for a similar smoky effect with an added kick.
Smoked paprika provides a smoky aroma and vibrant color, echoing the charred flavors of traditional sausage. It's rich in antioxidants and is my go-to seasoning for braised celery root and Tukrish shakshuka! It’s honestly my wife’s fave spice of all time. Chipotle powder can be used for a similar smoky effect with an added kick.
Pea Protein
Pea protein adds structure and helps to bind this vegan sausage recipe, ensuring they hold together while cooking. It's a great source of plant-based protein that helps create just the right texture when you grind them up to make vegan Italian sausage crumbles. Just make sure you don’t get vanilla or some other wacky flavor, because it’s often sold as a protein additive for folks who like to drink a smoothie and rip off their shirt and then run through a brick wall or whatever!
*See the vegan sausage recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional information, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯 Variations
Vegan bratwurst
Vegan brats are easier made using my vegan hot dog recipe because they are smoother and have less flavor (like no fennel seeds or sun-dried tomatoes for instance).
Thai vegan sausage: (Sai Ua)
This Northern Thai recipe is normally made from pork. By removing the sun-dried tomatoes from this recipe and adding in it's place 4 teaspoons of red curry paste or tom yum paste, you can make it completely plant-based! This spicy sausage is amazing to grill and stir fry into your vegan drunken noodles or to serve with Thai eggplant over khao pad.
📖 How to make this Italian vegan sausage recipe
Knock these seitan sausages out the park the very first time you make them by following these step-by-step instructions with helpful tips. Or you can follow along with the easy-to-print vegan sausage recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step One
Sweat the Small Stuff
Start by heating olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. After 90 seconds or so, when the oil is hot, sauté the onion and garlic until they're nice and soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Step Two
Make the Liquid Base
Turn the heat up to high and add the tomato paste, miso paste, sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, oregano, black pepper, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, maple syrup, molasses, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, unsalted vegetable broth (or water), and liquid smoke. Once it boils, take it off the heat and let it sit to cool down for 10 minutes.
Step Three
Mix Magic
Grab a large bowl and mix the pea protein and vital wheat gluten together. Then, pour in your spicy, flavorful wet ingredients from the pan.
Step Four
Dough Boys
Work the mix into a dough by kneading for a few minutes. If it feels too dry, add just a splash more water to get the right consistency.
Step Five
Shape Shifters
After letting the gluten in the dough rest for 5 minutes to make it easier to form, split that dough into six pieces and roll them into cylindrical plant-based sausage links.
Step Six
Wrap & Roll
Wrap each sausage snugly in some oiled parchment paper, then give them another wrap in aluminum foil, making sure to twist the ends tightly.
Step Seven
Steamy Romance
Place the wrapped vegan sausage parcels in a steamer (or a large pot fitted with a steamer basket) over a medium flame and steam them for 35 minutes until they're solid and cooked all the way through.
Step Eight
Do as You Will
The last step is to unwrap those sausages and either grill or pan-fry them with onions and peppers to get that perfect crispy outside and added deliciousness. Add some vegan cheese sauce if you are feeling like tapping into the spirit of a cheesesteak, but you know, sausage-fied.
💡What to serve vegan sausage with
Here’s how to make vegan sausage versatile. After your sausages have steamed and cooled, the classic thing is to slice and pan-fry them in a skillet over medium heat with sliced red bell pepper, pickled cherry peppers, and sliced Vidalia onions, maybe a couple of dollops of vegan ricotta cheese too, if you are feeling wild.
It's amazing ground up and used to make this insaaaane vegan baked ziti.
Or chop a couple and grind them in a food processor to make vegan sausage crumbles to add to your vegan fettuccine alfredo, vegan marinara, favey pasta sauce, or soup. Veggie crumbles like this also make a kick-ass addition to vegan breakfast burritos with tofu scramble and avocado.
Want to use these as part of your Thanksgiving menu?!? Oh yes, dear mommy, that's a thing. These vegan sausages are amazing crumbled up, and added to my classic vegan stuffing, or vegan cornbread stuffing. So, have at it!
👉Top tips to NAIL this vegan sausage recipe
- Texture Matters: When mixing your dough, aim for consistency that's neither too wet nor too dry. It’s crazy how so many vegan sausage recipes often over look this little detail. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more vital wheat gluten; if it is too dry, add a splash more vegetable stock. This balance is crucial for sausages that are firm yet not tough, mimicking the texture of traditional meat sausages closely.
- Knead with Care: Don't underestimate the power of kneading. Spend a few extra minutes kneading the dough to develop the gluten properly. This creates the right chewiness in your sausages, making them satisfyingly meat-like. However, over-kneading can make them rubbery, so once the dough is smooth and holds together, it's time to stop.
- Steam Before You Sizzle: Ensure your sausages are fully cooked through in the steaming process before moving on to grilling or pan-frying. This step is vital for texture and flavor development. It's tempting to cut the steaming short, especially if you're in a hurry, but patience here pays off with perfectly cooked sausages that have just the right bite.
- Rest for Best Results: After steaming and before the final grill or pan-fry, let your sausages rest briefly. They will firm up after a few hours (or an overnight slumber party) in the fridge if you have time to spare. And that’s how easy it is to make the best vegetarian Italian sausage.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them wrapped individually for up to 3 months. Make sure you label them with their name (mine are named Hutsadendo and Baby Ernie) and the date you made them, in case you forget what those rolled-up things in your freezer are after a little while.
Here’s how to make vegan sausage a complete meal. Serve them with pasta, in a sandwich, or alongside sautéed green beans or stewed white beans for a complete meal.
With no cholesterol and ingredients like pea protein, wheat gluten, and sun-dried tomatoes, these vegan sausages provide essential nutrients, including protein and fiber, without relying on animal products. Additionally, the absence of meat reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with raw meat handling.
Switching to plant-based options like these vegan sausages also benefits the environment. The production of plant-based foods requires significantly less water, land, and energy compared to raising livestock, reducing the carbon footprint of your diet. Moreover, by choosing vegan sausages, you're supporting a more sustainable food system that minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and promotes biodiversity.
You can totally grill the sausages. But for them to be internally cooked, steam them first as per the recipe, then finish on the grill for added flavor and texture.
Ensure you're using quality, fresh spices, and consider adding a spoonful of fermented shatta sauce, more garlic, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes to taste. You can also give these wildly different flavors by mixing in a spoonful of your favorite curry paste, such as tom yum paste, red curry paste or bumbu Bali. Damnnnn, those hot babies, might just be the best vegetarian Italian sausages, ever.
There are so many great Italian desserts to choose from. My top choices as a "donut chef", or whatever the heck I am, are Bombolone and Zeppole.
Of course Italian dessert freaks can't go a week without some vegan tiramisu made out of espresso-soaked homemade ladyfingers and vegan mascarpone.
If you want a lighter dessert though, my vegan panna cotta or dairy-free creme brulee might be just your thing!
✌️My faves to serve with vegan sausage:
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Vegan Italian Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons miso paste
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup unsalted vegetable stock or water
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ¼ cup pea protein plain, unflavored
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, sauté diced onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Raise the heat to high and add the tomato paste, miso paste, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, dried oregano, pepper, dried thyme, fennel seeds, salt, maple syrup, molasses, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and unsalted vegetable stock (or water) and liquid smoke. After the mixture comes to a boil, remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the plain pea protein and vital wheat gluten. Pour the contents of the pan into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Knead the mixture for a few minutes until it forms a firm dough. If the mixture is too dry to come together, you can add a tiny bit of extra water as needed.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape them into sausage links.
- Wrap each sausage link individually in lightly oiled parchment paper, and then wrap the parchment-wrapped sausages in aluminum foil, twisting the ends to seal.
- In a steamer over medium heat, steam the wrapped sausages for 35 minutes until they are firm and fully cooked.
- After steaming, you can unwrap the sausage and grill or pan-fry them for added texture and flavor.
Notes
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Meg Rohan says
Oh yes! These are great. Beautifully moist and flavourful . Thank you yet again!
jn says
I can't even describe how great my house smells after making these. The only issue I had was that I think I didn't dice the onion small enough, and as I kneaded the dough onions kept popping out. I will use them as toppings on the sausage, onion and pepper sandwiches I will be making.
Maria says
No more Beyond Sausage for me!! This recipe freaking rocks, it’s so delicious, easy to do and tastes amazing 🤩 The texture is perfect and I’ve enjoyed both grilling them and using them in my traditional Italian Sunday tomato sauce, soooo yummmy! Thanks Adam 😘
Elke says
So good! I've made this twice and it's been delicious both times -- even though I steamed it a little too hard the first time. I'll make them again soon for sure!
Rebecca says
My best friend and i were lucky enough to eat at Cinnamon Snail and we have your cookbook. I have made seitan but simmered in water, this is my first time steaming. They are steaming now ! I did not chop the onions fine enough and they fell out of the dough. Next time now I know! I had all but molasses so next time for that too...All the seasonings ( I added some habanero), kitchen smells divine !
Adam Sobel says
That's awesome! Have you checked out my weird new thingy yet?
Rebecca says
Oh will check that out now! Thanks…..ps sausages came out delicious!!!
Nancy says
Can I freeze after steaming?
Adam Sobel says
Yes. These freeze very well!
Y says
Hi. Anything to recommend for people allergic to pea? Also have celiac. And no corn (allergic to corn in all forms - flour, meal, starch, syrup, derivatives), extends to teff, millet, sorghum. Every fake meat out there has something or all of these so I can not venture into fake meats. Also allergic to all alliums and nightshades but I am not touching on that here. Looking at the bases used for the “meat.”
Adam Sobel says
Yikes. That's a heck of a lot of allergies. Sorry you are dealing with that! I don't know if you can do soy at all, but if you can, this vegan chorizo is amazing. Another alternative might be jackfruit. Perhaps a recipe like this (or modified from it) could work for ya.
Y says
Thanks, yes soy I can do (for now). I have jackfruit on the list to try too - I have to find it without the syrup as I heard you really can not rinse the syrup out and should use the for dessert.
KRB says
These were great - I've been making a different vegan sausage recipe for a few years now, thought i'd try something new. The old recipe is similar except for some seasoning changes and the addition of the pea protein. The pea protein really helps with the texture, these came out just right whereas without it they can sometimes be too soft. The fennel was a little strong for me - might add less next time or grind it first (i used whole fennel seeds - not sure if I was supposed to!) so it's less intense in each bite.
Also, I invested in silicone sausage molds (thanks internet!) a while back and it's really nice to not have to use foil or parchment every time.
Adam Sobel says
That's awesome. I'll have to look for those silicone molds and do some experimentation. I am planning to add more types of sausage to the blog, so that might open up some fun new doors for me. Thanks, and glad you loved the recipe!
Holly says
Hits it out of the park every time I make these
Teresa Davenport says
easy to follow, great as a sausage breakfast burrito. Yum.
June says
Made the Italian sausages yesterday. I either overkneaded or not enough liquid as they were a little tough. BUT I ate them anyway and they were still really good. I ended up putting sauce on them and it helped improve the texture. Going to make again soon .
Love your recipes as they challenge my cooking skills and mostly introduce me to spices and seasoning I haven’t used
Katie says
The recipe is great and easy to follow. The fennel flavor really comes through, and the sausages taste great. I'm using them for pizza tomorrow and two days later for sausage and peppers. Thank you!
betty says
hallo! i'm italian so i absolutely need to try thise recipe!!! i don't have pea protein, can i use for example psyllium or ground soy granules? and if so, how much? thanks
Adam Sobel says
Don't use psyllium in this recipe. Instead, soy protein would work great.
Where in Italy are you? My family and I are heading to Sicily tomorrow!
Betty says
Thank you! Same amount? Oh well... I was born in turin (piemonte), lived there 28 years then turned to a little country in lazio near amatrice (i think everybody knows amatrice and our terrible earthquake in 2016), staied there 21 years and from 2018 i'm in a little country between rimini and san marino with a large "furry" family 😊 sicily is quite far away but if you pass by here i'll let you meet my gang 😊
Deb Z says
Hi Adam!
Can we steam them in an Instant Pot? If so, same amount of time?
High or low pressure? Thanks for all of your great recipes!
Adam Sobel says
For sure you can! I would do it for about the same amount of time on low pressure.
Sarah Miller says
These are so good! I love the fennel and tomato combination. While I must admit that the texture of my first batch turned out a little rubbery (did I over mix or maybe I needed to add a bit more liquid?) the flavor is outstanding! I’ve been making breakfast sandwiches out of them all week.
Kim says
I wanted to thank you for this recipe. It was only my second time making seitan- the first time, with another person's recipe- came out too chewy. I followed your recipe to the letter and it came out perfectly.
Adam Sobel says
So glad you loved it, and thanks for the kind words and 5-star rating ❤️! There are a few sausage recipes you might wanna check out on my blog when you have time. The Italian sausage especially rocks.