• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Loving It Vegan

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Free Ebook
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Entrees

    Vegan Sausages

    Published: Mar 17, 2021 Updated: Mar 29, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Sausages

    These vegan sausages are so good! They have the perfect ‘meaty’ texture and heaps of flavor. They’re also really easy to make.

    Close up photo of vegan sausages in a grill pan.

    We really enjoy seitan recipes around these parts. We’ve made vegan steaks, vegan chicken, vegan bacon, vegan pepperoni and vegan salami.

    And we’re just getting started.

    These vegan sausages are so delicious (and easy) that they may well become weekly favorites in your house just as they are in ours.

    Enjoy them alongside some vegan mashed potatoes (bangers and mash) or on hotdog rolls with mustard, ketchup and fried onions for some awesome vegan hot dogs.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan sausages.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Vital wheat gluten – this is pure gluten powder. It is responsible for the meaty texture of these vegan sausages. There is NO substitute for this.
    • Chickpeas – we used canned chickpeas in this recipe, but any cooked chickpeas will work fine.
    • Vegetable stock – can be replaced with vegetable broth, whichever is easiest.
    Photo of four vegan sausages in a grill pan.

    How To Make Vegan Sausages

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Add chickpeas, soy sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, vegetable stock, dijon mustard, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander powder, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to the food processor and process until well mixed.
    Two photo collage showing ingredients added to a food processor and then processed.
    • Transfer it to a mixing bowl and add in vital wheat gluten.
    • Stir in briefly with a spoon.
    Collage of two photos showing wet and dry ingredients in mixing bowl and then mixed together.
    • Now get in there with your hands and form it into a dough. Don’t knead it. You just want it to be mixed and form into a dough.
    Photo of kneading the dough for vegan sausages.
    • Transfer the dough to a wooden board.
    • Cut it into four pieces and roll each piece roughly into a sausage shape (it doesn’t need to be perfect, the shape forms really well while they are steaming).
    Collage of two photos showing dough on a wooden board and then cut into four pieces.
    • Now roll each sausage in parchment paper and then in foil and close up the foil on each end. Don’t wrap them too tight, they need a little room to expand while they’re steaming.
    Two photo collage showing sausages wrapped in parchment paper and then foil.
    • Place them into a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water (or any kind of steamer that you have) and steam for 20 minutes.
    • After steaming place them back onto the wooden board and open the tinfoil (be careful of the steam escaping).
    Collage of two photos showing foil covered sausages in steamer basket and then on a wooden board.
    • Heat up a grill pan and brush it with a high heat oil (we used grapeseed oil).
    Photo of brushing a grill pan with oil.
    • Place the sausages onto the hot grill pan and let them cook for a few minutes so that the grill lines sear into the sausages before turning them and cooking on the other side.
    Collage of two photos showing sausages on grill pan and then flipped over with the grill lines showing on the sausages.
    • In the last minute of grilling, brush the sausages with vegan barbecue sauce (optional).
    Collage of two photos showing marinade being brushed onto the sausages while they're frying in the grill pan.

    Recipe Tips

    There is no need to knead. You don’t need to knead the dough. Mixing the ingredients briefly, forming it into a dough and then the minimal handling of the dough while you cut it into four pieces and form those pieces into sausage shapes, is enough to activate the gluten sufficiently to get the perfect texture for these sausages. They are firm and ‘meaty’ without being too chewy. If you do want firmer sausages then you can knead the dough just a few times and that is sufficient to firm them up even more.

    Steaming. The best way to steam these sausages is in a steamer pot, which is a steamer basket that fits over a pot of boiling water. The water must already be boiling when you place the steamer basket on top and then you start your timer for 20 minutes of steaming.

    Grill pan. You can fry these on a grill pan as we did to get the pretty grill lines seared into the sausages. OR you can just fry them up in any frying pan or skillet. The sausages are actually cooked after steaming, so if you just want to slice them up at that point and place them on pizza or use them in another dish, that works too.

    Photo of a sausage being lifted out of a grill pan with tongs.

    Recipe FAQ

    What is seitan? Seitan is also called ‘wheat meat’ and it’s made from the gluten found in wheat. The starch in the wheat is removed, leaving just the gluten behind. You can do this yourself but it’s a very time consuming and complicated process. Vital wheat gluten is pure gluten powder that has already had all the starch removed. It has a meaty texture that works great in making vegan meats.

    Can you make these sausages gluten-free? Since these are seitan sausages it is not possible to make them gluten-free. The main ingredient is vital wheat gluten which is pure gluten powder. If you’re looking for a good gluten-free vegan sausage recipe then I recommend this recipe from Ela Vegan.

    How to store vegan sausages? Keep leftover sausages stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week.

    Can you freeze them? You can freeze the sausages after steaming them. Let them cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge and then use them as you like, grill them, fry them, slice them etc.

    Photo of a vegan sausage cut in half and held up with tongs.

    More Seitan Recipes

    1. Vegan Steak
    2. Vegan Bacon
    3. Vegan Ham Roast
    4. Vegan Chicken
    5. Vegan Meatballs
    6. Vegan Fried Chicken

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Close up photo of vegan sausages in a grill pan.

    Vegan Sausages

    These vegan sausages are so good! They have the perfect ‘meaty’ texture and heaps of flavor. They’re also really easy to make. 
    5 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree, Savory
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 221kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup Chickpeas (55g) Canned, Drained
    • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
    • 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
    • ⅓ cup Tomato Paste (87g)
    • ⅓ cup Vegetable Stock (80ml)
    • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
    • ¼ tsp Liquid Smoke
    • 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
    • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
    • ½ tsp Onion Powder
    • ⅛ tsp Cumin
    • ⅛ tsp Coriander Powder
    • ¼ tsp Oregano
    • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ⅛ tsp Ground Black Pepper
    • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    • 1 cup Vital Wheat Gluten (150g)

    For Grilling/Frying:

    • ½ Tbsp Grapeseed Oil or other high heat oil
    • Vegan Barbecue Sauce Optional, for brushing
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add chickpeas, soy sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, vegetable stock, dijon mustard, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander powder, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to the food processor and process until well mixed. 
    • Transfer it to a mixing bowl and add in vital wheat gluten. 
    • Stir in briefly with a spoon. 
    • Now get in there with your hands and form it into a dough. Don’t knead it. You just want it to be mixed and formed into a dough. 
    • Transfer the dough to a wooden board. 
    • Cut it into four pieces and roll each piece roughly into a sausage shape (it doesn’t need to be perfect, the shape forms really well while they are steaming). 
    • Now roll each sausage in parchment paper and then in foil and close up the foil on each end. Don’t wrap them too tight, they need a little room to expand while they’re steaming. 
    • Place them into a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water (or any kind of steamer that you have) and steam for 20 minutes. 
    • After steaming place them back onto the wooden board and open the tinfoil (be careful of the steam escaping). They are now cooked and ready to use! But if you’d like to grill them (as we did) then keep reading. 
    • Heat up a grill pan and brush it with grapeseed oil or another high heat oil. 
    • Place the sausages onto the hot grill pan and let them cook for a few minutes so that the grill lines sear into the sausages before turning them and cooking on the other side. 
    • In the last minute of grilling, brush the sausages with vegan barbecue sauce (optional). 

    Notes

    1. Chickpeas – we used canned chickpeas in this recipe, but any cooked chickpeas will work fine. 
    2. Vital wheat gluten – this is pure gluten powder. It is responsible for the meaty texture of these vegan sausages. There is NO substitute for this. 
    3. Vegetable stock – can be replaced with vegetable broth, whichever is easiest. 
    4. There is no need to knead. You don’t need to knead the dough. Mixing the ingredients briefly, forming it into a dough and then the minimal handling of the dough while you cut it into four pieces and form those pieces into sausage shapes, is enough to activate the gluten sufficiently to get the perfect texture for these sausages. They are firm and ‘meaty’ without being too chewy. If you do want firmer sausages then you can knead the dough just a few times and that is sufficient to firm them up even more.
    5. Grill pan – You can fry these on a grill pan as we did to get the pretty grill lines seared into the sausages. OR you can just fry them up in any frying pan or skillet. The sausages are actually cooked after steaming, so if you just want to slice them up at that point and place them on pizza or use them in another dish, that works too. 
    6. Storing: Keep leftover sausages stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. 
    7. Freezing: You can freeze the sausages after steaming them. Let them cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge and then use them as you like, grill them, fry them, slice them etc. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Sausage | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.9g | Protein: 32.2g | Fat: 4.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 936mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 6.3g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!
    « Vegan Coffee Cake
    Vegan Vodka Sauce »
    2.0K shares

    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rich G. says

      January 30, 2022 at 2:24 am

      Great blend of spices. Thank you for developing and sharing the recipe. I know “no substitutions” on the vital wheat gluten, but I did not have the vital wheat gluten so I tried whole spelt flour in my “test kitchen” and it turned out great. I am looking forward to making more.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 31, 2022 at 10:52 am

        So happy to hear it worked well with that sub Rich! Thanks so much for sharing and the great review!

        Reply
    2. Sharon says

      January 05, 2022 at 7:22 pm

      These sound delicious, I can’t wait to try them out. I have used Saran Wrap on vegan sausage’s in the past for steaming and it worked out great

      Reply
    3. Sally says

      December 09, 2021 at 2:31 am

      The commercial hot dogs caused me gastro distress because of so many chemicals and flavorings and this sausage recipe is a perfect alternative. The flavor and texture are great. I made some nice whole wheat buns and it’s definitely a winner. However, I didn’t have parchment paper and used waxed paper instead and it stuck very badly to the sausages and it was a terrible chore to pick it off without wasting too much of the product. I’m wondering if I could dispense with the paper and foil and just lay the logs directly on the rack to steam them, or alternately to bake them instead. I would buy some parchment if I was convinced it would react differently from the waxed paper.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 09, 2021 at 12:17 pm

        Hi Sally, so glad you enjoyed them! I must tell you though that I have used wax paper myself in the past accidentally (when baking) and it is TERRIBLE. It’s completely different to parchment paper, there is just no comparison. So I think if you make them again with parchment paper you will have a very different experience.

        Reply
    4. Susan Aitchison says

      November 26, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      I made these yesterday. Another excellent recipe Alison – thank you. I did find after 20 minutes of steaming they were chewy so I steamed for an additional 20 minutes then sizzled them for a few minutes on each side. They were great! Any thoughts on why they needed longer in steamer?5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 26, 2021 at 5:21 pm

        Hi Susan, I’m not sure, it may be that it wasn’t steaming as briskly – we always place our steamer pot on once the water is already boiling so it goes at full steam from the first minute. If you did the same then I’m really not sure, but glad it all worked out well! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Daryl says

      November 19, 2021 at 12:46 am

      As a hobby I have been making brats and sausage. Guessing I have made over 1000 pounds and recently my dr has me moving towards more plant based foods. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. But after making these there is hope. I plan to tweak them a bit like add more heat but these are really pretty good.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 19, 2021 at 11:46 am

        So happy these made the cut Daryl! I think some extra heat would be delicious too! Thanks for the great review and all the best with your new food adventure.

        Reply
    6. Christine Iammarino says

      October 27, 2021 at 1:33 am

      This is the second recipe I’ve tried from “Loving it Vegan” and this is the second recipe that has been a hit in my house. I have the pickiest child ever who has just begun to relent and finally TRY things. Tonight I brought up your site and told her to pick something. This is what she chose. The anticipation rose as I served it to her and she started with her vegetables. Finally, she took a bite, and with actual enthusiasm, she said, “this is REALLY good.”

      So thank you! Thank you for this site where I can always find a quick, easy, and suitably delicious dish to make to happily feed even the worst of critics!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 27, 2021 at 8:49 am

        That is awesome! Thanks so much Christine for the awesome comment and review!

        Reply
    7. Corinne says

      September 03, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      These are wonderful! I didn’t realize how much I missed hotdogs! I wrap them in one layer of rice paper, then very lightly brush with oil, and re-heat in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes. That gives them a beautiful, crisp texture, just like I remember with sausages. I’ve been using 55g extra firm tofu instead of the chickpeas since I have some needing to be used up, and the texture is perfect.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 04, 2021 at 11:41 am

        That’s awesome Corinne! Thanks so much for sharing. So glad to hear tofu is working great with them as well. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Lindsay says

      June 06, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      I am a new vegan and have been slowly trying to find my new go-to “tried and true” recipes I will always come back to, and these turned out perfectly! I followed all instructions and ingredients as written. 5 stars

      Reply
    9. Kathy says

      March 29, 2021 at 10:00 pm

      We have campfires often, do you think these would hold up to being put on a stick and cooked over a fire instead of grilling?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 30, 2021 at 10:06 am

        Yes! After steaming they are perfectly firm and would hold up well to any kind of cooking.

        Reply
    10. Kevin Thomas says

      March 26, 2021 at 8:54 pm

      Hi, made these, lovely taste but texture was too chewy, any tips on a less chewy texture
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 29, 2021 at 10:44 am

        Hi Kevin, if the texture was a bit too chewy then that is from a bit too much kneading or handling of the dough (see under ‘recipe tips’). Just the minimum amount of mixing and handling is needed for this recipe for the sausages to not be too chewy. Glad the taste was good though. If you make again, just be very sparing with how much mixing/handling of the dough for best results.

        Reply
    11. calinhorely says

      March 23, 2021 at 7:33 am

      Hi! Can I use something else than foil? Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 23, 2021 at 10:44 am

        You could wrap it in the parchment and then in cheesecloth.

        Reply
    12. Silvia B. says

      March 22, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      So these came out absolutely great. Really great and simple. I had one sausage left, so the next day I cut it into thin slices and added it to the vegan carbonara instead of mushrooms. Excellent and no leftovers.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 23, 2021 at 10:49 am

        So happy to hear that! Thanks so much Silvia!

        Reply
    13. Julie says

      March 18, 2021 at 9:01 pm

      Hi Alison,
      We love your recipes!!! Is there any substitute for chickpeas as l can’t have legumes.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 19, 2021 at 10:43 am

        Hi Julie, I think you could leave them out. They are for texture but I think the recipe would still work without them. IF the mix is a little wet after adding the vital wheat gluten (I don’t think it will be though), then just add a little more vital wheat gluten.

        Reply
      • Ashley N. Crawford says

        March 21, 2021 at 4:31 pm

        I made these for lunch today and they stuck horribly to the parchment paper 🙁 the flavor is amazing but any idea why they would stick so bad?5 stars

        Reply
        • Alison Andrews says

          March 23, 2021 at 10:56 am

          Hi Ashley, are you sure it was parchment paper? Wax paper looks the same but is super sticky! Parchment never sticks.

          Reply
    14. Layla says

      March 18, 2021 at 9:47 am

      Amazing! I happened to have all the ingredients already so I made this recipe as soon as I got your email! They came out SO good! I love the taste and texture and thankfully had a couple of sausages left over so lunch today is sorted! Thanks for doing the work to bring us this awesome recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 18, 2021 at 9:48 am

        So happy to hear that Layla! Thanks for the awesome review.

        Reply
    15. Stefanos S. says

      March 17, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      This is an excellent recipe but I wonder if using almond meal or gram flour instead of gluten powder would avoid the meatiness. Perhaps even chop some apples to add in the mix! I’d rather have it seem like a brand new texture to have for breakfast or on pizza. What do you think? 5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 18, 2021 at 9:39 am

        Hi Stefanos, we do link a recipe in the FAQ of the blog post that doesn’t use vital wheat gluten, so you’re welcome to give that a try. We love the texture of these, it’s really perfect. The ‘meaty’ texture is not a concern, since it’s not meat. The same can be said for mushrooms after all! And we love those too. 🙂

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Comment Policy: Your feedback is really appreciated! Please do us a favor and rate the recipe as well as this really helps us! The most helpful comments are the ones that give useful feedback for others who might make the recipe, tell about substitutions you made or adjustments you made and how it turned out, or assisting other commenters. Rude or insulting comments will not be accepted.

    Leave A Comment & Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Popular Posts

    • Vegan tuna on an open faced sandwich on a wooden board.
      Vegan Tuna
    • Serving spoonful of vegan mac and cheese.
      The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese (Classic, Baked)
    • Vegan burritos stacked up on top of each other.
      Vegan Burrito
    • Vegan tofu scramble with sliced avocado and fried tomatoes on a white plate.
      Super Eggy Vegan Tofu Scramble
    • Thick slice of cashew cheese on a wooden board.
      Sliceable Cashew Cheese
    • Homemade vegan butter in a glass butter dish with a knife.
      Homemade Vegan Butter

    Veganuary

    • Slices of grilled vegan halloumi on a gray plate.
      Vegan Halloumi
    • Vegan stuffed mushrooms on a white plate.
      Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
    • Vegan stuffed peppers in a white baking dish.
      Vegan Stuffed Peppers
    • Vegan granola on a baking sheet with a wooden spoon.
      Vegan Granola
    • Powdered sugar sprinkling down over a stack of waffles.
      The Best Vegan Waffles
    • Vegan salmon on a gray plate with vegan tartar sauce and chopped cilantro.
      Vegan Salmon

    See all Veganuary Recipes →


    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Seen In

    Press logos black and white

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Loving It Vegan

    Get 10 fabulous dinner recipes!
    Absolutely free! Sign up below!
    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!