Vegan Italian Sausage

People STILL think that as vegans, we deprive ourselves of good food! Looking at these Vegan Italian Sausages... do I look deprived?! 🤣

Imagine sitting down at the table with your carnivore friends and family, and listening to them remark how boring our food is, or how we couldn't possibly be getting enough protein....as you take a bite of this juicy Vegan Italian Sausage with all of the fixings.

Imagine their surprise that these sausages are FULL of protein, not to mention taste absolutely amazing!

Chewy
Smoky
Flavorful
Just the right amount of spice

And they are so versatile! Slice one up to go on your next Vegan Pizza, add some to your next pot of spaghetti smothered in my Vegan Bolognese Sauce, or make this killer pasta dish with added onions and peppers.

And no worries, these are so EASY to make. And if you have an Instant Pot.... it just got easier! So, roll up your sleeves, and let's make vegan Italian sausages that will hopefully change those naysayers' minds forever!

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What's So Great About This Vegan Italian Sausage Recipe

100% Vegan and even Oil-Free: Like all of my recipes, this recipe is made without any animal products or processed oils.

No Weird Ingredients: Other than some Vital Wheat Gluten which can be found anywhere they sell Bob's Red Mill products, everything you need for this recipe should be readily available at your local big box grocery store.

Comfort Food: Next time that "meat 'n potato" person in your family (we all have at least one), is craving some 'meat' for the big game - try these instead.

Fast & Easy To Make: You make a simple dough, roll out some sausages, and then steam them. Easy as pie - seriously!

Kid Tested & Husband Approved: I get hundreds of messages from happy women who tell me my recipes are what got their husbands on board. They don't call me "The Husband Whisperer" for nothing!

Vegan Sausage Recipe Ingredients 🌭

list of ingredients to make vegan Italian sausages

Vital Wheat Gluten

Vital wheat gluten is what makes seitan possible, and that's actually what we're making - seitan. Seitan is a food made from gluten, the main protein of wheat. Look in the section of your store where the Bob's Red Mill products are located.

White Beans

The brand S&W has a product called "white beans", but they are just navy beans. You could also use great northern or cannellini beans instead. They also happen to be packed full of protein as well - for those who are always going to ask. 🙄

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast, or "nooch," is a vegan pantry staple. It's great on popcorn, and it adds great flavor to my homemade vegan parmesan! I like the brand 'SARI' as I have found that some of the other brands have an odd taste to me.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds are what give these sausages their unmistakable flavor. Anise seeds are a bit stronger but could be used in a pinch.

Chipotles

Chipotles (in addition to the smoked paprika) will add a bit of smokiness to the sausages without adding a whole lot of heat. If you want to keep this recipe oil-free, the brand La Costeña has a diced chipotle in a jar that is oil-free. Look in your grocery's Mexican aisle, or in a pinch you could use chipotle chile powder instead. If you WANT to spice them up - add some red chile flakes as well.

*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities and detailed cooking directions.

How To Make This Vegan Italian Sausage Recipe

Step 1:

Combine all wet ingredients in a small blender until smooth.

Step 2:

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed.

Step 3:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Gently knead the dough for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 4:

Divide the dough into 4 or 5 even pieces. Four will give you some FAT sausages 🤣so I recommend you shoot for 5.

Step 5:

Roll out each piece into a sausage shape and then wrap tightly in parchment paper.

Step 6:

Then, wrap the parchment-covered sausages in foil, being sure to twist the ends tightly. This is key to getting a dense, chewy sausage as the seitan WILL expand.

Step 7:

Place 1 cup of water in the bottom of your instant pot along with the trivet (or steamer basket). Place your wrapped vegan sausages on the trivet and attach the lid making sure the vent knob is set to SEALED.

Step 8:

Set your IP to MANUAL, HP, and 40 minutes. It will still steam your sausages under pressure. Make sure the lid vent is turned to SEALED.

After they are done, let your IP naturally vent for 10 minutes (NPR) before releasing any residual steam and removing the lid.

Top Tips ☑️

If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can steam these sausages in a pot on the stove with a steamer basket for the same amount of time.
Do NOT try to remove the parchment paper when your sausages are still hot - they WILL STICK!
Instead, place your sausages on a plate in the fridge for 20-30 minutes or until cool to the touch. The parchment paper will come off easily now.

Variations

Vegan Beer Brats are a fan-favorite that uses beer in place of the veg broth. These are great for summer BBQs or for when you just want to grill some sausages!

Equipment

Blender - I use my Nutribullet for small amounts like in this recipe. No need to haul out the Vitamix (but use whatever you have!)

Instant Pot - although you can just steam these on your stove, I found the Instant Pot works great.

Instant Pot Steamer Basket - I love my silicone instant pot steamer basket and use it all the time. It saves me a LOT of time when I make my Vegan Cheese Sauce!

Recipe FAQs

How Long Will These Sausages Keep?

Trust me - they won't last long because they're so good! 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.

How Do I Cook or Reheat These Sausages?

Make sure you steam them first as per this recipe, then you can either pan-fry them or toss them on a grill or a George Foreman to get those fancy grill marks.

Is Vegan Sausage Healthy?

The plant-based sausages you see in the store are likely to have just as much sodium as their meaty counterparts, not to mention a whole list of unrecognizable ingredients. Regardless, vegan sausage will probably have less saturated fat and zero cholesterol making them a healthier option than eating true animal products.

Can I Make These Gluten-Free?

This recipe relies on vital wheat gluten to get that sausage texture. There may be other ways to make Vegan Italian Sausage, but for this recipe - the answer is no.

Even More Grilling Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Vegan BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Green Chile Portobello Cheeseburgers
Smoked BBQ Soy Curls
Vegan Coney Island Hot Dogs