Name: Vegan Spicy Italian Sausage
Prep time: 12 h 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 12 h 50 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ tsp garlic powder; 1 ½ tsp crushed fennel; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt; 1 ½ tsp sweet paprika; 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp oregano; A tiny pinch (⅛ tsp) of allspice; 2 tsp olive oil (plus 2 more for later); 1 cup chopped mushrooms; ¼ cup finely chopped onion; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed); 1 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (DIY: soak sun-dried tomatoes in hot water, drain, and blend); ¼ cup nutritional yeast; ½ cup spelt flour (or sub with another flour if gluten-free); 1 tsp flax meal; 3 Tbsp gluten-free vegan Worcestershire sauce; A few drops of liquid smoke (optional, but adds that grill flavor)

Description

Looking for a bold, smoky, meat-free option that actually satisfies?
This Vegan Spicy Italian Sausage (Gluten-Free or Not) brings the heat and real bite, without the meat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Spice Mix:

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp crushed fennel
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
A tiny pinch (1/8 tsp) of allspice

Sausage Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil (plus 2 more for later)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 Tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (DIY: soak sun-dried tomatoes in hot water, drain, and blend)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup spelt flour (or sub with another flour if gluten-free)
1 tsp flax meal
3 Tbsp gluten-free vegan Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of liquid smoke (optional, but adds that grill flavor)

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Instructions

Spice Mix:

Mix this all together and set it aside.

Sausage

Heat 2 tsp oil in a skillet.
Cook the mushrooms, onions, and garlic until soft. Let them cool.
In a big bowl, mash your black-eyed peas.
Don’t go too smooth, you want texture. (A food processor is fine if you pulse, not purée.)
Add in your homemade tomato paste, nutritional yeast, spice mix, and flour. Stir well.
Sprinkle in the flax meal and give it another mix.
Add the cooled veggies, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke (if using).
Mix until everything’s holding together nicely.
Divide the mix into 4 parts.
Roll each one into a sausage shape. Wrap tightly in foil.
Steam the wrapped sausages over boiling water for 15–20 minutes.
Use a steamer basket over a big pot if you have one.
Let them cool, then stick them in the fridge overnight.
This step firms them up, don’t skip it.
The next day, they’re ready!
Fry, grill, or bake them up however you like.
Perfect in sandwiches, pasta, or on their own.

Notes

Prepared by Sarien Slabbert (our DIL). Even Luka (2 1/2 yrs old) loved them!