Makes 4 Sausages

Simple Seitan & Bean Italian Sausages in Bangers and Mash
Simple Seitan & Bean Italian Sausages in Bangers and Mash

This simple seitan and bean Italian sausage recipe changed the vegan sausage world. When I first posted it a million years ago (inspired by a recipe from Julie Hasson), it spread everywhere, and for good reason. It’s the recipe that convinced a whole lot of people that homemade vegan sausage was not only possible but actually easy. Ten minutes of active work, 40 minutes of steaming, and you’ve got sausages that grill, slice, crumble, and sear just like you want them to.

The secret is the beans. Most seitan sausage recipes are all gluten, which can make them dense and chewy in a one-note kind of way. But when you mash white beans into the dough, something else happens. The beans break up the gluten structure and create this marbled, varied texture that screams SAUSAGE. Tender pockets against the chew of the seitan is just what the vegans ordered. It’s the difference between a solid block and something that feels like it has fat and grain running through it.

In case this is your first time making a vegan sausage, here’s what’s going down: you mash some beans in a bowl, throw in the spices and gluten, mix it with a fork, and roll the dough up in tinfoil like a Tootsie Roll. Then you steam them. That’s it. They come out firm and sliceable, ready to eat as-is or (even better) seared in a hot pan until the outside gets crispy and caramelized.

Simple Seitan & Bean Sausage pictured in sausage and peppers

How To Serve Seitan & Bean Sausages

The Italian spice blend here (fennel, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes) makes these perfect for pasta, subs, pizza, or just sliced up on a cutting board with some mustard. I serve these in bangers and mash (pictured) and sausage and peppers (also pictured). Slice them up for soups, stews, and stirfries. Try them in Seitan Porcini Beef Stew. Sear them up for Biscuits & Gravy.

Have a vegan sausage party!

VEGAN SAUSAGE FAQ

Can I use different beans? White beans and pinto beans both work great here.

Can I pan-fry or grill these after steaming? Yes, and you should. They’re good straight out of the steamer, but they’re even better seared in a hot pan with a little oil until the outside gets crispy and browned. They hold up on the grill, too.

Can I freeze them? Yes. Let them cool completely after steaming, wrap them well, and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat straight from frozen by steaming for about 10 minutes or slicing and pan-frying over medium heat.

Can I use something other than tinfoil? Parchment paper tied with kitchen string works. Tamale husks work, too. Cheesecloth brushed with oil is another option. Or wrap them in parchment first and then tinfoil — that works great. The shapes may come out less uniform with parchment alone, but if you’re slicing them up for pasta or stew, it doesn’t matter.

Can I skip the nutritional yeast? You can leave it out, but I love what it adds. Use ¼ cup AP flour instead to keep the texture right.

Why did my sausages come out mushy? A few things could be going on. Make sure you’re steaming them for the full 40 minutes and that the steamer is covered. Make sure the beans are well drained and not waterlogged. And make sure the steamer is hot enough and actually steaming. They also firm up as they cool.

Can I use an Instant Pot? I’ll admit that I don’t have an Instant Pot. But commenters have said they use it. One said “I always steam as long as the recipe suggests (using the Steam setting on my Instant Pot) then quick release. That works for me.”

Can I make mini sausages? I’ve never tried it. Let me know! I assume it will work but take a lot of time and tinfoil.

Can I double the recipe? Yes, triple it. So long as you have room in the steamer or can do it in batches.

Is there a gluten-free version? This recipe relies on vital wheat gluten for its structure, so there’s no simple swap. Some readers have experimented in the comments, so check out the ideas, but I dnnno. I think if gluten-free sausage is what you need, that’s a whole different recipe. Some tempeh sausage recipes are great!

Do I wrap them tight or leave room to expand? Wrap them snug but not strangling. They’ll expand a little as they steam, so give them just a tiny bit of breathing room. The foil holds them in shape, that’s the whole point, so don’t leave it too loose or they’ll spread out.

Simple Seitan & Bean Italian Sausages

Simple Seitan & Bean Italian Sausages

Isa Chandra
Easy homemade vegan Italian sausages with seitan and beans. Mash, mix, roll in foil, and steam. Perfect for grilling, pasta, subs, and stews.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
1 hour
Course Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 sausages

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup cooked white beans (great northern or navy) rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil OR tomato paste (tomato paste is a great fat replacement)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 2 cloves fresh garlic finely grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed OR 1 tsp ground fennel seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Several dashes fresh black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Before mixing your ingredients, get the steaming apparatus ready, bringing water to a full boil. The rest of the recipe comes together very quickly.
  • Have ready 4 square sheets of tin foil. In a large bowl, mash the beans until no whole ones are left. Throw all the other ingredients together in the order listed and mix with a fork. Divide dough into 4 even parts (an easy way to do this: split the dough in half and then into quarters). Place one part of dough into tin foil and mold into about a 5 inch log. Wrap dough in tin foil, like a tootsie roll. Don’t worry too much about shaping it, it will snap into shape while it’s steaming because this recipe is awesome.
  • Place wrapped sausages in steamer and steam for 40 minutes. That’s it! You can unwrap and enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Keyword Seitan, Seitan Sausage
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