Easy Vegan Sausage (Soy- & Gluten-Free!)

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Holding a platter of Easy Vegan Sausage patties beside quinoa, mushrooms, and fresh thyme

We hosted a dinner party recently, and I served our BBQ Black Bean Burgers and Cajun Sweet Potato Fries. Let’s just say that was a winning combo. Plates. Were. Cleaned.

I had one veggie burger left over, and while cooking up our usual weekend brunch the next day, I was craving some sausage. So, I decided to crumble up the veggie burger and sauté it with some spices including red pepper flake, cayenne, and fennel, and it was kind of amazing. That’s when I realized a vegan sausage recipe was in the making.

I went to the drawing board, inspired by our black bean burgers. I simplified the ingredients down to the essentials, tweaked the flavors, and came out on the other side with a seriously delicious vegan sausage recipe. Wanna know how it’s done? Let’s do this!

Ingredients for making our Easy Vegan Sausage recipe made with beans, quinoa, and other real food ingredients

What is Vegan Sausage Made Of?

One of my least favorite things about vegan sausage at restaurants or grocery stores is the ingredients. They often contain gluten or processed soy, which doesn’t sit well with my digestive system. So, I was excited to make a soy-free and gluten-free version that makes the most of:

  • Quinoa
  • Pinto Beans
  • Pecans
  • Mushrooms
  • Spices
  • Herbs

Basically, we made a vegan sausage with whole food ingredients that’s easy to digest.

How to Make Vegan Sausage

Vegan sausage can be made a variety of ways, but usually in a food processor with a combination of tofu, tempeh, or beans. It can be chopped and mixed by hand, but a food processor speeds the whole process up!

Our version is quite simple — requiring 10 whole food ingredients you likely have on hand right now — and is made in the food processor.

Skillet of sautéed mushrooms for making our homemade Vegan Sausage recipe

To Prepare

  • Prepare and cool quinoa (or use leftover quinoa!)
  • Cook beans in the oven (helps the sausage texture be less mushy)
  • Cook mushrooms in coconut aminos (or tamari, which is gluten-free soy sauce)
  • Pulse the quinoa and pecans (or other nut or seed)
  • Add the beans, mushrooms, spices, and herbs
  • Add red pepper flake (optional for heat) and a date (optional for binding / flavor balance)
  • Pulse and form into patties
Food processor filled with pecans and quinoa for making simple homemade Vegan Sausages
Food processor filled with ingredients for making our healthier real food-based Vegan Sausages

How to Cook Vegan Sausage

Vegan sausage can be formed into patties and baked or pan-fried (pan-frying being our favorite) or crumbled and cooked in the pan for a quicker, less fussy option.

For those who are oil-free, the patties should cook up nicely in a non-stick pan or be baked on parchment paper, although a bit of oil does go a long way in helping them brown and form a crust.

You’ll find all cooking options outlined in the recipe below!

What to Serve with Vegan Sausage

This recipe is incredibly versatile and delicious alongside simple things like cooked eggs, roasted vegetables, greens, Vegan Breakfast Potatoes, Vegan Frittatas, Vegan Scrambled Eggs, or Breakfast Salads! It would also be a delicious addition to our Vegan Breakfast Burritos and this Grilled Corn Salad with Vegan Chipotle Ranch when crumbled and pan-fried.

It would also be amazing with a fried egg or vegan scrambled egg on a breakfast sandwich! Basically, the options are endless.

Cooking homemade Vegan Sausages in a skillet

We hope you love these vegan sausages! They’re:

Quick & easy to make
Flavorful
Customizable (swap out spices, herbs & beans!)
Hearty
Satisfying
& Super delicious

These sausages would be the perfect thing to serve for brunch! Or, make ahead, freeze or refrigerate, and enjoy throughout the week alongside an egg or vegan egg.

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our Crispy Portobello Mushroom “Bacon,” Spicy Tempeh Breakfast Sausage, Crispy Eggplant “Bacon,” and Coconut Bacon!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Plate of Veggie Sausage patties with one broken apart

Easy Vegan Sausage (Soy- & Gluten-Free!)

Easy vegan sausage made with pinto beans, quinoa, nuts, and spices! Flavorful, comforting, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, and beyond!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Close up shot of a plate of homemade Vegan Sausages made with quinoa and mushrooms
4.86 from 81 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 (Sausages)
Course Breakfast, Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

SAUSAGE

  • 1 cup cooked + cooled quinoa (see notes for cooking instructions)
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans (rinsed and dried // or sub black beans)
  • 2 heaping cups thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari, but start with less as it’s saltier)
  • 2/3 cup raw pecans (or sub other nut such as walnuts, or seed such as sunflower seeds)
  • 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme, rosemary, or sage (or sub half the amount in dried)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flake (optional // omit for less heat)
  • 1 pitted medjool date (optional // for binding — offsets the spice)
  • Oil for cooking (optional)

Instructions

  • If you haven’t done so, cook quinoa and set aside to cool (see notes for instructions).
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and spread the rinsed and dried canned beans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake beans for ~10 minutes. They should appear dry and cracked open (when cooked this way, they do not become mushy in the sausage mix). Set aside to cool.
  • In the meantime, heat a medium to large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos and cook on medium/medium-high for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently or until they’re browned, fragrant, and cooked down to half their original size (see photo). Set aside.
  • To a food processor, add quinoa and pecans and blitz/pulse into a loose meal (some texture is good — you don’t want a powder).
  • Next, add cooked beans, cooked mushrooms, sea salt and black pepper, garlic, fresh herbs, paprika, fennel, cayenne or pepper flake (optional), and date (optional for binding and well-balanced flavor). Pulse a few times to combine (some texture is good — you’re not going for a purée). 
  • The texture should be moldable when squeezed in your hands. If too dry, add more coconut aminos. If too wet, you can stir (not blend) in some extra quinoa. NOTE: The more you pulse / blend, the wetter the texture will become. So pulse just until combined to preserve the texture.
  • Taste a small amount and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cayenne pepper or red pepper flake for heat, salt to taste, coconut aminos for more depth of flavor / saltiness, or paprika for smokiness.
  • Form the mixture into patties (about 8 as the recipe is written) using your hands first to form into balls and then pressing to form into discs. NOTE: At this point you can arrange the sausage between layers of parchment paper if stacking and refrigerate up to 4-5 days in advance for quick + easy cooking throughout the week. After 2 days, transfer to the freezer to keep fresh.
  • TO COOK: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add just enough oil to coat the surface (or use a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan) and add only as many patties as will fit comfortably in the pan. Sprinkle the tops with a bit more salt and black or red pepper. See notes for baking instructions.*
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the underside is browned (turn down heat if browning too quickly). Then gently flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more, or until the underside is browned.
  • Serve immediately as is or alongside other breakfast favorites, like our Best Vegan Breakfast Potatoes, Southwest Tofu Scramble, or Easy Vegan Scrambled “Eggs.”
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. You can also make patties ahead of time (up to 1 month), freeze (uncooked), and thaw before cooking. Cook as instructed.

Video

Notes

*Prep time does not include cooking and cooling quinoa. To cook quinoa: Add 1 part rinsed, drained quinoa to a small saucepan and toast for 3 minutes over medium heat. Then add slightly less than 2 parts water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 18 minutes or until water is absorbed. Then fluff with a fork, remove from the heat, and crack the lid so the quinoa can cool. (As this recipe is written, the amounts should be 1/2 cup quinoa : scant 1 cup water.)
*To bake sausages: Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (176 C) for 15-23 minutes (will depend on preferred doneness) or until hot and slightly crispy on the outside.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)

Serving: 1 sausages Calories: 140 Carbohydrates: 15.1 g Protein: 4.8 g Fat: 7.4 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 294 mg Potassium: 279 mg Fiber: 3.6 g Sugar: 1.9 g Vitamin A: 200 IU Vitamin C: 1.7 mg Calcium: 40 mg Iron: 1.3 mg

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  1. Nicole says

    So flavorful! I don’t bother putting it into patties- I skip the date and make crumbles. They freeze wonderfully and we use for pizza, biscuits and gravy, pasta, etc. Today I mixed a full batch with an almond based ricotta and stuffed shells. *Chef’s kiss* Thank you, Dana! I’d give this one 10 stars if I could!

  2. Sabrina says

    These are sooo delicious! The combination of fennel, paprika, red pepper flakes, herbs, garlic, and subtle sweetness of the coconut aminos and dates creates a complex and yummy flavor. I have made them several times now, and have started making double batches and freezing. I love that these are full of protein, whole grains, and nourishing ingredients, unlike many of the vegan sausages you can buy in the grocery store. Definitely a keeper!

  3. Morgan says

    This recipe is AMAZING. The flavor & the texture is SO MUCH like breakfast sausage. I used only fresh sage (no thyme or rosemary), and maybe went a bit over the 1 TBSP that was called for, but otherwise I followed the recipe as written. I will say that while the recipe is easy, there are also a lot of separate steps involved, which creates a lot of dishes to clean.
    1 pot to cook the quinoa
    1 baking sheet for the pinto beans
    1 saute pan for the mushrooms
    1 food processor for combining the ingredients
    Then you have to cook the sausage patties after all of those steps, but you can use the same saute pan that you used for the mushrooms.

    Despite the many steps & the many dirty dishes, I still definitely & highly recommend this recipe. Will be sending to my friends & making again soon. Very good.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it, Morgan! Thank you for the helpful review and for sharing the recipe with your friends! xoxo

  4. Kami Williamson says

    These are so easy, and delicious. I have a business as a meal prep chef and my clients’ are vegan and GF. My client today was ecstatic and I’m so happy to have a new recipe for my repertoire :)
    I think it would be easy to switch up with different spices to make it chorizo, Italian or..

  5. Jill says

    Wow! This was so tasty & the flavor was perfect! I did use 1/4 t of anise in place of the fennel, since I had none, but it was excellent!!
    Thank you for a great recipe!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jill. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo

  6. Tricia says

    Mine also was too crumbly and I added two dates as was suggested in the comments. I would not bake the beans if I were to do it over hoping that would help. The flavor was good though, like someone else mentioned we ate it as a crumble in biscuits and gravy.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing your experience, Tricia! Sorry to hear the texture wasn’t quite right. To confirm, you used 1 cup COOKED quinoa, measure after cooking?

  7. Shirley says

    These were absolutely delicious! The best vegan sausages I’ve had, in terms of flavour. They held together really well – I brushed them with oil and air fried them at 200 degrees C, flipping half way through. The only thing I would do differently next time is to crush the fennel seeds and chop the date, adding them, with the chopped herbs and garlic, to the pecans and quinoa at the beginning, to make sure they are evenly distributed through the mixture. I only used 1 tsp of smoked paprika, as the one I have is quite spicy. Can’t wait to try them out on my vegan friends.

  8. Micki says

    I am very excited to make these vegan sausages (I have almost all the ingredients on hand). However, I am not only gluten free but tree-nut free so pecans are out. My question is what would you suggest in place of the pecans?? I have sunflower butter but not sure if this is a good substitution or how much to add if it is. Any suggestions?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Micki, we wouldn’t recommend sunflower butter. We’d suggest either raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds. Hope that helps!

  9. Susan says

    The flavor is really good, but as some have commented, it’s crumbly. I’m trying this again but without drying out the beans.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Susan, sorry they crumbled on you! Adding another date and processing longer can help with binding.

  10. Caroline G says

    OBSESSED! Love the ingredients, so healthy. Very grateful for your creativity! This hit the spot of the sausage I used to love before going vegan. I shaped into patties but it didn’t hold well, so we turned it into more of a sausage crumble … still absolutely delicious. Loved it!

  11. Atara Dahan says

    2 questions:
    1. I don’t eat mushrooms. Can I leave them out or swap them with something?
    2. Can I use this to make links (using the steaming + frying instructions in your sausage links recipe)?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Atara, you could try increasing the quantity of beans and pecans to compensate for omitting mushrooms, but the flavor will be much different. As for the method, it won’t work quite the same way as the sausage links because the links have oats which help them achieve the right texture when steamed. We don’t think this recipe would work when steamed, but we don’t know for sure. Hope this helps!

  12. The Vegan Goddess says

    Oh, my! This is yummy and just as good as the real thing if not better and so much healthier.

    I made this as a topping for your vegan sausage pizza recipe. There was plenty left over and I’m enjoying it on its own.

    I also enjoyed your vegan sausage link recipe a while back.

    The fennel seeds seems to be the magic key to it tasting like sausage but the combination of ingredients is flavorful and satisfying.

  13. ellie says

    I dream of these. They are the best vegan sausages, and to me, more favorable than any regular sausage I’ve ever had. Please make these if you haven’t

  14. Coby says

    The flavor of this sausage is fantastic- so savory and spicy! We paired it with your cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. I did pulse the ingredients too much and didn’t have enough texture, but the flavor was so delicious.

  15. Tiffany says

    The best vegan sausage recipe I’ve ever made. And I’ve made a lot of recipes haha. I add more spices, liquid smoke and maple syrup and it’s perfect. We made a double batch today, placed patties on our grits and freezer the rest. So excited!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tiffany. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  16. Patti says

    Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe of yours. I am a subscriber and am always inspired by your emails, so thanks for that! I have successfully made several yummy vegan breakfast sausages but I have yet to make one that recreates the flavor of Neese’s Country Sausage (for a dear vegetarian friend who is very supportive of my ethics-based veganism and every crazy project I dream up!). I was hoping you could help since you really have way with spices 😉

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad the emails are inspiring, Patti! Thank you for your support! We aren’t familiar with that brand, but imagine a country sausage would have herbs and spices like sage, black pepper, paprika, and maybe onion/garlic powder. Hope that helps!

      • Lily says

        These sausages are so flavorful, and they look a lot like meat. my family was surprised it wasn’t real meat! (Especially when using this on the zucchini boats!). The only thing I didn’t like much was the fennel flavor (first time using it), so next time I may use half or omit it. Thank you for the recipe!

  17. Mili says

    I’m really craving a veggie dog and wondering if this recipe could be used to make that. Instead of shaping it into a round pattie could I shape it into a hot dog?

  18. Marie-Andree says

    I’ve made the vegan sausages, and they are delicious!!!They are now part of my favorites recipes. Thank you so much.

  19. Karen O says

    The Easy Vegan Sausage is delish!! I used garlic powder and will be more adventurous with spices next time.

  20. Sabrina Rush says

    In my continuing quest to buy fewer products that come packaged in plastic, I’ve been searching for a healthful and tasty recipe for veggie sausage that I can freeze for quick morning meals.

    This recipe is delicious! It was my first time making it so I followed it almost exactly, using 1/8 tsp of the optional cayenne and subbing 1 tsp dried mixed herbs for fresh as I didn’t have any. The flavor is amazing. The mixture of smoked paprika, fennel, thyme, sage and rosemary give the patties a flavor that is incredibly close to breakfast sausages. Don’t omit the date if you can help it, the touch of sweetness is essential in balancing out the flavors. Next time I would air on the side of under-processing, as I wished there had been a bit more texture. (I was also using a very small food processor and had to do in batches, so that may have caused my problems.) Will definitely be making on a regular basis and look forward to experimenting with different flavors!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Sabrina! We’re so glad you enjoyed them! And yes, processing a little less should help them retain more texture. xo

  21. Tracy says

    I have a question if that’s ok!
    I’m just getting started on eating more vegetarian (for health reasons), and loved that found something soy free. (I’m allergic to soy, oats, and rice-all things used in Pre packaged veggie food!)
    I really like the look of this recipe, but I’m personally not big on mushrooms. Is there something you can recommend to substitute for the mushrooms by chance?
    Thanks!

  22. Liz says

    This was particularly delicious as sausage crumbles in both hash and spaghetti. It was the first time that I actually used the fennel seeds from my spice rack and they definitely were key in the flavor. My daughters were not fans, but you can’t win them all.

  23. Sarah says

    I make this recipe every 10 days for my breakfast sandwiches! It pairs well with Chao cheese, Just Egg, and an English muffin. My only suggestion is to add 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke to add a little more to the sausage flavor. Great recipe!

  24. Lil says

    Divine

    I subbed pecans for sunflower seeds
    and garlic for asafoetida as I’m intolerant

    I baked some and fried others and there wasn’t much difference in end result , so will bake in future

    I’ll definitely be using this recipe on a regular basis

    Thank you!

  25. mad says

    aren’t the beans still raw after only 10 mins in the oven? I wouldn’t like to have a stomach problem after eating raw beans… and I haven’t found such a way of preparation anywhere else on the Internet

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi, sorry for any confusion. We suggest canned beans in this recipe. So they’ve already been cooked before adding them to the oven. The 10 minutes is not to cook them, it is just to dry them out for a better texture in the sausages. Hope that helps!

        • Georg Überall says

          I recommend to edit the description to: baked the cooked/canned beans to avoid further confusing. I also jumped straight to the instructions without reading the ingredients properly

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Thanks for the suggestion, Georg! We’ll take another look and see if we can make improvements.

  26. Christina says

    Just made these for the first time & the flavors are amazing! I didn’t use the date just because I didn’t have one on hand. I also had a long interruption between processing everything and making the actual patties. So they did turn out pretty crumbly, but were still delicious & I can’t wait to try again and share with my meat-eating friends & family.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing, Christina! Adding another date and processing longer can also help with binding.