After perfecting Vegan Sausage Links and Easy Vegan Chorizo, we knew what we had to do: Vegan Chorizo Links! By tweaking and combining the two recipes, we’ve created the best of both worlds — smoky, spicy flavor, but in link form!
Even better? They’re plant-based, gluten-free, soy-free, and made with just 10 wholesome ingredients! Not only are these chorizo links packed with flavor and super satisfying, but they’re incredibly versatile and so great as a freezer staple. Let us show you how it’s done!
Origins of Chorizo
Chorizo is a spicy sausage enjoyed in many regions of the world, but it’s especially popular in and believed to have originated in Spain and Portugal. It’s also common in Mexican cuisine, where it’s typically spicier due to swapping imported Spanish paprika for local chili peppers. The following is a similarly spicy, smoky version made plant-based and in link form!
How to Make Vegan Chorizo Links
Drawing inspiration from our vegan sausage links, these chorizo links are made with a wholesome oat, bean, and mushroom base.
Flax eggs provide the binding, while chili powder, smoked paprika, and ketchup add smoky, spicy chorizo flavor. Optional cayenne and garlic add even more punch.
Once the mixture is pulsed in the food processor, it develops a beautiful red-tinted color.
Lastly, we add in chopped walnuts for a contrast of textures and boost of omega 3s. The mixture is then ready to form into links.
The links will be tender before steaming but become firm once cooked thanks to the magical properties of oats.
They’re then ready for browning in a skillet or freezing for quick, fiber-filled breakfasts.
We hope you LOVE these vegan chorizo links! They’re:
Smoky
Spicy
Satisfying
Flavor-packed
& SO delicious!
Enjoy them alongside your favorite breakfast or brunch dishes, or in paella, breakfast hash, burritos, tacos (recipe coming soon!), and beyond! They’re especially delicious served with our Southwest Tofu Scramble, Perfect Roasted Potatoes, and Zesty Mango Habanero Hot Sauce.
More Savory Breakfast Recipes
- Pesto Avocado Toast with Fresh Tomatoes
- The BEST Crispy Hash Browns (Restaurant-Style!)
- Easy Baked Beans on Toast (British-Inspired)
- Breakfast Hash with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
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!
Vegan Chorizo Sausage Links (10 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
FLAX EGGS
- 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds)
- 1/2 cup water
SAUSAGE
- 1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 5 tsp chili powder blend (NOT chili flakes or cayenne pepper)
- 5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 tsp each sea salt & black pepper
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- Prepare flax eggs by adding flaxseed meal and water to a small bowl and stirring to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans, and pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until they form a coarse flour — there should not be any whole oats visible.
- Add the beans and mushrooms to the oats and pulse a few times to break the beans and mushrooms into smaller pieces. Then add the flax eggs, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne (optional, start with the lesser amount), ketchup, garlic (optional), and salt and pepper. Pulse to fully combine, but avoid processing it into too smooth of a paste — leave some chunks for texture. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed, more paprika for smokiness, or cayenne for heat. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped walnuts until fully combined.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form into a mini sausage link shape. If it is too sticky, run your hands under some water and try again with slightly wet hands. Using 2 tablespoons will make ~16 sausages, or you can also use a 1/3-cup measurement to make 8 sausages about 6 inches long (amounts as recipe is written // adjust if altering number of servings).
- Once formed, place sausages on a plate lined with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes, until firm and not sticky to the touch.
- While your sausages chill, bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer insert. Remove your sausages from the refrigerator and wrap each sausage in a small piece of parchment paper, twisting the ends to seal. Place sausages in the steamer basket and steam for 30 minutes, until firm and cooked through. Add more water at the 15-minute mark (or as needed) to avoid scorching your pot.
- If freezing for later, cool completely and transfer to the freezer. Otherwise, to cook and brown the sausages, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) oil to the pan. Remove the sausages from the parchment paper, add as many as will fit in the pan comfortably, and fry for 5-10 minutes, turning every once in a while until all sides are slightly browned. Repeat with more oil and sausages. You can also cook the sausages on a grill if desired!
- Enjoy these on their own or with your favorite breakfast or brunch items. They’d be especially delicious with our Southwest Tofu Scramble, Perfect Roasted Potatoes, Corn Tortillas, and Mango Habanero Hot Sauce.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. They can be cooked on the stovetop directly from frozen.
Video
Notes
*Adapted from our Easy Vegan Chorizo and Easy Vegan Sausage Links.
Barbara says
This is the best new recipe I’ve tried in quite some time, just terrific! I was a little intimidated by the various steps, but after buying over-priced vegan chorizo that was kind of greasy, I decided to give this a try. It took me about two hours, and that’s without frying it (which really isn’t needed, IMO), but it was worth every minute.
With each new recipe, I gain more confidence in this wonderful adventure of clean, animal-free food. Thank you enormously for your guidance and inspiration.
Oh, and the tips were right on target. I have scorched a couple pans when steaming seitan, but duh — add more water halfway through! And wetting my hands made the all the difference when forming the sausages. I’d add my own tip: use dark hand towels when wiping your hands b/c that gorgeous red color can stain.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Barbara. We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed it! xo
Atara Dahan says
Modifications I made:
— Left out the mushrooms
— Didn’t have any chile powder so I made the mix using a tiny sprinkle of chile flakes instead of chile powder.
— Left out the cayenne
— Cooked my own beans instead of using canned
Came out incredible, with just a tiny hint of spiciness. A little softer than real meat (probably because I left out the mushrooms), but tasted just right.
It somehow took me like 3 hours to make. I don’t know if I’ll ever put in all that effort again, but it was definitely worth it this time!
Been missing meat, so this was much appreciated! Ate it with your homemade ketchup recipe.
Thanks, MB!
Hi Atara, sorry we didn’t get to you in time to reply! We’re so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Atara Dahan says
How much kidney beans if not using canned?
Can I mix kidney w white beans?
Can I bake instead of fry?
thank you
Hi Atara, 1 (15-oz) can kidney beans is ~1 3/4 cups. White beans should work, though the flavor will be a little different. Spraying with oil and baking would likely work, but not be as flavorful. Let us know if you try it!
Atara Dahan says
Thank you!
I went to the store today but couldn’t find chile powder, I do have chile flakes though, and paprika, and a bunch of other spices.
Any idea how I could spice it if not with chile powder?
(Preferably so it’s not spicy or very mildly spicy)
Christine says
Hi there, I made this recipe and followed closely to it.
The only difference was I used organic quick cook oats instead of whole oats and I used a little less spice. I don’t know why but they turned out to have a real bitter under tone flavour, to the point where we couldn’t eat them. I’m wondering if anyone else has had this happen and if it may be caused by the oats? I know oat flour is bitter if it doesn’t get roasted. Any suggestions to resolve this problem?
Hi Christine, so sorry to hear these didn’t turn out well for you. We haven’t heard about roasted oats, but we wonder if it was possibly your walnuts? Sometimes they have a strong flavor especially if they’re older, it could also be the type of oats you used but we’re not sure. It might also be worth checking that your flaxseed meal is fresh, since we find that it can get rancid easily and add an unpleasant taste. Thanks for your honest review, we’re interested to hear if any other readers have insight as well!
Holly says
Some chili powder blends are bitter. Also, walnuts can sometimes develop a bitter aftertaste. Your comment about oat flour is interesting. I’ve never experienced bitter oat flour and I’ve never heard of it being roasted.
Katie says
Hi there, what you suggest using instead of the oats in this recipe please?
Quinoa Flakes?
Hi Katie, the oats are pretty key in this recipe for the right texture. If oat-free, we’d suggest this chorizo recipe instead! Hope that helps!
Silvia says
Hello, I have made this. The sausages held together well, the smell was amazing. I used an egg instead of a flaxseed.
However, the sausages were very dry, should I add some fat? I used fat when cooking in air fryier.
Thank you
Hi Silvia, we haven’t tested with an egg, but think that could be the issue. You could try adding some fat, or use flax for best results!
Kerrie says
Hi there, I love your recipes, I am allergic to mushrooms can I substitute them with some else, like walnuts
thanks
Aw, thanks so much, Kerrie! We haven’t tried this without mushrooms, but it’s possible that you could have success by increasing the beans and oats slightly – or perhaps adding tofu or tempeh in place of the mushrooms, and increasing the spices slightly. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Stacey says
Hi, I’m looking forward to making your recipe. If l can’t find cremini mushrooms can l use button or field. Thanks 🙏
Hi Stacey! Yes, any mushroom will work here!
Sue says
This was delicious! I don’t cook with oil, so after steaming, I put the links in the air fryer. The browned up nice and crunch on the outside. I even left some in the wrappers to try it out. No problem! The wrapped ones were just a little moister. Next time I will add some whole cumin seed. These were a little too spicy for my husband, even without the cayenne so I’m going to experiment with fennel and maple syrup for a sweet version. Thanks so much!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your method, Sue! xo
Pandana says
Healthy vegan gluten free protein for me. Very delicious and has lots of healthy ingredients. A thousand thanks to you for sharing this recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Melissa says
Just wondering what I could sub for mushrooms? Thanks!
Hi Melissa! We haven’t tried this without mushrooms, but it’s possible that you could have success by increasing the beans and oats slightly – or perhaps adding tofu or tempeh in place of the mushrooms, and increasing the spices slightly. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Izzy says
Hi,
I have just come across this Olin my FB feed so yet to try out but intrigued.
I have one of those electrical steams that you stack, will that do??
Thank you,
Izzy
Hm, we aren’t familiar with that! As long as it steams similarly to a pan on the stovetop, it should work!
Georgia Mavroidi says
super easy, even folding the sausages! So great to make more for saving in the fridge! not to mention ,.. nutritious!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them and found the recipe easy! Thank you for the lovely review, Georgia! xo
Katie PF says
I’m interesting in making this but wonder in this context what kind of binder could be used instead of flax egg? My son is allergic to flax, chickpeas, and sesame. Thank you!
Hi Katie! You could substitute ~1/2 the amount of ground chia in place of the flax, we haven’t tried it in this recipe but we think it would work. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Linda says
Loved this recipe! Tastes terrific and while there are quite a few steps they include lots of wait time where you can get other things done. I’ll def make this again. I love that you can freeze them. Such healthy ingredients- thank you.
We’re so glad it felt worth the effort, Linda! Thank you for sharing! xo
MAY says
Sounds good but is there an alternative to wrapping each in parchment and steaming. Seems very tedious. What about putting them on a back inside a covered roaster with water to “steam” in the oven?
MAY says
Make that a RACK, not a back!!
Hi May, hm, possibly! We aren’t sure if the oven would generate enough steam to change the texture, but let us know if you try it out!
grandome says
is wrapping compulsory? can they be steamed as usual without any wraps? I don’t really understand what is the purpose of wrapping with paper while steaming.
Hi, we think they would all stick together, unfortunately!
mary jones says
can the mushrooms be rehydrated from dried ones and do you think adzuki beans would work instead of kidney? hate kidney beans
Hi Mary, we haven’t tried those modifications, but we think they would work! Let us know if you try it out!
Judit says
Hello,
Great recipe! For some reason I don’t digest beans well but I am OK with chickpeas. Do you think it is working with chickpeas ?
Hi Judit, it will change the flavor a bit and may be more dry, but it should be okay! You can add a little extra water if it’s feeling too dry. Let us know how it goes!
Kei says
Hello, two questions….What is a substitute for the mushrooms?
Also, would a chilli powder blend I buy work for this recipe or I would need to make the one linked? Thank you.
Hi Kei, you might have success by increasing the beans, oats, and nuts and omitting the mushrooms, but we haven’t tried it. For the chili powder, you can definitely use store-bought, as long as it’s a chili powder blend and not just cayenne or chiles. Hope this helps!
Nila says
Can I use tomato paste instead of ketchup?
Hi Nila, if using tomato paste, we’d suggest adding a little vinegar and sweetener for flavor balance. Hope that helps!
Rachel says
Could you use real eggs instead of flax egg to make it vegetarian but not vegan?
Hi Rachel, We haven’t tried eggs in this one and aren’t sure if it would impact the final texture after steaming. If you give it a try, we’d suggest using just 1 egg. Hope that helps!
Shannon says
These look amazing but I am a bit of a lazy cook. Do you think the mixture could be chilled and then scooped and flattened into little patties in a hot oiled skillet? I wonder if the steaming is just for shape or also for texture. Thank you!
Hi Shannon! The steaming is important here for cooking the ingredients and getting the correct texture, we wouldn’t recommend skipping it because we cannot guarantee results. Hope this helps!
Ed says
Wow- thanks for another great recipe. I’m going to try this to put on homemade wood fired pizza’s. Will let you know/tag you as usual! And in paella. That’s a big thumbs up! Last recipe I tried turned out really mushy. I think oats is the key here!
Ed
Ooo, can’t wait to hear how it is on pizza! Thanks Ed!
Bianca says
Is there a way to sub the oats?
Hi Bianca, the oats are pretty key in this recipe for the right texture. If oat-free, we’d suggest this chorizo recipe instead! Hope that helps!
Colleen MacMillan says
Omg. I was just talking to friends today how chorizo will be the one thing I miss since going vegan. Thank you so much for this timely recipe! I can not wait to try it!!
Woohoo! Let us know what you think! We also have Easy Vegan Chorizo you can try :)
J says
The steaming process is my limiting factor…would these be okay without it?
Hi J, unfortunately the steaming is important for cooking the links and giving them the correct texture. If you don’t have a steamer basket you can google how to steam without one, or even try it in the microwave? Hope this helps!
Connie says
These look and sound fantastic and will definitely try—thank you! I’m trying to cook without oil. I wonder if I could finish these off (cook/brown) in the air fryer instead of a skillet with oil? If I do, I’ll report back!
Ooo, we like that idea! We haven’t tried it but it should work? Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Flavia says
Great recipe, I will certainly try it soon! Do you think I can use other bean or the flavor/texture will be very different? This red bean is not common in my region
Hi Flavia! Black beans or pinto beans should work well here!
Hannah says
Hi, can these be made nut free? Thanks 😊
Hi Hannah! We haven’t tried it but these should certainly work without nuts. Let us know how it goes!
Dave says
I would like to make this but not a fan of mushrooms. Any suggestions for a substitute in the Vegan Chorizo Sausage Link recipe. They call for 1 cup of cremini mushrooms, presumably as a filler/binder???
Hi Dave! The mushrooms are here for flavor and texture, you might have success by increasing the beans, oats, and nuts and omitting the mushrooms, but we haven’t tried it. Hope this helps!
Stacey B says
These look delicious! (like all your recipes) :) How might you adjust if using an instant pot for the steaming step? Thanks!
Hi Stacey! We haven’t tried it but ~10 minutes might work in the instant pot. Hope this helps!
Alanna Holt says
Could I cook this up as ground chorizo instead of forming into links?
Hi Alanna! We haven’t tried it but we think it would work! You could also try our Easy Vegan Chorizo!
Jenny says
Is steaming necessary? I don’t have a steamer basket and am wondering about that step. Thanks!
Hi Jenny! Steaming is essential for this recipe as it’s what makes the sausage links cook and keep their shape, there are sometimes ways to steam without a steamer basket if you google it. Hope this helps!
Asia says
Can I use coconut or almond flour instead of oats?
Hi Asia! We haven’t tried it but we think almond flour would be the best option if you’re going to omit oats. Let us know how it goes!