Need a wicked high protein, low fat, low carb option? Well, hail seitan. The macros are damn near on par with chicken breast! <—and no soy is required. We love seitan!
I’ve been making neutral seitan sausages every week since our last meal prep video. It’s essentially like the perfect meal. And by making vegan sausage neutral in flavor I can add any kind of sauce on top. 99% of the time I use teriyaki and 1% of the time I’ll use vegan buffalo wing sauce.
Why do I mention this? It’s because making neutral seitan sausages arethe easiest basicrecipe. 330 grams (2.75 cups) gluten flour + 60 grams chickpea flour, vegan chicken broth. Start with 2 cups of liquid then keep adding more until your dough forms into a FIRM MASS. If it’s sticky add more gluten flour, if it’s dry add more water. EASY! Then I divide into 8, wrap in foil and steam for 45 minutes. DONE.
If you just add different spice flavors then you could totally make specialty vegan sausage! In my mind this is a no brainer simple recipe but…….
When looking into seitan sausage & pepperoni recipes they all suggested things like tomato paste and sh*t. I didn’t have any paste so I just used tomato sauce. I also tried barbecue sauce. And I added oil. And sugar. Before I knew it my dough was wayyyyyy mushier than anticipated. It made me nervous because I felt like a f*ck up. But adding additional gluten flour fixed my problem.
What am I saying? If you’re not a seitan sausage pro then anticipate using additional gluten flour after mixing everything together. Maybe 1 TB more or less. No big deal.
EACH RECIPE BELOW MAKES ONE LARGE SAUSAGE
Italian Vegan Sausage – Seitan
2 ts of poultry or Italian herb blend, 1/4 ts salt, 1/4 ts sugar, 1/4 ts ground thyme, 1/4 ts ground fennel, 1/8 ts garlic powder, 1/4 ts onion powder, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1 TB tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Mesquite Brown Sugar Vegan Sausage – Seitan
1.5 ts mesquite barbecue powder blend (bought from whole foods) + 2 ts brown sugar, 2 TB BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1/4 cup water
*I think those first two ingredients were over powered by my impulsive use of BBQ sauce. You might be able to skip the sugar & powder blend. Maybe BBQ is all that’s needed for a sweet mesquite sausage flavor.
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Maple Breakfast Vegan Sausage – Seitan
1 ts sage powder, 1/2 ts salt, 1/2 ts onion powder, 1/8 ts garlic powder, 2 TB maple syrup, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1 TB tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
Chipotle Cajun Vegan Sausage – Seitan
2 ts Cajun blend 1/2 ts garlic powder, 1 ts onion powder, couple drops of adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers, 2 ts soy sauce, 1/4 cup gluten flour (30 grams), 1 TB chickpea flour (7 grams?), 1 ts oil, 1/4 cup water
- Mix dry ingredients
- Taste your dry powdered mix. Salty and spiced enough? Add more if needed.
- Add sauce and/or oil then liquid
- Mix everything til it’s a firm ball of dough. Add more gluten flour at this point if your dough is moist, sticky or not forming a solid ball.
- Place dough on foil, form sausage shape, roll foil around it then twist the ends closed.
- Steam in steamer basket for 45 minutes. ENJOY
FAQs
In general seitan sausage is pretty damn healthy. They're packed full of protein, just two sausage will give you a whopping 38g of protein. Furthermore there's no weird over-processed ingredients in the sausages.
What is vegan Italian sausage made of? ›
The key ingredient in vegan sausage is typically either pea protein or soy protein, along with one or more oils (canola, coconut, sunflower), spices and other plant-based additions. Nutritional value varies depending on the manufacturer's precise recipe.
How are vegetarian sausages made? ›
Meat-free sausages can be made from TVP (textured vegetable protein), tofu, Quorn or cheese mixed with breadcrumbs, flour and other ingredients. At home, you can also make vegetarian sausages from a base of cereals and grains such as chickpeas, polenta and quinoa, mixing in other vegetables, herbs and spices.
Is seitan freezable? ›
Yes, you can freeze seitan. Simply chop it into portions, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw leave it to defrost in the fridge for 4 – 5 hours.
Who should avoid seitan? ›
While seitan is a versatile plant-based protein, people with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or gluten allergy should avoid it. Premade seitan can also be high in sodium, so it's important to read the nutrition label if you monitor your sodium intake.
Is seitan a highly processed food? ›
The Drawbacks Seitan
“To make it complete, you'll have to pair this food with other plant proteins such as legumes, grains, and nuts,” she says. Additionally, she points out that, since seitan is a processed food, it contains preservatives such as sulfites, which you may not want in abundance in your diet.
Why are vegan sausages so expensive? ›
Why are plant-based animal product alternatives more expensive than animal products even though they require fewer resources to produce? It's simple economics. Supply and demand. As the consumption of plant based alternatives increases, so the price comes down.
Is Beyond meat really healthy? ›
The new Beyond Burger significantly improves that health profile. It has 10 percent of the recommended intake of saturated fat and 14 percent of the recommended intake of sodium. A single patty has 230 calories, which is the same as the outgoing burger. For comparison, a Kroger-brand 80/20 beef patty has 290 calories.
Are vegan sausages ultra processed? ›
Plant-based meat is one of the product categories consumers most associate with being ultra-processed, but research has also found it could be associated with several health benefits.
Is seitan healthy? ›
Is Seitan Healthy? In many ways, yes, seitan is quite a healthy option. The seitan nutrition facts are hard to argue with: notable amounts of protein, iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. This combination of macro- and micronutrients can result in some pretty impressive health benefits.
That's why ours consist of nothing but vegetables. They're a celebration of vegetables. Visible chunks of kale, lentils, quinoa, onion and carrot. Includes no animal ingredients, meaning a good choice for vegetarians and vegans.
Is vegan sausage better for you? ›
Many newer plant-based meat products are similar in calories and protein to animal-based protein sources. But they could potentially be lower in calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B12 and higher in sodium and fat after being prepared.
What are the disadvantages of seitan? ›
What are the cons?
- Not suitable for those with gluten-sensitivities or coeliac disease.
- Doesn't absorb much flavour.
- High amounts of sodium (salt) in the packaged product.
- Seitan is hard to source unlike other vegetarian protein alternatives meaning you may have to venture to a specialty vegetarian “butcher”
If you have a wheat allergy, celiac disease or gluten intolerance, seitan is definitely out of the question as it is literally made from wheat gluten. If you have a sensitivity to gluten, eating foods like seitan can result in many adverse side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, fatigue and abdominal pain.
Why does seitan make me gassy? ›
There's some evidence in medical research that wheat gluten may increase the permeability of your intestines, leading to what some health authorities call "leaky gut syndrome." If you find you experience bloating, gassiness, or other digestive symptoms after eating seitan, you may want to avoid it next time.
Is seitan healthier than meat? ›
While seitan provides similar protein and iron content as meat, animal meat is a complete protein, and seitan is not. In addition, iron found in animal-based products is generally more easily absorbed than iron from plant-based foods. Meat typically also has more fat than seitan.
Are plant-based sausages healthier? ›
Many newer plant-based meat products are similar in calories and protein to animal-based protein sources. But they could potentially be lower in calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B12 and higher in sodium and fat after being prepared.
Is there such a thing as healthy sausage? ›
Type of meat: Opt for sausages made with chicken or turkey, which are better options for your health than beef or pork. Preservatives: Try to avoid options with nitrites and nitrates (check the ingredient list!) Casing: Choose sausages with a natural casing.
Is seitan full of gluten? ›
Seitan, another name for wheat gluten, is not gluten-free. Seitan (pronounced say-tann) is made by washing wheat flour dough until all the starch is removed and only the gluten protein remains. The protein is then cooked and served, often as a meat substitute in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
