Vegan Italian Sausage & Peppers

If you're new to the Vegan Scene, it won't be long before you hear about SEITAN {say-tan}.   Seitan is a wheat-based meat substitute and is perfect for those of you who are brand new and transitioning over from a meat-based diet.  Or, if you have a spouse who is not completely on-board yet, and still loves an occasional meat-based meal. 

Since this Vegan Italian Sausage was one of my more older recipes, and definitely needed a face-lift,  I remade the recipe this weekend, updated the photos, and included Instant Pot instructions and a YouTube video as well.  

But first, why?  Why a meat substitute?

I actually get asked this all the time.  

"Why do you Vegans have to replicate the foods you're supposedly giving up?"

Fair enough question.  

As I stated above, many folks new to this lifestyle WANT to eat healthier but are still somewhat attached to their favorite meat-based recipes, like Italian Sausage.  I provide recipes like these to give them familiar foods they loved, but without any animal products or oil.  

It just makes the transition easier. 

Or, maybe someone is super excited to start eating this way - but has a spouse or children at home who are not.  They WANT their favorite foods!  

So again, here is a way to allow the newer person to eat plant-based, AND give their family the foods they want at the same time (and show them our food isn't as awful as they imagine).  

Once you've been at this for a while, you will eventually lose the taste for recipes like this and move on, which is perfectly fine.   Or, some people will never lose their taste for meat and will continue eating recipes like this forever, and that is fine too. 

I am simply offering options here.  

And these are some of the foods and recipes that helped ME make the switch. 

So with all of that said - let's make some Vegan Italian Sausage.

 

Vegan Italian Sausage & Peppers

 

For this recipe, you will need something called Vital Wheat Gluten.

I had to go to Whole Foods to find it, but it is also available online at Amazon and I'll include a link if you're interested.

Of course I have to tell you this is an Affiliate Link, meaning if you click on the link and buy it,  I will receive some compensation - but hey, it's how I keep the site going.  

Link to Vital Wheat Gluten

Obviously, as the name implies, this is pure gluten, so for those of you who are gluten intolerant.....this recipe will not work for you. 

 

More About Seitan

Seitan is basically a dough made with Vital Wheat Gluten and spices that is boiled, steamed, or baked.    They remove all the starch from the wheat flour leaving only the pure gluten protein.  Think of pizza dough - gluten is what makes it stretchy.

For this Vegan Italian Sausage recipe, you simply mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another.  Once you mix the two together it forms a dough, much like making bread or pizza dough.  You then separate the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll them in paper or foil, and steam.

 

Vegan Italian Sausage

Add ½ cup of drained White Beans to a blender.  Then add 1 cup of low sodium vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce.  Blend until smooth and then set aside.   

You'll probably have leftover tomato paste and beans.  No worries, we'll use these later on in the recipe

In a separate bowl, add 1 and ¼ cups of Vital Wheat Gluten, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, and all the spices listed in the recipe.  Don't skip out on the Fennel Seeds - as they are a major player in the taste profile of this sausage.  But DO grind them up first.  I have an old coffee grinder I use - you want about 1 ½ tsp of ground Fennel Seed powder.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry,  and with a fork stir the dough around until all the flour has been absorbed and you're left with a wet, sticky dough.

Don't over mix - but just long enough until all the flour is gone.

At this point, pop the dough out onto a work surface and give it a good knead for a minute or two.  Then either using your bench scraper or your hands, separate the dough into 4 equal pieces.

Stretch each piece of dough into a log shape and roll it loosely in a piece of parchment paper, then a piece of aluminum foil.  Be sure and twist the ends so that each piece looks like a big, silver tootsie roll.

You'll need a steamer, or a steamer basket to steam these sausages.  

My rice cooker has a steamer basket so I just added about 2 cups of water to mine and set it to Cook.  Once I could hear the water boiling inside, I added the sausages to the basket and replaced the lid.

Steam the sausages for about 40 minutes.  Once they are done, remove from the basket and let cool.

OR, you can use your Insant Pot.  Simply add the steamer trivet to the bottom of your IP, add 1 cup of water and your sausages, then attach the lid.  Set it to the STEAM function for 40 minutes. 

So there you go.

Vegan Italian Sausage.  Quick, easy, fat-free, and omni approved.

 

What do you do with Italian Sausages?  

I made a classic Italian Dinner of Sausages and Peppers with mine. 

Cut a couple of onions, one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper into strips. 

Using a few tablespoons of Veg Broth or Water to keep them from sticking, saute the veggies in a large pan or dutch oven until softened, then toss in a few cloves of minced garlic.  

Then, add a 15oz can of Diced Tomatoes, another tablespoon or two of that leftover Tomato Paste, those leftover White Beans, and a little Italian Seasoning.  

Add salt to taste (and I like to add a little Red Wine Vinegar) and then stir in 2 or 3 of those Italian Sausages you cut into small pieces. 

Meanwhile, prepare a few cups of your favorite Pasta and then stir that in as well once the pasta is cooked and drained. 

Instant Italian Sausage and Peppers dinner. 

So good, so easy, and without any of the fat or cholesterol of the original.  

Yum. 

Hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

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