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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Flavorful Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages

    Published: Sep 1, 2021 · Modified: Sep 29, 2021 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    4 seitan sausages on a plate with dish of mustard and ketchup in the background with text.
    Tongs taking out a sausage from a plate with text overlay.
    2 images of sausages on a plate with text between the pictures.

    These well-seasoned vegan Italian sausages are firm and have the perfect meaty texture! Made with seitan, they are a good source of plant protein. Fuss-free, versatile and can be grilled, baked or fried.

    Tongs taking out a piece of sausage from a plate with dish of mustard and ketchup beside.

    You have to give these vegan Italian sausages a try! Like my vegan andouille sausages, they are made from seitan, and have the texture that closely resembles traditional ones.

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🤔What are they made of?
    • 🌿What you will need
    • 📃Notes/substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • ✔Helpful tips
    • 🍝How to serve
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More high protein vegan recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • Texture that is actually resembles non-vegan ones - Vegan sausages made from beans just can't cut it for me! I need something that is actually firm and meaty instead of mushy, and I must say that these seitan sausages definitely satisfy my cravings!
    • Great source of protein - Thanks to the vital wheat gluten, these vegan Italian sausages contains around 25g of protein per serving and just under 170 calories.
    • Perfect for meal prep - They not only store well, but are also freezable too! Definitely double or triple this recipe to make a larger batch.
    • Easy to make - Fuss-free and beginner-friendly, you can easily whip them up in 10 minutes (minus steaming time).

    🤔What are they made of?

    These vegan Italian sausages are made from vital wheat gluten (seitan), whole wheat flour, and seasonings like Italian mixed herbs and soy sauce.

    Vital wheat gluten is essentially wheat flour with all its starch removed, only leaving behind wheat protein - gluten. It is a common ingredient used to make mock meat, as it has a super chewy meat-like texture. If you are interested to know more about this amazing flour, check out this "what is vital wheat gluten" post as it goes into so much more details.

    🌿What you will need

    Ingredients needed like vital wheat gluten, whole wheat flour and seasonings on a grey background.

    📃Notes/substitutions

    • Vital wheat gluten - It is what gives these seitan sausage their meaty texture. There is no substitute for this!
    • Whole wheat flour - You can use other flours like all purpose, chickpea or buckwheat flour in place.
    • Italian herbs - You can substitute it with ½ teaspoon of of dried oregano, parsley, thyme and basil each.

    🔪How to make

    Prepare 6 sheets of 7-8 inches of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

    In a large mixing bowl, combine together all dry ingredients. Mix well.

    Add in all wet ingredients into dry and combine until everything is just well incorporated. Optionally, you can knead for 15-30 seconds if you prefer chewier sausages.

    Collage showing dry ingredients then dough of sausages in a bowl with fork.

    Portion into 6 portions and shape them into sausages about 5-6 inches long. Roll them in prepared aluminum foil and twist the edges like wrapping candies.

    Now, you can either steam them in the Instant pot or on stove.

    To cook them in Instant pot, place 1 cup of water into the inner pot, and fit in trivet. Place wrapped sausages in and cook at high pressure for 16 minutes. Quick release pressure after timer goes off.

    To steam them on stove, place them into a steamer basket, then place basket over a pot of boiling water. Steam for 30 minutes.

    Collage showing 4 vegan sausages wrapped in foil and in a pot.

    Let seitan sausages cool down completely, before digging into them! You can also grill or lightly pan-fry them first before serving.

    ✔Helpful tips

    • If you prefer tougher and chewier seitan sausages, knead dough for 15-30 seconds before shaping. Personally, I do not knead mine.
    • To make sure that vegan Italian sausages are all similar in size, you can take the extra step to weigh the dough out. Weigh the whole batch first, then divide it into 6.
    • If you are uncomfortable with aluminum foil touching your food, wrap them in a layer of parchment paper first, before wrapping them in foil.
    • You can also make 10-12 smaller sausage links instead of 6 large ones.

    🍝How to serve

    This vegan Italian sausage is seriously one of the most versatile ingredients! Other than enjoying as it is, here are some of my favorite way to use them:

    Grill it up and serve it with hot dog buns, mustard and ketchup to make some vegan hot-dogs! Or, serve them with some mashed potatoes and gravy for something comforting and hearty.

    They also works great as a mix-in for pasta dishes, salads or casseroles. I especially love chopping seitan sausages up and stir it into my pasta salad or broccoli rice casserole. It bumps up the protein content of the meal significantly, making them extra filling!

    You can also slice them up thinly and use them as a topping for vegan pizzas and tostada.

    Lastly, you can chop seitan sausages up into chunks and stir-fry them with veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, onion and carrot! I especially love cooking mine in some teriyaki sauce. Quick, simple yet taste really good!

    4 seitan sausages on a plate with the first one partially sliced.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    Can they be made gluten-free?

    No, these seitan sausages cannot be made gluten-free. Vital wheat gluten is the main ingredient here, and it is close to impossible to substitute it. I do recommend checking out these gluten-free sausages by Elavegan that is made from beans.

    How to store and can they be frozen?

    Vegan Italian sausages can be refrigerate for a week in a sealed container. They are freezable too, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    To reheat, let frozen sausages thaw overnight in the fridge, or on countertop for a few hours. You can then proceed on cooking pan-frying, grilling or cooking it however you like.

    For a quicker version, thaw them in the microwave using the "defrost" button, before microwaving them for 30-60 seconds.

    How much protein per serving?

    One serving of seitan sausage contains around 27g of protein and 165 calories.

    Fork holding a vegan Italian sausage on a grey background.

    🍽More high protein vegan recipes

    • Spicy Vegan Black Bean Oat Burgers (no breadcrumbs)
    • Vegan Chinese Tofu 'Egg' Protein Fried Rice
    • Meaty TVP Tacos
    • Seitan Vegan Chicken Breasts

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Tongs taking out a piece of sausage from a plate with a fork and fresh herbs beside.

    Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages

    Meesha
    These well-seasoned vegan Italian sausages are firm and have the perfect meaty texture! Made with seitan, they are a good source of plant protein. Fuss-free, versatile and can be grilled, baked or fried.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 sausages
    Calories 164 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dry ingredients

    • 1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten
    • ⅓ cup whole wheat flour or all purpose/chickpea flour
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

    Wet ingredients

    • 1 ¼ cup water
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare 6 sheets of 7-8 inches of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine together all dry ingredients. Mix well.
      1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, ⅓ cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • Add in all wet ingredients into dry and combine until everything is just well incorporated. Optionally, you can knead for 15-30 seconds if you prefer chewier sausages.
      1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • Portion into 6 portions and shape them into sausages about 5-6 inches long. Roll them in prepared aluminum foil and twist the edges like wrapping candies.
    • Steaming in Instant pot: place 1 cup of water into the inner pot, and fit in trivet. Place wrapped sausages in and cook at high pressure for 16 minutes. Quick release pressure after timer goes off.
      Steaming on stove: place them into a steamer basket, then place basket over a pot of boiling water. Steam for 30 minutes.
    • Let seitan sausages cool down completely, before digging into them! You can also grill or lightly pan-fry them first before serving.

    Notes

    Helpful tips 
    • If you prefer tougher and chewier seitan sausages, knead dough for 15-30 seconds before shaping. Personally, I do not knead mine.
    • To make sure that vegan Italian sausages are all similar in size, you can take the extra step to weigh the dough out. Weigh the whole batch first, then divide it into 6.
    • If you are uncomfortable with aluminum foil touching your food, wrap them in a layer of parchment paper first, before wrapping them in foil.
    • You can also make 10-12 smaller sausage links instead of 6 large ones.
     
    Storing - Vegan Italian sausages can be refrigerate for a week in a sealed container. They are freezable too, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Reheating - To reheat, let frozen sausages thaw overnight in the fridge, or on countertop for a few hours. You can then proceed on cooking pan-frying, grilling or cooking it however you like.

    For a quicker version, thaw them in the microwave using the "defrost" button, before microwaving them for 30-60 seconds. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 164kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 27gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 558mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 330IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily

      November 08, 2021 at 12:30 am

      5 stars
      This is a really easy and clear recipe, and the results were good. We went with chickpea flour and added the extra kneading to activate the gluten more thoroughly. I also added three tablespoons of ACV as part of the water (so that much less water). The texture is very pleasing, and the flavour is good. Our only note is that the spices could be doubled, and we felt the lack of salt. We would add some next time, despite the soy sauce.

      Thank you for getting us started on our seitan journey! This was a terrific first recipe.

      Reply
      • Meesha

        November 08, 2021 at 10:28 am

        I have to try adding ACV someday! Thanks for your kind comment!

        Reply
    2. Stefanie Benoit

      November 07, 2021 at 6:18 am

      5 stars
      The best sausage recipe I ever used, they are perfect and so easy! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Meesha

        November 08, 2021 at 10:27 am

        I am really happy to hear that! 😊

        Reply

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