Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages

4 vegan sausages on a plate with stalks of cilantro beside on a blue folded teacloth.

5 from 9 votes

These homemade vegan Italian sausages are juicy, hearty, and bursting with flavor, making them a delicious plant-based alternative to traditional sausages. Made from protein-rich seitan, they’re incredibly versatile—perfect for baking, grilling, or pan-frying!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: sausages

Calories: 153kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
½ block extra-firm tofu drained and pressed (about 7oz/200g)
½ cup water or low sodium veggie broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional but highly recommended)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ½ cup vital wheat gluten

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare 6 sheets of 7-8 inches aluminum foils. (I am using 12 inches wide foil.)
Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add onion to the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
Add garlic and fry for another minute until fragrant.
In a food processor, place in all ingredients (including cooked onion and garlic) except vital wheat gluten and blend until smooth.
Then, carefully pour in wheat gluten. Pulse until a dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a flat surface, and knead for 60-90 seconds.
Divide the dough into 6 balls, and roll them out individually to form a log about 5-6 inches long. Wrap them in foil, twisting the ends to seal.
Steaming - Bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer basket fitted. Once the water starts to boil, place in seitan, and steam for 30 minutes.
Instant pot - Place 1 cup of water into the inner pot and fit in a trivet. Place wrapped sausages in and cook at high pressure for 16 minutes. Quick-release pressure after the timer goes off.
Allow seitan sausages to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Optionally, grill or pan-fry them before enjoying.

Notes

Helpful tips

Be careful not to overdo the kneading as this will yield chewy and tough seitan.
Allow sausages to cool down completely, for at least 30 minutes before serving. They will firm up and have a meatier texture!
If you are uncomfortable with the foil touching your food, wrap sausages with a layer of parchment paper before wrapping over aluminum foil.

Storing - These sausages can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in a sealed container or Ziploc bag.

They can be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend portioning them out using freezer bags before freezing, so you will only take out what you need. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating - You can reheat sausages in the microwave, on the grill, or in the pan with oil.

Nutrition