Spicy Tempeh Breakfast Sausage
Spicy vegan breakfast sausage made with protein-rich tempeh. Smoky, savory, and flavorful, and just 1 bowl required! A delicious, plant-based sausage alternative.
Servings 5 (sausages)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tempeh*
- 1/4 medium white onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced // 4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp organic brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake (plus more for spicier sausage)
- 2 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce* (I like Annie’s brand or this GF brand!)
- 1 Tbsp avocado, grape seed, or olive oil* (or other neutral oil // plus more for cooking)
- 1 pinch allspice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram optional
Instructions
- Finely chop tempeh and add to a mixing bowl (or a food processor) along with remaining ingredients.
- Mix with clean hands (or pulse in the food processor) until very thoroughly combined. The texture should resemble sausage.
- Taste a small amount and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cayenne pepper or red pepper flake for heat, salt and pepper for overall flavor, brown sugar for sweetness, or paprika for smokiness.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 24 hours, and up to 3 days to allow the flavors to develop.
- When ready to cook, line a 1/3 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap or parchment paper and fill with "sausage." Fold plastic wrap or parchment over the top and pack down. Then gently remove and set on a clean plate. Press down to form a 1/2-inch thick disc. Repeat until the mixture is used up - about 5 "sausages" (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1-2 Tbsp oil (or enough to coat the surface) and add only as many patties as will comfortably fit in the pan. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper. (If trying to cut back on oil, see notes for baking instructions.)
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the underside is browned. Then gently flip (they can be fragile) and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more or until the underside is browned.
- Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. You can also make patties ahead of time (up to 1 month), freeze (uncooked), and then thaw before cooking.
Video
Notes
*To keep this recipe gluten-free, ensure your tempeh and Worcestershire sauce are both gluten-free.
* If cutting back on oil, you can bake these at 375 degrees F (190 C) on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and semi firm on the edges.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 2 Tbsp oil (for mixing and cooking) per 5 sausages.
* If cutting back on oil, you can bake these at 375 degrees F (190 C) on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and semi firm on the edges.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 2 Tbsp oil (for mixing and cooking) per 5 sausages.
Nutrition (1 of 5 servings)
Serving: 1 sausages Calories: 156 Carbohydrates: 7.6 g Protein: 8.7 g Fat: 10.9 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 258 mg Sugar: 2 g