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Easy Vegan Sausage

Enjoy these easy vegan sausage patties made with pinto beans, quinoa, nuts, and spices! Flavorful, comforting, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, and beyond!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
  • 1 3/4 cup or one 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and dried
  • 2 heaping cups thinly sliced mushrooms such as cremini or button
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or substitute tamari but start with less as it's saltier)
  • 2/3 cup raw pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper plus more to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme, rosemary, or sage (or substitute half the amount in dried)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flake (optional or reduce amount for less heat)
  • 1 pitted medjool date (optional for binding and to compliment the spices)
  • Oil for cooking (optional or omit if baking)

Instructions

To cook quinoa and bake pinto beans:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Add 1/2 cup rinsed, drained quinoa to a small saucepan and toast for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add slightly less than 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 18 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, remove from the heat, and crack the lid so the quinoa can cool.
  • Spread rinsed and dried beans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake beans for approximately 10 minutes. The beans should appear dry and cracked open so they do not become mushy in the sausage mix. Set aside to cool.

To make the sausage patties:

  • Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos or tamari and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently or until the mushrooms are browned and cooked down to half their original size. Set aside.
  • To a food processor, add quinoa and nuts or seeds and pulse into a loose meal (some texture is good, careful not to over-process and turn into a powder).
  • Add the baked pinto beans, mushrooms, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh herbs, paprika, and other optional ingredients such as fennel, cayenne or pepper flakes and date (effective for binding ingredients and for a well-balanced flavor). Pulse a few times to combine (some texture is good).
  • The texture should be moldable when squeezed in your hands. If too dry, add more coconut aminos or tamari. If too wet, stir (not blend) in some extra quinoa. (Note: The more you pulse / blend, the wetter the texture will become. So pulse just until combined to preserve the texture.)
  • Taste a small amount and adjust flavor as needed, adding seasonings to taste (add more coconut aminos for depth of flavor/saltiness or paprika for smokiness).
  • Form the mixture into approximately 8 patties. (Note: Layer patties between parchment paper and freeze at this point for up to 1 month or refrigerate up to 5 days. For maximum freshness freeze after 2 days)

To Cook or Bake:

  • Stove top method: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the surface of the skillet or use a non-stick pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the underside is browned (turn down heat if browning too quickly). Gently flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes more, or until the underside is browned.
  • To bake sausages: Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-23 minutes (depending on preferred doneness) or until patties are hot and slightly crispy on the outside.

Notes

From the Minimalist Baker.