In 2020, nearly 14 million Americans consumed five or more pounds of sausage over the year. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly equal to the population of Illinois, or the combined populations of New York City and Los Angeles, with each person eating the equivalent of about 80 breakfast sausage links or more than 20 bratwursts annually. It’s no surprise that sausages are an American favorite. They’re juicy, umami-rich, and perfect for the grill. But if you’re looking to swap out your usual staple for a pork-free alternative, we’ve got plenty of options. Check out some of our top vegan sausage picks below—each one is delicious in a bun, slathered with ketchup, mustard, and plenty of onions.
Vegan sausages deliver the same satisfying taste and texture as traditional pork sausages, only they’re made entirely from plant-based ingredients. If you’re curious to give them a try, we’ve also rounded up some of the best recipes to enjoy them in.
What is sausage?
Around the world, sausages have been consumed for centuries. They were a favorite of the ancient Romans and the Greeks, but historians predict they first emerged around 5,000 years ago in Sumeria, which is now known as Iraq. Initially, they had an important purpose: meat preservation. Essentially, they were used as a vessel for offcuts and trimmings that otherwise wouldn’t be used, and for that reason, they were cheap and popular among the lower classes.
Beyond Meat
Now, sausages have no boundaries and are popular with people from all backgrounds. In the UK, sausages are just as beloved as they are in the US. In fact, a 2016 study estimated that the average British meat-eater will consume around 2,700 sausages over the course of their lifetime.
While they have a long history, sausages haven’t changed that much. Today, they are essentially ground meat, fat, and seasoning stuffed into a casing, which is either artificial (like cellulose, for example) or natural. The latter, which can often be bought from natural butcher shops, is usually made from submucosa, a layer of animal intestine. Sausage can be made from different types of meat, but pork is the most common.
What is vegan sausage?
Vegan sausage can consist of a number of different ingredients, but instead of animal-based meat, most plant-based brands on the market use soy or pea protein to get a similar texture. For the taste, just like regular sausage, seasoning, spices, and oils are often added to the mix. If you’re making a vegan sausage from home, you can use all manner of different ingredients, like tofu, mushrooms, and wheat gluten, for example.
How is vegan sausage made?
Just like regular sausages, vegan sausages consist of blended ingredients stuffed into a casing. Beyond Meat, for example, makes its vegan sausages by blending together peas, fava beans, rice, beet juice, and coconut oil, and then wrapping them in a casing. (Only instead of intestines, the latter is made from algae.)
Beyond Meat
British brand This has a similar process. This Isn’t Pork Caramelised Onion Sausages, for example, consist of pea protein, vegetable fibers, red onion chutney, and onion chunks in a plant-based casing. The brand’s own Fat 2.0 ingredient is also added to get that pork sausage-like juicy texture.
Homemade sausages are made similarly, although many recipes don’t call for a casing. Instead, the ingredients are pulsed together to form a dough and then molded into the correct shape.
Is vegan sausage healthy?
Vegan sausages can be healthy, but nutritional content can vary. Those made at home from scratch using whole foods, like mushrooms and kidney beans, are a good example of nutritious vegan sausages. Most store-bought options, however, are more focused on recreating the taste and texture of pork sausages, so they are more processed.
But that said, most vegan sausage products are still high in protein, and they’re often lower in saturated fat than regular pork sausages, too. They also don’t come with the same health risks as processed animal meat, which, it’s worth noting, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization.
Cherry and Bees
Last year, a review of 43 studies from the University of Bath concluded that plant-based meat, in general, is healthier than animal products. “This review demonstrates overwhelming evidence that, as well as being far more sustainable compared to animal products in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use, plant-based animal product alternatives also have a wide range of health benefits,” said Chris Bryant, PhD, the report’s author.
He also added that, as the plant-based meat market grows, there is “enormous potential to innovate with ingredients and processes to improve their nutritional properties.”
Vegan sausage brands
If you’ve got a fancy for sausages, these plant-based brands are just what you need.
Beyond Meat
1 Beyond Meat
Popular California-based brand Beyond Meat offers a wide range of plant-based meat products, including pork-like sausages. The brand’s range includes Brats, Sweet Italian, and, if you like a bit of spice, Hot Italian Style. It also offers Beyond Sun Sausages in Pesto, Pineapple Jalapeño, and Cajun flavors. Each product is packed with protein and contains less saturated fat than products from “leading pork sausage brands,” per Beyond Meat.
Impossible Foods
2 Impossible Foods
In 2022, Impossible Foods announced the launch of its Impossible Sausage Links, which come in three different flavors: Bratwurst, Italian, and Spicy. They’re made with the brand’s own vegan ground sausage, which is then stuffed into a plant-based casing.
Field Roast
3 Field Roast
Field Roast’s success all comes down to sausages. The brand’s co-founder, David Lee, started the brand in the 1990s after he experimented with European charcuterie sausage-making methods, only he replaced the animal meat with grains. And the rest is history. Today, the brand’s vegan sausage range includes flavors like Smoked Apple & Sage, Italian Garlic & Fennel, and Spicy Mexican Chipotle.
Tofurky
4Tofurky
The original Tofurky roast first debuted in 1995, and since then, the iconic brand has expanded its offerings to include a variety of plant-based meats such as deli slices, burgers, pepperoni, and sausages. Tofurky’s tasty links are made from a base of vital wheat gluten and come in five flavors: Chorizo, Mango Chipotle, Beer Brats, Italian, and Kielbasa.
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Lightlife
5 Lightlife
Similar to Field Roast, Lightlife was founded in the 1990s, and the humble sausage was key to its success. The brand’s veggie Smart Dog hit the market in 1993, and it’s still popular today. But as well as hot dog-style links, the brand also offers a range of sausage products, including Smart Sausage Italian, Smart Sausage Chorizo, and Gimme Lean.
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MorningStar Farms
6 MorningStar Farms
A division of Kellogg’s, MorningStar Farms offers a wide range of plant-based meaty goodies. In 2020, the brand launched new sausages as part of its line of Incogmeato products, which are sold next to real meat products in grocery stores in a bid to encourage meat-eaters to try more plant-based alternatives. As well as its Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage Links, the Incogmeato line offers other creative vegan sausage products, like Plant-Based Pancake and Sausage on a Stick.
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THIS
7 This
This is known for its realistic vegan chicken products, but the brand has also branched out into red meat-style products, including grounds, burgers, and sausages. It offers two different types of the latter, its This Isn’t Pork sausages and a caramelized onion variety. According to the brand, the sausages are a source of fiber, are packed with protein, and have 75 percent less saturated fat than pork sausages.
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Vegan sausage recipes
Vegan sausage products are ideal for days when you’re in a rush or if you just don’t want to cook. But if you’re a whiz in the kitchen and you’ve got time on your hands, you might fancy giving one of these vegan sausage recipes a whirl.
Lauren Toyota
1 Meaty vegan bangers
Gravy, mashed potatoes, and meaty sausages are the dream comfort food trio. The meaty “bangers” feature vegetables, like onions, garlic, fennel, and red pepper flakes, as well as wheat gluten and tofu for that delicious meaty texture.
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Veggies Don’t Bite
2 Gluten-free vegan sausages
If you’re sensitive to gluten, you don’t have to miss out on the vegan sausage deliciousness. This totally gluten-free recipe makes tasty links using a mix of mushrooms, onions, garlic, oats, walnuts, and lentils. The result is not quite as meaty as some other recipes or products, but if you’re not a fan of a meat-like texture anyway, this one is for you.
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Vegan Recipe Club
3 Nutty mushroom sausages
A blend of nuts, breadcrumbs, mushrooms, and flax meal is the key to this easy vegan sausage recipe. The result is versatile and can be enjoyed alongside tofu eggs for breakfast, or thick gravy for dinner. Top tip: make more than you need and then freeze the rest. Your future hungry self will thank you!
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VegKit
4 Spicy Italian sausages
For those who like their meals with a little bit of an extra kick, these spicy vegan sausages are ideal. The secret to the punchy flavor is perfecting the chili paprika spice mix, which is, thankfully, super easy to make. If you only like a little bit of spice or you’re a heat lover, you can amend the mix to your personal preference, too.
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Zucker Jagdwurst
5 Soy-free BBQ sausages
Many of the vegan sausages on the market are made with soy protein, which, obviously, doesn’t suit those who are looking for a soy-free option. But luckily, these vegan BBQ sausages are incredibly easy to make with seitan, and that means they are 100-percent soy-free.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
