Vegan Andouille Sausage

Ingredients

• 2.75 cup Vital wheat gluten (Weigh on a scale, or whisk and fluff before spooning into the measuring cup.)
• 0.333 cup Nutritional yeast
• 0.5 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp Smoked paprika
• 2 tsp Sweet paprika
• 2 tsp Dried thyme
• 1 tsp Ground mustard (Also called mustard powder.)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 2 cup Vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp Olive oil (For an oil-free version, substitute 2 tbsp tomato paste.)
• 0.25 cup Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Garlic puree (Freshly grated from about 4 large cloves.)
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Molasses
• 1 cup Cooked pinto beans (If using canned beans, rinse, drain, and pat dry to remove excess moisture.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut 8 pieces of foil large enough to wrap the sausage links, about 7 x 12 inches each. If you prefer a layer of parchment between the food and foil, cut 8 smaller pieces of parchment, about 5 x 7 inches each.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, cayenne, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, thyme, ground mustard, black pepper, and sea salt.

4. 4

   In a small or medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, olive oil (or the tomato paste substitution for an oil-free version), soy sauce, garlic puree, apple cider vinegar, and molasses.

5. 5

   Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, then add the cooked pinto beans.

6. 6

   Mix by hand, squishing and squeezing for about 1 minute, until well combined. Mash the beans with your fingers and press them into the dough.

7. 7

   Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead for several minutes, until stretchy and firm. You can combine traditional kneading with tearing and squishing the dough by hand.

8. 8

   Shape the dough into a rectangle. Cut it into 4 equal pieces, then halve each piece to make 8 links. The dough may look bumpy and rough; it will snap into shape inside the foil as it cooks.

9. 9

   If using parchment, wrap each link in parchment first. Place it on a piece of foil and wrap tightly, twisting the ends like a tootsie-roll wrapper so the sausage is completely sealed. If not using parchment, wrap each link directly in foil in the same way.

10. 10

    Place the foil-wrapped sausages on a baking sheet and bake for 50–60 minutes, flipping them halfway through. They are done when firm when pressed with tongs; if checking one, carefully unwrap it and look for some browning on the outside and a firm texture.

11. 11

    Unwrap each sausage and allow it to cool.

Notes

Once cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Sausages can be frozen; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in a skillet or microwave. Reheating in the oven is not recommended because they may dry out. The body excerpt mentions a cayenne range of 2 to 2½ teaspoons and lower untested alternatives, but the authoritative structured ingredient list specifies 2½ teaspoons.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• spicy
• baked
• meal prep