Meatless Sausage~Starving Artist!
This meatless sausage patty is the most convincing non meat-trying-to-be-meat recipe I have ever made. I first learned it from a Youtube channel called I’m Still Workin. Since she uploaded the video, a few other Youtubers shared their own versions and I was so impressed, I decided to present my own rendition. (Check out her video here.)
How Was Meatless Sausage Developed?
This recipe for poor man’s sausage was developed during World War 2 when meat was rationed and either doubled its volume by fillers or replaced by fillers all together, like this recipe.
What Is Meatless Sausage Made Of?
It uses rolled oats combined with sausage spices and eggs. You form the mixture into patties and fry until golden.
Then you add a flavourful stock and simmer for 20 minutes, then fry them again. The result is a perfectly springy, spicy and surprisingly satisfying “sausage” patty! Simmering the patties after the first browning seemed a little odd to me at first, but I believe this step creates the meaty texture one tries to achieve when emulating meat from plants. The liquid can include a boullion cube, soy sauce, herb scraps or nothing at all. I recommend adding at least a little flavour to it as sausage is naturally a savoury, flavour packed delight.
How Can I Make Meatless Sausage Vegan?
If you want to make these vegan, replace the 2 eggs with 6 tablespoons of aquafaba. I have tried it, and it works! This is simply the water that is drained from a can of chickpeas, or saved from cooking your own. Only until recently it was discovered that aquafaba (“bean water”), can replace eggs in many vegan recipes. If you’d like to learn more about aquafaba and even make your own, click here and I will show you how!
You can also use flax eggs. For each egg required in a recipe, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 2 tablespoons of water. Allow it to sit for several minutes until it turns thick and goopy, like egg. This acts as a binder, making it a suitable replacer for eggs. It is also a high source of Omega-3, among other benefits.
If times are tough or you are trying to cut back on meat but still crave a hearty, satisfying sausage patty–try this recipe! They make great breakfast sandwiches. You can also crumble them into simmering tomato sauce for a tempting meat free Bolognese. If you didn’t tell a carnivore the difference, they likely would never know. I challenge you to try it!
Meatless Sausage~WW2 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats, quick or large flake
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning OR 1/4 teaspoon sage, 1/4teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs OR 3 egg whites OR 6 tablespoons aquafaba
- 2 cups water
- 1 boullion cube or 2 teaspoons soy sauce
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine oats with poultry seasoning (or sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano), fennel seeds, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, red chili flakes (if using), parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add to oat mixture and stir well to combine. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Oats will hydrate and mixture will be easier to form.
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add boullion cube or soy sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Form oat mixture into 4 or 5 patties. In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium and fry patties until golden, 1-2 minutes. Flip and brown the other side.
- Reduce heat and add hot stock. Allow patties to come to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
- Discard stock or save for gravy. Return pan to medium heat and add a little more oil. Fry the patties a second time, flipping after a minute or two. Remove and serve immediately.
Do I add the binder in step one, it does not say. This is the perfect recipe for me to stumble onto..I have been struggling with meat free meals lately. This will open a lot of doors!! Thanks!
Yes, you add the binder in the first step, after all the herbs and spices are mixed in. Thank you for pointing that out—I will fix it! I hope this helps 🙂
Whoa! I am kind of blown away by how “meaty” they are. No one in my family suspected they weren’t real sausage. The mouth-feel is nearly identical, just a bit “breadier”. The aquafaba worked great. I will definitely add these to my rotation. So much better than store bought vegan sausage! Found your recipe on Pinterest. Thanks so much for a GREAT sausage substitute.
Hi! Thank you for the very kind words—I am so happy you liked them! Please keep enjoying the recipes and letting me know how they work out…Happy Cooking!!
Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Yes they can, but after simmering do not brown a second time. Do the second browning when you are ready to eat them. Not sure if you could this from frozen, so maybe defrost them first. I hope this helped! 🙂
Wow this is really good. I went vegan a year ago and trying to find a sausage recipe that doesn’t crumble or have a mushy feel has been a challenge. This is very close to the real thing and isn’t filled with junk. I tried one before cooking them in the broth and they were good but cooking them in the broth really changed the texture. Also the leftover stock made a tasty gravy for my biscuit.
Thanks for sharing the recipe
Thank you very much! I am happy you enjoyed it. Another thing you can use instead of the egg is flax egg…1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons water per egg. Let it sit for 20 minutes before adding it into the recipe and it works very well 🙂
Omg! I love this so much! I dont care for store bought sausage and I’m trying to transition to vegan. This is perfect! Husband likes it and wont cause a flair up of his gout like processed meats do. Endless possibilities. Thank you so much!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! I am happy the recipe helped you out. Please keep trying more recipes and letting me know how they go for you. Happy Cooking! 🙂
I did something wrong. Mine did not bind together at all and looked nothing like the photos. They were a horrible mess of oats and gravy when the time was up. I am beside myself as to what happened. Do you cook the oats first?
Oh no! Not sure what could have happened. Did the mixture hold together as patties? Did you brown them first and if so, did they stay together then? As long as there is enough binder (egg or substitute) they should not fall apart. You don’t need to cook the oats first.
Thanks for answering. Maybe i needed more aquafaba. They never really formed a patty. I am goingto try again with an egg substitute because i love the idea of a sausage that is not made out of pig.
I added a little water at a time to bind it worked great. I also doubled the recipe used half egg replacer with flax the other half aqua faba. They were great broke on edges some but I just made gravy with the juice and crumbled pieces left in there. Added some tapioca starch to thicken the gravy. So good. Thanks for this great recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe. I am sorry your patties broke around the edges, but I am happy everything tasted good. Happy Cooking!
Mine did the same but they were lovely, strong patties before the simmer. I used flax egg but it was too dry to hold so I added 2T aquafaba, let it sit some more and got beautiful patties (wet hands are key!!). They fried great but just blew up in the broth. I’ve got the strained bits in a skillet now to try and salvage it as sausage crumbles.
I think it’s really important to not fully submerge the patties….I’m guessing that’s the key. So maybe it’s necessary to adjust the broth according to the size of your skillet….
I am sorry that happened to your patties. For some reason the aquafaba worked when I simmered them, though they were softer than the egg version. I have since updated the blog and recommend skipping the simmering step altogether if using flax egg or aquafaba. The reason you do it is to toughen the patties when using egg; they are still cooked sufficiently after the first pan frying. When I make this for vegan guests, I always skip the simmering. I hope this helps 🙂
Just tried these. Amazing 😊. Mine were not holding together initially so I just let mixer sit for about 10 mins and tried again and the stuck together perfectly. I think the wet ingredients just needed to soak into the oats a little bit. I see endless variations possible with these. Vegetarian daughter and meatarian hubby both loved them!
I am so happy! Yes, in the video I had allowed the mixture to rest a bit, and it really does make a difference. I will be sure to include that step in the recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience! 😀
These are really very good, I changed the seasoning a bit to turn them into cumberland sausages. I don’t think I’ll be buying sausages again.
Great news! I happy you like the recipe, thank you!
This is SO delicious! Thank you!
I am so glad—thank you! 🙌
Just made these, using a spice mixture I had made earlier for homemade Italian sausage. I popped the browned patties into my pot of simmering broth, rather than pouring the broth into the hot frying pan. Drained them on paper towel and returned to the frying pan to brown them the second time. Used less oil and the broth wasn’t oily. Thank you for the delicious recipe 😊
Thank you for the wonderful feedback. I am happy you enjoy them! 😀
I was impressed by how these came out! They looked and felt so “meaty” I was afraid I was eating actual meat! Who knew I could make oatmeal into a hearty dinner?
Great to hear! I am glad you liked the recipe. 😀👍
Just tried these and they turned out amazing! I was a bit confused to begin with as the recipe is missing a few bits (adding the binder, and letting them rest) but after reading all the comments it made sense and worked out perfectly. This will be our new go-to patty recipe. Thank you so much! ❤️
I am happy you liked these! Thank you for the heads up about the excluded step—it’s now fixed. Happy Cooking! 😀👍
Using Flax eggs and Steel cut quick oats. We couldn’t get the cookie dough consistency? What did we do wrong if we follow the recipe to the letter?
Steel cut quick oats are different from the rolled oats I used. Also, did you happen to let the mixture rest for 30 minutes before forming them? Rolled oats hydrate better than the steel cut, which would likely give you a more manageable mixture. I hope this helps.
These sound wonderful!! But…I’m allergic to oats. Is there anything else I could sub in for them?
You could try brown rice, millet or barley. If you can find any of these pressed, that would be close to oats. Otherwise you would have to cook them ahead of time before making the recipe. I hope this helps and that you are able to try them. 😀
Wow! The mouth-feel and taste of these patties are wonderful. However, I used flax eggs instead of real eggs and I had a very hard time getting the patties to stick together (even after waiting 30 minutes). When I added the stock to the patties, some of them completely fell apart. Do I need to use more than 2 flax eggs next time?
Hi! I am glad you like the recipe, despite the falling apart. Rather than add more flax egg, I would add a bit more oats. How much depends on how loose it is, but you should be able to form fairly tight patties. Oats have a similar gelling effect that the flax egg gives, so it should do the trick. I hope this helps you out! 😀
I used aquafaba, and they worked really well.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I live in the UK. I used to purchase Quorn sausage patties but they have now been discontinued here. I’ve been looking for a replacement for a long time and I’ve recently found your recipe. Wow, I tried it out today (using egg as the binder) and I’m so impressed. I like the taste of it much more than the Quorn patties and they are quite healthy as well which is a bonus. It will be a firm favourite in my household. Thanks again!
This recipe showed up on my YouTube feed today, and I was trying to decide what to make for breakfast. I had some aquafaba ready b/c I used a can of chickpeas yesterday, so this seemed like a message from the cooking universe. I only had quick cooking oats (weird ~ my husband must have bought them), but I decided I needed to try the recipe anyway. So I did. OH WOW! So good! I used Trader Joe’s new chicken seasoning for the broth. YUM!!! I am ate 2 of them w/ a slice of Chao cheese on a tortilla (again, what i had) and let my kid eat the other ones. So delicous, so easy! I am going to make a double batch now so I can eat them for breakfast this week, although to be honest, I don’t think they will make it till tomorrow.
Wow, thanks so much for the positive feedback! I am so happy this recipe worked well for you, especially with the aquafaba. For some reason the aquafaba hasn’t been everyone’s friend in this recipe, but you are clearly doing something right. Thanks again and Happy Cooking! 😀🙌
Thank you so much for the recipe. I live in the UK. I used to purchase Quorn sausage patties but they have now been discontinued here. I’ve been looking for a replacement for a long time and I’ve recently found your recipe. Wow, I tried it out today (using egg as the binder) and I’m so impressed. I like the taste of it much more than the Quorn patties and they are quite healthy as well which is a bonus. It will be a firm favourite in my household. Thanks again!
Hi there! How great!! I always love hearing that these recipes are helping people out. I love eating these as sandwiches. Some people have crumbled them for meat sauce. Enjoy your meatless sausages and Happy Cooking! 😀
I’m sad to say I couldn’t get this to work vegan/with flax. I read the recipe and watched the video, waited until the oats fully absorbed the liquid, had patties that held together enough to fry, but as soon as the broth started to simmer they disintegrated into just oats in broth. A real bummer to waste so much food.
Hi there, I am so disheartened that this did not work out for you. Other viewers have reported that the aquafaba has worked for them, and a few did share the same experience as yourself.
If you are vegan, might I suggest trying out a small batch using flax egg? This would be 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water (per “egg”) and allowing to sit 15 minutes until slightly thickened. This might be an alternative that works, but I will say I have not actually tested it.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I will update the information in the blog post to let people know that aquafaba might not always work. Again, I am sorry this did not work out for you, and I hope you will continue to enjoy recipes on I Cook And Paint.
Just made these (double batch) this morning using flax “eggs”. They came together nicely as patties that stayed together for frying, but when the broth was added to the skillet, 3 of them fell completely apart and the rest seemed to mushy after simmering for the 20 minutes. I returned them to the skillet and browned them. Some held together and a couple more are wanting to fall apart. I will see how they hold up for reheating in the toaster oven for my breakfasts this week.
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I am really sorry they did not hold together for you. I have not tried the flax eggs but when I used aquafaba they held together very well. I do not want people to experience failures, so I will be editing the information in the blog to let people know that the vegan version does not hold well simmering in the broth. I do hope the patties hold together well for you during the week and that you can still enjoy them.
I made them with the flax eggs and in my case as well they fell apart when I added the broth.
Fortunately I turned off the heat before 20 minutes were up because they had soaked up the liquid. After it cools down I’ll wrap it in a tortilla with lettce and tomato
Thank you for sharing your results with the vegan version if this recipe. I am sorry this happened! I am changing the recipe so people will be informed. Again, your feedback is so appreciated.
These are so damn good ! I never liked regular sausage but I love these ! Thank you for the great recipe.
You’re very welcome, I am happy you enjoyed them! 🙂
A maze ing,in three words,followed recipe exactly for the first time and it was yummy, the second time I blitzed the patties added gravy from the stock mixed in some feta and spinach and made pies and sausage rolls,they were delicious.Thanks for the recipe and for caring enough to share.
So happy to hear. You are very welcome!
I can’t wait to try this. I’m definitely going to subscribe to your Channel. What about chia seed (eggs)? And if I use the bean water…how much? I didn’t see that. Thanks🤩
Hi! I have not tried this with chia “eggs” but if you do please let me know how they turned out. You need 6 tablespoons of aquafaba or chia egg for this recipe (3 tablespoons per egg). One caveat: many viewers have said their patties fall apart when simmering in the stock, so you might want to skip that step. Thank you for your kind words, I hope you enjoy my recipes. Happy Cooking! 😀
I’m sure you’ve noticed comments here or on Pinterest that say the vegan version falls apart. I’d like to add some helpful tips for the vegan version (though I’m sure your vegetarian egg version is perfect as is).
1) Use flax eggs (1 TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP water per egg} instead of aquafaba. Or use Just Egg or some similar product. The aquafaba is not satisfactory for the texture of making a sausage to fry, though it may be great in baked good like cakes or cookies. Also, flax eggs are more nutritious.
2) Instead of frying the patties on the first round, bake them on a well-greased cookie sheet at about 350 F to brown each side of the patty before immersing in the vegetable broth. Turn after about 10-15 minutes, then bake for another 5-10 minutes to assure even browning and a firmer consistency.
3) To avoid vegan sausages falling apart in the broth, heat the broth or bouillon/water to boiling first. Don’t add the baked vegan sausage patties until you’ve lowered the heat to a simmer. Then simmer gently for maybe 10 minutes on low-medium heat. Spoon a little broth on top of each patty to avoid crumbling. Also try covering the pan to help absorb the broth more fully into the patty without turning it to mush. After about 10 minutes, turn the heat completely off, but allow the patties to soak in the warm broth for another 5 minutes to assure good flavor.
4) Finally carefully transfer the boiled sausages to the frying pan. Or refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to assure a firm texture for forming patties for the final fry up.
5) I have been cooking vegan recipes for 5+ years and figured out how to perfect the vegan texture without them becoming crumbly or soggy after making this recipe 3 times. Thanks.
Hi! Many thanks for this valuable comment. You are most generous to have taken the time to share this with us. Going by the comments on various platforms, different egg substitutes have worked for some, others not. I am confident that your suggestions will help anyone who finds it have successful results. Thank you again! 😀
These sound great. Any thoughts on air frying these the first cooking time then adding them to the pan with the broth? We don’t use oil, but I’d really like to make these.
Hi! Because I do not have much experience wth air frying, I am reluctant to give a sure answer. My thoughts are that it certainly can be done. The boiling in broth is what ends up giving them the meaty texture. If you do try air frying, please let me know how it works out as others on this forum will like to know too 🙂
Wow! Finally I have found a recipe that makes great meat substitutes,taste was excellent but especially the texture was fantastic!
I am so glad you liked the recipe. I hope you will try my other meatless recipes on the blog. Happy Cooking!
Could chicken flavored bouillon work for this? I really don’t want to have to buy something else. As the recipe dictates “for hard times” and we are all in that period.
Looking forward to trying this.
Thank you,
Mary
Hi Mary, you can definitely use chicken bouillon for this. It will be delicious.
Enjoy the recipe!
Best,
Paul
These were a hit! My husband and I really loved these, and they are so easy to make! I used the flax seed eggs and took some of Christi’s advice… I baked them for 25 min on parchment paper, no oil ,for 25 min flipping halfway through at 350 degrees. Then I brought homemade vegetable broth, molasses and salt to a boil then reduced it to a simmer. I added in the sausages, and used a spoon to drizzle over the sausages and covered for 10 minutes. Turned off the heat and let it sit there for 5 more min. Then I put them in my air fryer at 400 for 10 minutes. They were absolutely perfect. Definitely going to be added into our rotation of meals! Thank you very much for sharing this recipe!!!
Wow I am so happy to hear that! Many people who try the flax eggs end up with mush but I am so happy that this can be entirely plant based. Thank you for sharing your positive feedback 🙂
WOW. I’ve been a vegetarian most of my life, and tried many a meat substitute. This is the holy grail folks. Who knew Grandma had the answer the whole time! Perfect as is, but try adding a few tablespoons broth or bbq sauce for the best veggie burger I’ve ever had. Try crumbling in soups (doesn’t fall apart!) and tacos!! I’m just getting started……….Thankyou so much for sharing this!
Gahlia
I am so happy you like it. Your ideas sound delicious and I want to try them now 🙂
Fantastic! I discovered your recipe a few weeks ago and its opened up so many posibilities. I’ve made burgers, tacos as well as sausage by simply adjusting the spices. Thank you!
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you are finding all these ways to use it–I will have to try too 🙂
I recommend not pouring the stock into a hot pan as the is just dangerous. Instead, place the patties in the simmering stock and cook them there. When done place on a paper towel to drain, flip over once now they are safely ready for the second fry up.
This is fantastic advice. Thanks so much! 🙂
That is WAY more than 3 tbsp oil
I had my doubts but I finally tried this and it’s amazing. The texture is spot on and when my mother stopped in she loved them. I just made a second batch for her to take home. Can I freeze these? I was hoping to meal prep some and freeze to throw in the air fryer on mornings
Hi! I am so happy you and your family enjoyed these. Yes these freeze very well for up to 3 months. They will be great in the air fryer. Enjoy!
Thank you so very much for sharing! I am vegan and these are the very best sausages EVER!!! I am making them tonight, they are so simple! I’m going to double the recipe tonight so I have for breakfast!=) thanks again!
ISo happy you enjoyed! Thank you for the kind feedback. Happy Cooking!
I made these tonight and they were incredible!!! To make them vegan, I added 1/2 tbsp flax, 1/2 tsp xanthan gum, and 7 tbsp aquafaba. I simmered for 35 minutes on number 1 of my electric stove top. They held together beautifully! I then fried them, chopped them and added then to the last 10 minutes of a ver low simmer of spaghetti sauce. Soooooo good! Thank you SO much! Any other vegan spin offs coming soon from you? Your black bean burgers are simply show stopping as well!
Wow, that sounds beyond delicious! Thank you for the tried and true formula. Many have asked how to make them firm without using eggs and now I can tell them. So happy you love the veggie burger. I do intend to make more vegan recipes. Happy Cooking!
At the moment I cannot find the original recipe that I used. But I used to cook a whole bunch of these for when I used to go camping. Because they did not require any refrigeration. Because there was no meat. I did not have to keep them. Absolute cold temperathey are absolutely delicious and very filling. My ex-husband who was a huge carnivore I even. Served it to him and he absolutely love them. Taking 2 or 3 patties at a time. Every time I made them. And then he realized that they had no meat in them at all. These were absolutely yummy to take wherever we needed to go and again. I did not have to worry about being refrigerated.
Great story, I have been craving these and I’m going to make some this week 🙂
Can I use BETTER THAN BOUILLON no beef base and how many teaspoons? Do I use all the flavorful stock with the BETTER THAN BOUILLON and do I use all 2cups of the flavorful stock you don’t say?
Yes you can use BTB base, however the amount is up to you depending how seasoned you want it. I would air on the weaker side as the stock tends to reduce a bit and the flavour becomes more concentrated. Yes you would use the entire 2 cups of the stock. I hope this helps 🙂
TIP: I put the mix in a sandwich bag and squeezed out all the air. Then I divided it in two with a butter knife, because square patties are fine and this is hands-off shaping! After a few minutes, they are nicely bonded and ready for frying.
That is a really useful tip! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you! The texture and flavour are just like sausage, and deliciously so.
In fact, my meatarian partner couldn’t believe it when I told him that it was the mixture he’d regarded earlier with a disdainful glance. Wish I’d taken a photo of the look on his face when I told him the ingredients. We eat it weekly and I double it because it’s great cold on sandwiches and to add to other dishes
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It really is something else that something can resemble sausage so closely. They’re so great in breakfast sandwiches! Thank you for the very positive feedback.
Can you use regular rolled oats (not quick)? Thank you.
You can, but I highly recommend pulsing them in a blender or food processor. The patties will hold much nicer and they won’t be so chewy. I hope this helps 🙂
Has the author or anyone added pea protein to increase the protein content of this recipe?
I have never tried pea protein. The eggs seem to do a great job at giving them snap.