Tempeh Sausage Recipes

TEMPEH BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• . Cut the tempeh into small cubes or crumble it with your hands. Add the tempeh, vegetable broth, and soy sauce to a medium pot. Bring the broth to a slow simmer, cover the cooking pot, and simmer the tempeh for 20 minutes.
• . Prep the dry ingredients while the tempeh simmers. Add the vital wheat gluten (seitan), thyme, marjoram, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red chili flakes to a medium bowl.
• . Once the tempeh is done, drain it over a colander. Use the back of a spoon to press excess moisture from the tempeh.
• . Add the tempeh, onion, garlic, mushrooms, maple syrup, soy sauce, and vegan Worcestershire sauce to a food processor or blender. Blend until the tempeh, and other ingredients are broken down. You don't want a smooth paste.
• . Add the tempeh mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are moist and blended.
• . Use your hand to form a ball of sausage mixture. If the ball crumbles, the sausage mixture is too dry. Add a little water. If the ball melts into your hand, it is too moist. Add a little seitan.
• . Separate the sausage mixture into small balls and form about ¼ an inch thick. If you are going to pan-fry them, keep them on the thin side so they thoroughly cook in the middle. The number of sausage patties depends on how big you make them. I ended up with 9.

SPICY TEMPEH BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• 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.

VEGAN CRUMBLED TEMPEH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Crumble the tempeh into a pan.
• Add water and remaining ingredients, except for the oil, and stir well.
• Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Let simmer until the tempeh has absorbed all the water.
• Mix in the oil and continue to cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes or so. (If you have cut oil out of your diet, this step is optional, and the sausage will still come out delicious!)

TEMPEH SAUSAGE CRUMBLES

Steps:

• In a saute pan, crumble the tempeh and add enough water to almost cover it.
• Over high heat, steam the tempeh until most of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Drain the remaining water and add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

ITALIAN TEMPEH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the cubes of tempeh in a steamer basket, steam for 15 minutes, and set aside to cool.
• Using your fingers, crumble the steamed tempeh into a bowl.
• Add the basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, fennel, thyme, pepper flakes, and pepper to the tempeh and toss well to coat.
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
• Lightly oil or line a cookie sheet or tray with waxed paper, and set aside.
• Using a 1/4 cups measuring cup to portion the sausages, lightly fill it with the tempeh mixture and gently pack it into the cup with the back of a spoon. Flip the measuring cup over on to the tray and give it a tap to release the patty.
• Form the mixture into 10 patties and chill for 1 hour.
• Lightly grease a non-stick skillet with a little safflower oil. In batches, cook the tempeh sausages until well browned on each side, about 5-7 minutes per side.
• Add more oil to the pan, if needed, to prevent the sausages from sticking.
• **You can make these sausages in larger batches and freeze them for later use. Then simply reheat them in the oven or in a nonstick skillet until heated through.

ULTIMATE TEMPEH BACON

Steps:

• Combine the tamari, brown sugar, olive oil, liquid smoke, paprika, salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• Slice the tempeh crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Arrange on a microwave-safe plate and drizzle with 1/4 cup water. Cover with a wet paper towel and microwave on high until the tempeh is soft and has absorbed some of the liquid, about 4 minutes. Drain off any excess water.
• Arrange the warm tempeh slices in a single layer in the marinade. Tilt the baking dish a few times to evenly distribute the marinade. Let the tempeh sit, flipping the slices and tilting the dish every 10 minutes, until the slices are very saturated, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• Arrange the tempeh slices on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart; reserve the marinade. Bake until the tempeh starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Brush the tempeh with some of the reserved marinade. Flip the slices and brush again with more marinade. Bake until the tops start to char slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately or let cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Reheat in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F or in a dry skillet over medium heat, just until warmed through.

VEGAN BISCUITS WITH WHITE BEAN AND TEMPEH GRAVY

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425°.
• Stir ½ cup soy milk and 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar in a small mixing bowl to combine. Set aside.
• Whisk ¾ cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. baking soda, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Grate 4 Tbsp. frozen stick-style vegan butter into dry ingredients using the large holes of a box-style grater and mix with a fork until butter has broken into smaller bits and is well coated. Add soy milk mixture and continue stirring with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a floured cutting board and shape into a roughly 5" square with a bench scraper. Cut dough into 4 square biscuits.
• Arrange on a baking sheet, brush with soy milk, and bake until golden brown on bottom, 18-20 minutes.
• Purée one 15-oz. can Great Northern beans, rinsed, 1 cup vegan chicken broth, mushroom broth, or water, ½ cup soy milk, 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, and 1 Tbsp. white miso in a large liquid measuring cup with a stick blender until smooth (or use a regular blender).
• Heat 1 Tbsp. canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 small shallot, chopped, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 garlic clove, chopped, and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Add puréed bean mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring and lowering heat as needed, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper and ¼ tsp. apple cider vinegar and season with salt. Keep warm while you make the tempeh crumbles.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. canola oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add one 8-oz. package tempeh, crumbled into ½" pieces, and cook, undisturbed, until well browned in some spots, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, ¼ tsp. dried sage, ¼ tsp. dried thyme, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, ¼ tsp. onion powder, and ¼ tsp. smoked paprika and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tempeh is well coated in the spices, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat, add 2 tsp. maple syrup, and stir to coat. Add crumbles to gravy and stir gently.
• Cut biscuits in half. Arrange biscuit bottoms on a plate and top with gravy and tempeh mixture. Finish with biscuit tops, sprinkle with ¼ cup finely chopped chives and season with pepper.

TEMPEH SAUSAGE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Mix water, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, lemon juice, sage, and bacon salt together to make the marinade. Place tempeh in marinade; refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper. Place squash cut-side down on a baking sheet; spread pecans over the other.
• Bake pecans in the preheated oven until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Bake squash until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tempeh and marinade, kale, mushrooms, garlic, fennel seeds, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook until water has evaporated and tempeh and kale are crispy and browned, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and more bacon salt if needed.
• Dollop remaining vegan butter into each cooked squash half. Stuff with the tempeh mixture and top with pecans.