If you want to start your day on the right foot, our vegan breakfast sausage is the answer! In this easy-to-make 35-minute recipe, we take frozen tofu mince, load them with flavorful seasoning, and pan-fry them until they are golden brown and crispy. Whether you eat them alone or as part of a full-on vegan breakfast, it will be impossible to eat just one!
Frozen tofu is our go-to for creating delicious “meaty” recipes that mimic the real thing. Be sure to try some of our other delicious vegan tofu recipes, such as our tofu meatballs, “Whopper-style” tofu burger, vegan sausage, and vegan chorizo.
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What to expect?
This vegan breakfast sausage recipe is easy to make and even easier to devour! Similar to our vegan sausage recipe, we use firm tofu that has been frozen for at least 24 hours and then thawed. We then add a variety of flavorful herbs and spices and pan-fry the patties until they get a golden-brown, crispy crust. The result is a savory tofu breakfast sausage with the texture of real sausage: chewy, moist, and crumbly.
Unlike some other plant-based breakfast sausage recipes, ours does not require any pre-cooking or pre-boiling before frying. It is quick to make, requiring just 15 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cook time.
Here is why you will love our recipe:
- It is simple to make, using many ingredients you likely already have at home in your pantry.
- It is packed with flavor and has the texture of real sausage.
- It is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. Take a look at the “Serving Ideas” section below for a few new ways to eat your vegan sausage.
- It is easy to store and freeze so that you can batch-cook your sausages for later.
- It only takes 35 minutes to make. You will be enjoying your breakfast sausage in no time!
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Ingredients
Many of the ingredients used to make our vegan breakfast sausage are those you already have in your pantry or can be easily found in your local grocery store. We have also provided a few ingredient alternatives to fit your specific dietary needs and preferences.
- Firm tofu – Use tofu that has been frozen for at least 24 hours. You can also use extra-firm tofu.
- Breadcrumbs – Or if you need to, you can browse through these breadcrumbs substitutes.
- Dairy-free milk – We recommend cashew milk, oat milk, or almond milk.
- Cornstarch – You can also use tapioca starch.
- Onion (finely chopped)
- Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- Olive oil – To add moisture and juiciness.
- Sweet smoked paprika powder
- Sage
- Thyme (dried)
- Fennel – This helps to give it that savory sausage flavor.
- Nutritional yeast – To add texture and umami flavor.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Pre-cooking onion and garlic
- Preheat a frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the finely chopped onion and garlic.
- Cook the onion and garlic over medium-low heat until the texture becomes tender and the color becomes opaque and yellow. Do not let it become caramelized.
- Add the onion and garlic with the remaining oil to a bowl. Use a hand blender to blend the mixture.
Preparing tofu
- Once frozen tofu is thawed, use your hand or a milk bag to squeeze the tofu until you get a sponge-like texture. Then, use a food processor to break the tofu into smaller crumbles.
Making vegan breakfast sausages
- In a large mixing bowl, add the tofu crumbles, breadcrumbs, dairy-free milk, cornstarch, onion and garlic paste, one tablespoon of olive oil, sweet smoked paprika powder, sage, thyme, fennel, salt, and nutritional yeast.
- Mix well using your hands or a spatula.
- Use a Tablespoon measuring spoon and fill it with one scoop. Using your hands, roll, and press the mixture into sausage patties. Layer them in a preheated nonstick frying pan over medium heat. If you do not have a nonstick frying pan, add a small amount of coconut or olive oil.
- Fry the sausage patties on each side for a few minutes until they become brown and form a crispy crust. Serve and enjoy!
Cooking tips
- Finely chop the onion and garlic – This will help it blend better with the tofu.
- Use frozen tofu – The tofu must first be frozen for at least 24 hours and then thawed. It will not work with raw tofu since it would be too moist and spongy, even after pressing.
- Completely dry the tofu – This recipe will only work if it is squeezed completely dry before mincing it with the food processor. It must be dry to the touch.
Variations
- TVP sausages: Swap out the frozen tofu for textured vegetable protein. Both tofu and TVP have a texture close to ground meat, but TVP may be quicker to prepare.
- Fresh herbs: Use fresh thyme versus its dried counterpart. You can also add fresh oregano, basil, or parsley, but you will need to adjust the other green herbs to keep the same total quantity per the recipe card.
- Different herbs and spices: Try combining thyme and sage with rosemary to enhance the flavor profile. Or, throw in some onion powder and garlic powder to add to the savory taste.
- With syrup: Add a touch of maple syrup to the mix to add sweetness and give your breakfast sausages that classic breakfast flavor.
- Liquid smoke: Add liquid smoke to give your sausage a smoky, grilled flavor.
- Extra heat: Spice up your vegan sausage patties by adding black pepper, chili flakes, chopped jalapeno, ground peppers, ground cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes into the mix.
Serving ideas
These vegan breakfast sausages are incredibly versatile! Put a tasty twist on your breakfast, lunch, or dinner by trying one of the several serving ideas below:
- Sausage and eggs – Serve them alongside our vegan fried eggs or tofu scramble. Add a side of hash browns and toast or pancakes for a full breakfast platter!
- Breakfast casserole – Tear the patties and use them in our cheesy vegan breakfast casserole.
- Frittata – Chop them up and add them to our veggie-loaded vegan frittata for a nutritious and delicious meal.
- Breakfast hash – Throw them in a skillet with potatoes and bright veggies for a filling and savory vegan breakfast hash.
- Shakshuka – Add them to our vegan chickpea shakshuka to give it extra flavor.
- Breakfast sandwich – Serve it on a bread roll with our fried vegan eggs for a delicious breakfast.
- Vegan egg and sausage tacos – Chop them up and wrap them inside tortillas with vegan scrambled eggs for delicious breakfast tacos or beans for a breakfast burrito.
- Breakfast pizza – Take brunch to the next level with vegan fried eggs, breakfast sausage patties, veggies, cheese, and our homemade vegan marinara sauce served on top of pizza dough.
- With pasta – Use it as a beef substitute for spaghetti or other pasta dishes. Check out our list of vegan pasta recipes for even more pasta ideas.
- Biscuits and gravy – Serve them alongside buttery biscuits with vegan onion gravy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Tofu press – We recommend the TofuBud press as it is quick, easy, and will press your tofu in 15 minutes or so without any mess or waste. But for this specific recipe, we also squeeze it with a milk bag to get it extra dry.
- Cast iron skillet or frying pan – We recommend a 10.5-inch/26cm nonstick frying pan. We like to use the one from UnoCasa.
Storing tips
In the fridge: Store your vegan breakfast sausage patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
In the freezer: They are only freezer-friendly once cooked. We do not recommend freezing them as an uncooked mixture, as they will be too moist and fall apart when thawed. Store them individually in the freezer for up to six months.
Thawing: To thaw, warm them under the broiler, in the oven, or in a frying pan to make the crust crispy again.
FAQs
Not all vegan sausage recipes are gluten-free. However, we have provided alternatives to make this one a gluten-free and vegan recipe.
Yes, you can, but we always recommend pan-frying as it gives the sausage patties a brown color and crispy texture that they otherwise would not get in the oven.
The purpose of the breadcrumbs in the recipe is to help bind the sausages and prevent them from falling apart. However, if you do not have breadcrumbs, you can use any other combination of grains as a binding agent. We recommend rice, oats, or quinoa with tapioca flour or arrowroot starch.
More frozen tofu mince recipes
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Vegan Breakfast Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 oz Firm tofu measured as drained and squeezed
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Dairy-free milk
- 4 Tbsp Corn starch
- ½ Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- ½ tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp Sage dried
- 1 tsp Thyme dried
- ½ tsp Fennel
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
Instructions
Pre-cooking onion and garlic
- Take a frying pan or skillet and pre-heat to medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and the finely chopped onion and garlic. Cook on medium-low heat the onion and garlic until tender but opaque, yellow, and not caramelized.
- Add onion and garlic with the remaining oil to a bowl and blend it with a hand blender.
Preparing tofu
- For the best result, use frozen tofu. Thaw it overnight, then squeeze it hard. Use your hand or a milk bag. You will have a sponge-like texture at the end.
- Use a food processor to chop the tofu into smaller crumble-like pieces.
Mixing and forming sausage patties
- Add tofu crumbles, breadcrumbs, dairy-free milk, cornstarch, onion, and garlic paste, 1 Tbsp olive oil, smoked sweet paprika, sage, thyme, fennel, salt, and nutritional yeast to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything well with a spatula or with your hands.
- Form small patties (1 Tbsp size) with your hands, rolling and pressing.
Frying
- Take a frying pan and heat it over medium heat. Add a bit of coconut or olive oil if you don’t have a non-stick pan. Fry them for a couple of minutes on each side to give them a nice brown color.
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