Vegan Pinto Bean Breakfast Sausage

Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 6 servings (2 sausage links each)
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 170 calories, 8g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 470mg sodium, 17g carbohydrates, 5g dietary fiber, 7g protein
Total Time: 3 hr 25 min (including chilling)
Active Time: 30 min

Imagine savoring plant-based sausages bursting with the savory, authentic taste of classic breakfast linkscrafted from hearty pinto beans and delivering a wholesome 5 grams of fiber per link to fuel your day.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for sauting
1/2 small onion, finely diced
8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons freshly chopped sage
2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Serving ideas: Elevate your breakfast with whole-grain avocado toast, juicy tomato slices, and fried polenta rounds drizzled with maple syrup.

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook while stirring until the mixture becomes soft and thick, almost like a paste, about 6 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a food processor, combine the drained beans, chickpea flour, onion-mushroom mix, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pulse until the beans are finely chopped and the mixture holds together when squeezed, but avoid creating a smooth paste. Add sage, thyme, maple syrup, rosemary, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse again until evenly mixed.
Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape each into a cylinder approximately 4 inches long. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal.
Prepare a steamer and place the wrapped sausages in it (may need to steam in batches). Steam over medium heat, covered, until the sausages become plump, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Unwrap the sausages. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning frequently until browned and crisped on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Freezing and reheating: After steaming and cooling, freeze sausages up to 1 month. Thaw frozen sausages in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350F. Unwrap, place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet, and bake 8 to 10 minutes until heated. Then, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high, pan-fry turning frequently until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Note: Frozen sausages may be slightly softer than fresh.