Description
This Vegan Breakfast Sausage recipe offers a flavorful, plant-based alternative to traditional breakfast sausage using mushrooms, lentils, and aromatic herbs. Caramelized onions and a blend of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme create a savory, hearty patty that’s gluten-free and perfect for a healthy, satisfying breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Legumes
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1 (19 oz) can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 apple, peeled and minced or grated, with liquid very well squeezed out
Herbs & Seasonings
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh sage, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh thyme, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Others
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp gluten-free, low-sodium coconut aminos or tamari
- 6 tbsp oat flour (gluten-free if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the sausage patties.
- Prepare Mushrooms: Pulse the cremini mushrooms in a food processor until they reach a ground meat texture. Transfer them to a cheesecloth and wring out as much liquid as possible to avoid soggy patties. Set aside.
- Prepare Lentils: Drain and rinse the lentils thoroughly, then squeeze out any excess moisture. Puree half of the lentils in the food processor, leaving the rest whole for texture.
- Cook Onion: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the minced onion and cook slowly until it is lightly browned and caramelized, about 30 minutes, to develop deep, rich flavors. If short on time, sauté for at least 2 minutes, though caramelization is preferred.
- Add Ingredients: To the caramelized onions in the pan, add minced garlic, the squeezed mushrooms, grated apple, maple syrup, coconut aminos or tamari, fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook together until any excess liquid evaporates and mushrooms brown slightly, intensifying the flavor.
- Mix and Form Patties: Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl. Add the whole and pureed lentils along with the oat flour. Season again with salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together.
- Bake Patties: Form the mixture into patties and place them in a greased whoopie pie mold or on a greased baking sheet. Lightly spritz the patties with olive oil using an oil atomizer to promote browning. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
- Caramelizing onions slowly enhances the flavor significantly, so try to avoid rushing this step if possible.
- Use gluten-free oat flour and tamari if you require a gluten-free version.
- Wringing out moisture from mushrooms and lentils is crucial to prevent soggy patties.
- The patties can be cooked earlier and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- For added texture, you may crisp the patties in a skillet after baking, but this is optional.
