The best vegan sausage is meaty, juicy, and, most importantly, convincing. It should please meat eaters and vegans, alike.
I’m not vegan, but I love fake meat. I’m not sure if you’d consider that a flaw or a strength, but it is a fact. My parents raised me on it and it has become ingrained in my DNA. Since I’m the rare person who craves fake meat over real meat, I consider myself the ideal person to lead this plant based sausage taste test.
Vegan sausages, in my opinion, are some of the hardest plant based proteins to perfect. Without meat, it’s nearly impossible to get that snappy outside, meaty texture, and juiciness. With that being the case, I’m normally looking for a meatless sausage that has a moist (I like that word, okay!) texture, some type of strong flavor, and not too much of an oily coating. After tasting the sausages on the list, though, I’m starting to think that bad plant based sausages are a thing of the past.
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- High Peaks Italian Style Plant-Based Sausage
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You can actually see herbs and spices in High Peaks Italian Style Plant-Based Sausage. It’s not just flavored soy puree jammed into tubes! I was elated to bite down on bits of fennel, red bell pepper, and basil. These wouldn’t trick a carnivore, but a carnivore could enjoy these as their own vegetable-based things. If you’re a vegan who doesn’t want your plant based meat to seem even remotely like real meat, grab these!
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- Simple Truth Meatless Chorizo Plant Based Sausage
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Simple Truth vegan chorizo is interesting because, unlike most vegan chorizos, it is sold as a link instead of as a crumble. It reminds me of a cured Spanish chorizo, rather than most vegan chorizos, which are typically made in the fresh, Mexican style. The exterior crisped up nicely when cooked and the interior stayed firm. Slices of this meatless sausage would be incredible on a vegetarian charcuterie board with some manchego cheese, red grapes, and toasted walnuts.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- El Burrito Soyrizo
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I think crumbled vegan chorizo is quite possibly the best type of meat substitute out there, and El Burrito Soyrizo is the most delicious one I’ve tried. It’s so flavorful and easy to use in a million different preparations, like breakfast burritos, chili, and loaded vegan queso. When you sauté it up, it develops a caramelized, crunchy texture and almost balsamic-like taste. It hits all points on my tongue: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Time to make a vegetarian breakfast burrito with some of the best vegan sausage out there, stat!
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- Beyond Sausage Hot Italian Style
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If spicy sausage is your vibe, grab these Beyond Hot Italian Sausages. They are easily one of the best vegan sausage variations we tried. They actually have a nice little kick. I want one of these meatless sausage links on a hoagie roll with sauteed onions and red bell peppers, marinara sauce (aka gravy), and lots of melted mozzarella cheese. This meal with this plant based sausage would please even the most Italian-American of men.
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- Impossible Bratwurst
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Impossible Bratwurst is everything you want from a brat. You’d be hard pressed to even tell these are vegan. They’re super savory, extremely juicy, and have a great snap. A big, soft bun and a healthy squeeze of spicy brown mustard are all you need for a perfectly authentic German (vegan) lunch. Pair one of these with a big pint of beer (we recommend an Oktoberfest beer) and you’re in business.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Beyond Sausage Brat Original
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Beyond Meat Plant Based Sausage is practically real meat sausage. It has the number one thing I have always dreamt of having in a meatless sausage: a snap from casing! Vegan sausages and hot dogs typically don’t have any type of casing, so they lose that wonderful snappy bite. This has that! And unlike most vegan sausages, Beyond has that indescribable “meat” flavor instead of only tasting like fennel, red pepper, apple, etc. If I was served this at a restaurant, I would think they accidentally served me a real pork sausage, and that’s what makes it one of the best vegan sausage options on the market.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Target
Best for Meat Haters
Best for Charcuterie
Best Multifunctional
Best Spicy
Best Meaty
Best of the Best
Rhett & Link’s Pick
Beyond Meat Plant-Based Sausage
Sporked is agreeance with Rhett & Link on this one! Beyond makes the most delicious and meatiest vegan sausage out there. They won their competition and placed #1 on our list.
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