Vegan Brats

It’s not quite summer but I can already smell people grilling every weekend! This inspired me to search for a vegan brat recipe, since this is my first summer vegan, and there’s no chance I’m going to be left out of the summertime-grilling-delishness the rest of my life! Unfortunately I quickly found out there are very few homemade vegan brat recipes online! (Shocker?…Probably not…). Because of that, I decided to make my own version that actually turned out SO GOOD!

These are inspired by itdoesnttastelikechicken’s Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages

Please note! I highly recommend making these a day in advance to eating. This allows for the vital wheat gluten to set up and give the brats a much better texture.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water (or sub 1/2 tbsp oil)
• 1 White Onion
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 3/4 cup Veggie Broth
• 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
• 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 2 tbsp Liquid Aminos
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 2 tsp Fennel
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1/4 tsp All Spice
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 2 cups Vital Wheat Protein
• 2 tsp Earth Balance
• Pinch of Salt
• Dash of Cajun

* Note you will also need aluminum foil and a steamer.

Directions

1. Saute onion in water. I prefer to cook onions in water to reduce oil content, but you can also sub 1/2 tbsp oil.
2. While sauteing, in a large mixing bowl, add broth and mix in all spices.
3. Once translucent, add onions to broth and spice mix and stir.
4. Add vital wheat protein and kneed with hands until all is combined into a big ball.
5. Next, lay the ball on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to flatten dough into a sheet. Note the dough will still be slightly thick and will not be a perfect shape.
6. Slice the dough into 5-8 long and thin equal parts, depending on how large you want your brat. Roll slightly to create a brat shape. Note that they increase their size and form into a brat shape as they cook.
7. Loosely wrap all dough pieces in aluminum foil and twist the ends.
8. Add about 2 inches of water to a pot, then place a steamer inside. Next place the wrapped brats in the steamer, cover, and steam for 40 minutes on a low-simmer setting.
9. Remove the brats and let cool. Unwrap and place in the fridge, covered.
10. Enjoy at least 4 or more hours after cooking. These are best when made a day in advance of eating.
11. When heating up, DO NOT MICROWAVE! The texture will completely change. Instead, heat Earth Balance and brats in a skillet for 3-5 minutes. Season with a dash of cajun seasoning and a pinch of salt. Rotate brats to heat all sides. I suspect these will heat up well on a grill as well but I have not yet tried these. Note since there is no fat in the recipe I would recommend rubbing oil on the grill (safely – look up tips) to prevent sticking.

Unfortunately this recipe is not low waste as it requires aluminum foil 🙁 The first time I attempted vegan brat was a horrible FAIL because I didn’t wrap them – so I wouldn’t recommend that option. The next time I make this recipe I am going to experiment with other reusable materials in hopes to find a way to make this low waste – stay tuned! <3