Pig-free Bacon & 'Sausage' Recipes

I remember trying to use TVP (textured vegetable protein) years ago to replace ground beef in recipes. It never was very sucessful and it had a strange texture to it. Recently, though, I've been trying to make some 'sausage' out of it to mix in with my wild rice for breakfast. I have seitan recipes for Italian sausage as well as Mexican style chorizo that I'll post, but the TVP versions are pretty quick and shouldn't pose much of a challenge to anyone to try.

Here are easy tvp recipes for Italian sausage and Mexican chorizo and the simplest fake bacon bits ever...


Easiest Facon Bits Ever

1 c water
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t smoked paprika
1 c TVP
2 t J&Ds Bacon Salt see note below
2 T olive oil

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil.
Add the tvp, stir well, cover and remove from heat.
After 10 minutes, add Bacon Salt, stir the mixture.
Heat a 12" skillet on medium heat
Add the oil and swirl around the pan.
Add the tvp mixture all at once and spread it out.
Saute the tvp for 5-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally until you get about 1/3 - 1/2 of it looking browned.
Cool and refrigerate.
Note: J&Ds Bacon Salt is actually a low-salt product. As of this writing, they claim all their products are vegetarian and many are vegan as well. My favorite flavors (so far) have been Applewood and Hickory. But there are other flavors available. You can find the vegan products at Vegan Essentials or all of their products at J&Ds Bacon Salt


Crumbled Italian Sausage

1 T soy sauce
1 T fennel seed, well crushed but leave some pieces
1/8 t thyme
1/8 t cayenne (optional)
1/2 t ground black pepper (up to 1 tsp if you like it)
1/8 t onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 c water
1 c TVP
2-3 T olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a 2qt saucepan except the tvp and oil.
Bring the liquids to a boil.
Add the tvp, stir well, cover and remove from heat.
After 10 minutes, stir the mixture and taste for salt. If you used a low salt soy sauce, it might need a little.
Heat a 12" skillet on medium heat
Add the oil and swirl around the pan.
Add the tvp mixture all at once and spread it out.
Saute the tvp for 5-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally until you get about 1/3 - 1/2 of it looking browned.
Cool and refrigerate. Use as cooked sausage.

Note: Althought TVP comes dry, looks like cardboard and lasts forever in the pantry, once you add water to it, it becomes a PHF (potentially hazardous food). That means after you make this 'sausage' you need to store it and treat it as if it WERE real meat. Keep it properly stored for up to a week in the fridge.


Crumbled Mexican Chorizo


2 T white vinegar
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t ancho chile powder (see note below)
1/2 t New Mexico Red chile powder (see note below)
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 c water
1 c TVP
2-3 T olive oil

Note on chile powder - you can substitute 1 t of any chile powder you like, such as chipotle. Or you can use 'chili powder' if that's what you have in the pantry

Combine all the ingredients in a 2qt saucepan except the tvp and oil.
Bring the liquids to a boil.
Add the tvp, stir well, cover and remove from heat.
After 10 minutes, stir the mixture and taste for salt.
Heat a 12" skillet on medium heat
Add the oil and swirl around the pan.
Add the tvp mixture all at once and spread it out.
Saute the tvp for 5-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally until you get about 1/3 - 1/2 of it looking browned.
Cool and refrigerate. Use as cooked sausage.

Note: Althought TVP comes dry, looks like cardboard and lasts forever in the pantry, once you add water to it, it becomes a PHF (potentially hazardous food). That means after you make this 'sausage' you need to store it and treat it as if it WERE real meat. Keep it properly stored for up to a week in the fridge.