Pan-Fried Italian Vegan Sausage with White Beans and Walnuts Recipe
This Pan-Fried Italian Vegan Sausage with White Beans and Walnuts is a hearty, flavorful plant-based option perfect for a nutritious meal. Made from a blend of cannellini beans, walnuts, oats, and a medley of Italian seasonings, these sausages are pan-fried to a golden perfection. They offer a delicious vegan alternative that’s high in protein and packed with wholesome ingredients, ideal served with your favorite sides for a satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 flax eggs (3 tbsp ground flax meal mixed with 9 tbsp water)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil (divided: ½ tbsp for sautéing, 1 tbsp for frying)
- 1.5 cups cooked cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1.5 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 shallots (finely chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2/3 cup walnuts
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1.5 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1.5 tsp fennel seeds
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (finely ground)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare Flax Eggs: In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons of water to create 3 flax eggs. Set aside to thicken as you work on other steps.
- Dry the Beans: Drain and rinse the cooked cannellini beans thoroughly. Lay them out on a kitchen towel and pat dry to remove excess moisture, ensuring your sausage mixture won’t be too wet.
- Sauté Shallots and Aromatics: Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cooking together for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Process Nuts and Oats: In a food processor or blender, pulse the rolled oats and walnuts until they reach a coarse, crumbly texture, being careful not to over-process.
- Combine Sausage Mixture: Add the dried and rinsed white beans, sautéed shallot mixture, nutritional yeast, tomato puree, chopped parsley, tamari, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, sea salt, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and prepared flax eggs into the food processor with the oats and walnuts. Pulse several times until the mixture is well combined but still retains some texture—avoid making it a smooth paste.
- Chill the Mixture: Transfer the sausage mixture into a container and place it in the freezer for 40 minutes to firm up, making it easier to shape.
- Shape the Sausages: Once chilled, remove the mixture and divide into 8 equal portions. With lightly oiled hands, shape each portion into a long sausage form, rolling them on a cutting board to smooth and firm their shape.
- Pan-Fry the Sausages: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shaped sausages and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, turning to brown all sides evenly, totaling approximately 7 minutes, until golden and crispy on the outside.
- Serve: Serve the vegan sausages hot with your choice of sides such as baked beans, sautéed spinach, or roasted tomatoes for a complete and delicious meal.
Notes
- Drying the beans well is crucial to prevent the sausage mixture from becoming too wet and difficult to shape.
- Do not over-process the mixture in the food processor to maintain a good texture in the sausages.
- Flax eggs act as a binder but can be substituted with chia eggs if preferred.
- Chilling the mixture before shaping helps it firm up, making the sausages easier to handle and fry without falling apart.
- Cook the sausages over medium heat to ensure they cook evenly without burning.
- These sausages can be stored in the freezer after shaping and cooked directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time.
