This mild “sausage” works great in breakfast dishes, on pizza and in pasta dishes.
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) works as a great meat substitute. It has a good texture, a lot of protein, and takes on whatever flavor you want. I mainly use it for ground sausage, ground beef and in BBQ recipes. It’s versatile and can be used anywhere you want to add some protein.
A cup of TVP is equivalent to a pound of ground meat. It’s like preparing ground meat but with just a few additional steps. If you were using pork, you could add sausage seasoning, cook it, and call it a day. When preparing TVP, you just need to add a few additional ingredients and allow the meat to absorb the flavors for 20 minutes. I usually get the TVP soaking before I start preparing other elements for a meal. By the time I need to start cooking the TVP, it’s ready to go.
You can make this “meat” as lean or fatty as you like by using a small amount of olive oil or by using a more generous amount of refined coconut oil. If my meal is lacking fat, I’ll add about a tablespoon of refined coconut oil. You could add more if you want more fat.
I’ve made this recipe again and again, and use it make recipes that have become favorites in my household.
Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup TVP (I like using Amazing Chiles & Spices TVP)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp Marmite, Vegemite or vegan bouillon
- 2 tsp no salt sausage seasoning
- 1/2-1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp mushroom seasoning
- 1/2 tsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp MSG (optional)
- A spray of olive oil or 1 TBSP of refined coconut oil
DIRECTIONS
- Heat 1 cup of water in the microwave for 1-2 minutes
- Stir 1 tsp of Marmite (or Vegemite or vegan boullion) into the hot water
- Add 1 cup of TVP to a bowl and pour the broth mixture over the top
- Add and incorporate the remaining ingredients. I usually find that 2 teaspoons of sausage seasoning is adequate. Usually a 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup adds enough sweetness. But you may want to add up to 1 teaspoon if you are using it for breakfast sausage.
- Add oil to your pan and add the TVP, while attempting to leave most of the remaining liquid behind in your bowl. Don’t squeeze the liquid out of the TVP.
- Cook the sausage over medium high heat until it’s hot and you achieve some browning. You can can cook it for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. I like to test it as I go. Sample it. You’ll know when it’s ready.
- Add the “sausage” to your recipe