Soysage

A natural-foods classic that has earned its devoted following, soysage is a homemade vegetarian sausage with all the savory, fennel-scented punch of the real thing and none of the meat. A stiff batter of whole wheat flour, wheat germ, soy milk, and nutritional yeast gets loaded with the seasonings that make sausage taste like sausage: fennel seed, garlic, oregano, allspice, mustard, and a kick of cayenne.

You pack the mixture into an oiled can or bowl, cover it with foil, and steam it, or pressure cook it, into a firm, dense loaf. The nutritional yeast brings a deep, cheesy-savory umami that gives it real backbone.

The magic finish is the fry-up. Once the loaf has cooled and firmed, you slice it and fry the rounds until the edges turn crisp and brown, which is exactly what makes each slice taste like a proper breakfast sausage patty.

Pro Tips

• Cool the steamed loaf completely before slicing; warm it crumbles, but chilled it cuts into clean rounds.
• Fry the slices until the edges are crisp and browned, where the flavor really develops.
• A can or straight-sided container gives you neat, uniform rounds for frying.
• Make it ahead; it keeps for days in the fridge and slices freeze well for quick breakfasts.

Variations

• Use tamari in place of soy sauce, and add more cayenne for a spicier sausage.
• Add a teaspoon of rubbed sage or smoked paprika to lean further into breakfast-sausage flavor.
• Crumble cooked soysage into pasta sauce, gravy, or stuffing.