The best vegetarian sausages to try
Try these plant-based, meat-free sausages to tickle your taste buds
The best vegetarian sausages are so close to the real thing, they’ll have you second guessing during mealtimes. Whether you want them for your BBQ or as an alternative to your usual fry-up or bangers and mash, there are plenty of plant-based, meat-free options to try. With over 7 million adults in the UK following a meat-free diet – and more planning to give it a try or cut down on their meat consumption – veggie products, including vegetarian sausages, have skyrocketed in popularity.
Gone are the days of only one or two vegan choices to pick from at the supermarket; there’s now a whole range of meat-free brands that are on a mission to make veggie food just as delicious and versatile as a meat diet. Veggie sausages use a range of meat-replacement ingredients, including soya and pea protein, to replicate the unique texture and taste of regular sausages – so much that you probably won’t even notice the difference.
But with so many different options now available, how can you figure out which vegetarian sausage is best? Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite vegetarian sausages to add to your shopping basket today.
Best vegetarian sausages: At a glance
- Best meat alternative: This Isn’t Pork Sausages
- Best for protein: Beyond Meat Plant-Based Sausages
- Best to keep in the freezer: Morrisons Plant Revolution
- Best for kids: Gosh! Cocktail Sausages
How to choose the best vegetarian sausage for you
What ingredients should I look out for when buying vegetarian sausages?
There are quite a few different ingredients that can be used to replicate the taste of meat, and which you should opt for depends on your own taste preferences and dietary requirements. Some vegetarian sausages use wheat or seitan, both of which contain gluten, while others might contain other allergens such as soya or nuts.
High protein products such as pea, soya protein, beans and pulses are common meat replacements, too. Pea protein is great if you’re trying to make sure you get enough protein into your diet, while those using beans, pulses and lentils are great for a fibre boost. If you’re a vegan rather than vegetarian, you should keep an eye out for vegan accreditation, such as by The Vegan Society. Not all vegetarian sausages are necessarily vegan.
How should I cook vegetarian sausages?
Vegetarian sausages can be cooked the same way as regular sausages, whether that’s on the barbeque, grilled in the oven or in your frying pan. Some sausages might lend themselves better to certain cooking styles but it’s purely a question of taste, so experiment with different dishes.
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Are vegetarian sausages healthier than regular sausages?
There are some potential health benefits that come with swapping your regular sausages to vegetarian sausages. Research has found processed meat such as sausage has been linked to problems such as heart disease and diabetes. They do tend to be lower in fat, but that’s not to say all vegetarian sausages are healthy. Many are still high in calories, as well as things such as sugar and salt. If you’re trying to eat a healthier diet, it’s still worth checking labels.
Do vegetarian sausages taste the same as regular ones?
Many of the best veggie sausages taste impressively similar to ones made from meat, which is ideal if you’re looking for a specific meat replacement. Not everyone craves that taste or texture, though, and there are also plenty of meat-free options that aren’t trying to replicate meat exactly.
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The best vegetarian sausages to buy in 2023
1. Heck Meat-Free Vegan Chipolata: Best vegetarian sausages for breakfast
Price: £2 | Buy now from Sainsbury’s
These meat-free chipolatas are really delicious and are perfect for hot dogs or breakfast baps. Gluten-free and vegan, these sausages are firm in texture and manage to be both juicy and full of flavour. They contain 10% pea protein, a gluten-free crumb and aren’t too high in fat either (two come in at just over 5g). Heck has a whole range of vegan sausages, all of which are gluten-free, so they’re a great brand if you’re meat-free and celiac.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: Yes
2. This Isn’t Pork Sausages: Best meat alternative vegetarian sausages
Price: £2 | Buy now from Tesco
One bite of these meaty pea-protein sausages led to a chorus of “these taste exactly like meat” from our testers. We’re not sure how, but the look and texture of these are super realistic. Twenty minutes in the oven led to a crisp, golden brown sausage and, unlike some veggie options, these manage to replicate a crispy outer layer and a meaty inner, meaning they’re great for those who are looking to cut back on meat or are new to being a vegetarian.
They’re also high in protein, have a decent amount of fibre per serving (4.7g per 100g) and promise 80% less saturated fat when compared to standard pork sausages. We also loved the This Isn’t Bacon Lardons, which are similarly meaty and delicious.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: No
3. Beyond Sausage Plant-Based Sausage: Best high-protein vegetarian sausage
Price: £5 | Buy now from Ocado
At £5 for two, these are the most expensive in our roundup, but they justify their price. They’re super chunky and meaty in texture, making them ideal for those craving the taste of real meat. Because of their size, they also make a perfect BBQ food and are great for hot dogs – one is plenty to fill you up.
The crispy texture is a real selling point of these vegetarian sausages, but they’re also warming and ever so slightly spicy too. There’s a whopping 17g of protein per sausage and they’re free from both gluten and soya. Worth splurging out on for a treat.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: Yes
4. Gosh! Veggie Cocktail Sausages with Sage and Black Pepper: Best for kids
Price: £2 | Buy now from Tesco
Unlike the others in this list, these mini cocktail sausages can be eaten cold from the packet or warmed up, so they’re great for picnics, snacking or lunch boxes.
They’re packed with nutritious ingredients such as fibre-rich chickpeas, cauliflower and butter beans, making them a great vegetarian sausage for those who want to boost their fibre or who want a soya-free sausage.
Most importantly, they’re really tasty. They’re not designed to taste like meat, so are ideal if you want something lighter in texture, but they’re soft, full of flavour (thanks to nutmeg, parsley and sage), and packed with lots of good stuff.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: Yes
5. Meatless Farm: Best herby vegetarian sausages
Price: £2.50 | Buy now from Sainsbury’s
Meatless Farm’s range is gluten-free, vegan and high in protein – over 14g per 100g. They cooked well both grilled and fried, and had a nice texture too.
There’s a decent mix of spices and herbs, which we enjoyed, but some might find the pepper a little overpowering. If you’re after a more herbaceous sausage to enjoy alongside summer vegetables or salad, these are worth a try.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: Yes
6. Morrisons Plant Revolution Meat-Free Sausages: Best frozen vegetarian sausages
Price: £1.50 | Buy now from Morrisons
These are the cheapest in our roundup of veggie sausages but still make a decent all-rounder. It’s great that they can be cooked from frozen in little over 15 minutes, making them ideal for busy families. Their main ingredient is soya protein, which can sometimes lack a little flavour, but these were really flavourful, with a nice mix of spice from sage, ginger and pepper.
They were a tad on the dry side compared to others we tested, but work well for a range of saucier dishes from casseroles to pasta bakes.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: No
7. ASDA Plant Based Meat-Free Sausages: Best Vegetarian Sausages for Mushroom Lovers
Price: £2.35 | Buy now from ASDA
We love ASDA’s own-brand plant-based veggie sausage offering. The majority of the sausages we’ve featured rely heavily on soya or pea protein to replicate the taste of meat, but these use white and oyster mushrooms instead, meaning they’re a good option if you can’t have soya.
As well as this, they’re gluten-free, accredited by The Vegan Society, don’t contain any sulphites and deliver a decent amount of fibre with 8.5g per serving of three sausages. If that wasn’t enough, we really enjoyed their flavour and the mushroom did a great job at providing a meaty texture. The only downside is that this was ever so slightly on the rubbery side – though that’s fairly standard for mushroom sausages.
Key details – Suitable for vegans: Yes; Suitable for celiacs: No
