Vegan Walnut Italian Sausage Crumbles
These easy-to-make vegan walnut Italian sausage crumbles can be used as the meatless meaty base in hearty bolognese sauce, as a topping on vegan pizza, sprinkled over salad, or tossed with warm pasta and a drizzle of olive oil.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw walnut pieces*
- 3 ounces no-salt-added dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about ⅓ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- To a food processor, add the walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, onion powder, oregano, basil, parsley, paprika, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pulse 30 times, or until finely chopped and crumbly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the walnut mixture and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the herbs are wafting a rich, toasted scent, stirring frequently.
- Follow steps to make Vegan Bolognese Sauce or remove from heat and use as desired.
Notes
*No nuts? No problem. Substitute raw shelled sunflower seeds for the walnuts to keep this recipe nut-free.