Vegan Gnocchi with Sausage & Zucchini
This Vegan Gnocchi is made without eggs and is dressed with zucchini, plant-based sausage and a drizzle of olive oil.
Ingredients
Vegan Sausage
- 1/2 tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 large large white onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1/4 tsp sage
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (or strained tomato)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sparkling water
- 3/4 cup vital wheat gluten (CANNOT be substituted for any other flour)
Vegetables
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic
- salt to taste
- olive oil for cooking
Gnocchi
- 2 packages store bought gnocchi (or make homeade gnocchi)
Toppings
- olive oil drizzled on top
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan of grated mozzarella sprinkled on top
- sprinkle fresh herbs of choice (optional)
Instructions
Vegan Sausage
- Add canola oil to a pan and sautée your chopped onion and garlic until soft. Add the fennel seeds, thyme, sage, and basil. Let it cook for another minute.
- Using your immersion hand blender or food processor, add the chickpeas, onion-garlic-spices mixture, tomato paste, salt, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and sparkling water. Pulse until it’s saucy.
- Add the vital wheat gluten flour and pulse again until it comes together in a ball. (Since gluten flour is so fine, I like to mix it in a quarter cup at a time. This keeps your flour from flying into the air and making a mess).
- You should now have a somewhat sticky dough. Divide it into 4 equal chunks. Roll each seitan chunk into a sausage shape, then roll each sausage tightly in aluminum foil. (you can use a layer of parchment paper between the sausage and foil, but this is personal preference). Twist the ends so that the seitan is completely covered in foil.
- Fill a large pot with a couple of inches of water and place a steam basket in it. Make sure the water does not go past the steam basket or your sausages will get wet! Bring it to high heat.
- Place the seitan sausages into the steaming basket. Try not to stack them, but a bit of overlap is okay. Let them steam for about 40 minutes, flipping them after 20 minutes.
- Remove them from the foil and parchment paper (they will be hot)!
- Set aside (you will pan fry them with your vegetables).
Vegetables
- Wash and slice your zucchini. Chop your garlic.
- Add to pan, along with your sliced vegan sausage, with some oil. Sauté on medium heat.
- Cook your gnocchi according to package directions. Drain.
- Add your gnocchi to the pan of zucchini and sausage. Stir.
- Plate and top with a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of fresh herbs of choice (optional) and sprinkle of vegan cheese.