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January 29, 2012

Simple Italian Sausages

by IsaChandra

Makes 4 Sausages
Time: 50 minutes || Active time: 10 minutes

Vegan Sausages

I realized I don’t have a super basic sausage recipe on the site and so here it is! The now classic, always magical, seitan and bean steamed-in-tinfoil sausage. Perfect for grilling, sauteeing or tossing into stews.

In case this is your first time making a vegan sausage, here’s what’s going down: You’re going to mash some beans in a mixing bowl and then throw in the other ingredients and mix. Then you’re going to roll ‘em in tinfoil like a Tootsie Roll, and steam them. And then, like magic, you will have vegan sausages. Easiest thing in the world! A few versions of these sausages appear in Vegan Brunch.

1/2 cup cooked white beans (great northern or navy), rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil *or* 1 tablespoon tomato paste (tomato paste is a great fat replacement)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon granulated garlic *or* 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely grated
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed *or* 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Several dashes fresh black pepper

Before mixing your ingredients, get the steaming apparatus ready, bringing water to a full boil. The rest of the recipe comes together very quickly.

Have ready 4 square sheets of tin foil. In a large bowl, mash the beans until no whole ones are left. Throw all the other ingredients together in the order listed and mix with a fork. Divide dough into 4 even parts (an easy way to do this: split the dough in half and then into quarters). Place one part of dough into tin foil and mold into about a 5 inch log. Wrap dough in tin foil, like a tootsie roll. Don’t worry too much about shaping it, it will snap into shape while it’s steaming because this recipe is awesome.

Place wrapped sausages in steamer and steam for 40 minutes. That’s it! You can unwrap and enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

  • January 29, 2012 at 7:48 pm: julia bloom

    This looks great! Just an obvious but probably helpful clarification – the beans are already cooked, correct?

    • January 29, 2012 at 8:17 pm: IsaChandra

      Yes, I updated the recipe to be clear. Thanks!

  • January 29, 2012 at 7:53 pm: Janet

    Since this isn’t my first seitan sausage–they are sooo easy and sooo good–the element of surprise will be gone, but I’m looking forward to it. (I was relieved when I saw “mash beans” as the first instruction, because canned beans are our friends.)

  • January 29, 2012 at 7:54 pm: Kevin

    Ive made these a couple of times, the first time they came out perfect, but the second time, following the exact same recipe, they came out super mushy and flabby and not chewy. Do you know what might have gone wrong?

    • January 29, 2012 at 8:15 pm: IsaChandra

      Interesting! Did you change the kind of gluten you were using or not cook them long enough? Or perhaps mismeasure something? Happens to the best of us, me too!

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:24 pm: Laúra

    I’ve made these lots of times and I always use different kinds of beans, delicious! I’ve noticed that if you use refried beans they come out floppier but still yummy.

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:35 pm: mamapasta

    I’ve done it with split peas…and chillies but yours are more red…yummy !

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:40 pm: BklynHeart

    Anyone reading the comments for thoughts, go ahead and make these. I’ve made them out of Vegan Brunch and they were fantastic. The Husband said he could have been fooled, and was bowled over by their deliciousness.

    Actually, just go ahead and try everything from this site, I’m pretty sure at this point you will not regret it. I haven’t.

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:49 pm: Gretchen manzer

    Yes! I fricken love you!

  • January 29, 2012 at 8:50 pm: Audrey

    This is really brilliant! I will have to make these one of these days. I love that you included the idea to sub tomato paste. Thanks, Isa! You’re a genius!

  • January 29, 2012 at 9:22 pm: Pauline from France

    Such a funny coincidence: I just tried today your “smoky maple sausages” – my first trial of a home-made vegan sausage!
    Thank you for sharing so many great recipes!

  • January 29, 2012 at 9:26 pm: jessica

    these look sooo good! I miss seitan after going gluten free..nothing is quite as good as a meat substitute. Maybe someday..:)

  • January 29, 2012 at 9:27 pm: jessica

    okay one question-would this *possibly* work with TVP instead of VWG? Just wondering if anyone has tried it..

    • January 29, 2012 at 11:16 pm: IsaChandra

      No, it won’t. But there’s some discussion on the PPK Facebook about gluten-free possibilities. Mentioned so far: a recipe in Gluten Free Vegan Cooking For Dummies and this: http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-cooking-article/gluten-free-gluten/472515 I personally have not tried either so I can’t vouch for it, but let us know if you do try it!

  • January 29, 2012 at 9:29 pm: Sam Wibatt

    I’ve been making these (or a very similar kind of sausage) from this post here: http://www.theppk.com/2008/02/on-sausages-and-community/ for a few years. They’re terrific!

  • January 30, 2012 at 2:14 am: Caryn

    I’m eager to try these but have a question about the steaming apparatus. Will a veggies steamer do the trick? I can’t imagine how to set it up with enough water to boil for 40 minutes and not get the sausages wet. What am I missing?
    thank you!

    • January 30, 2012 at 4:46 am: IsaChandra

      I’m not sure what your definition of a veggie steamer is (maybe post a pic or a link?), but I use a metal steamer in an 8 quart pan, so there’s plenty of room. But if yours is smaller and the water will evaporate, just keep a close eye and add more already hot water as needed. You can also use a large pot with a colander and lid. (Wrap the sides in tin foil if needed.)

  • January 30, 2012 at 1:03 pm: wendy (healthy girls kitchen)

    thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

  • January 30, 2012 at 2:43 pm: Brighde Reed

    Perhaps this is a silly question. Can one fry the sausages after steaming so they are like normal sausages?

    • January 30, 2012 at 5:36 pm: IsaChandra

      Yep, I most often grill or saute them. They’re even better that way!

  • January 30, 2012 at 4:10 pm: Alyssa

    @Brighde, yes! Pan-fried in some olive oil is how they’re at their most delicious, in my opinion.

  • January 30, 2012 at 5:58 pm: Jessica

    I feel the way about homemade veggie sausages as I assume most parents feel about their children: I’m so very proud of them, and can’t wait to eat them.

  • January 30, 2012 at 7:02 pm: elizabeth

    I have these steaming in the pressure cooker right now, my hands smell like fennel and oregano. I’ve never worked with vital wheat gluten, it sure has a strange texture.
    Do you have a chicken apple version for this recipe?

  • January 30, 2012 at 7:06 pm: Willow

    You say to prepare your steaming apparatus… because it is not good for it to sit before steaming? or because you’re hungry and wanna eat in a hurry?

    First veg. sausages evah, and the man isn’t convinced, so I don’t want to mess this up ;op

  • January 30, 2012 at 7:07 pm: Willow

    Oh, I meant to ask too: would this freeze well?

  • January 30, 2012 at 8:19 pm: Bree

    How would these come out made without the nutritional yeast? Where I live it’s hard to come by and I don’t have any.

  • January 30, 2012 at 9:56 pm: tanya

    I’ve made these before, but I’d really like to use something (healthier and more natural) other than aluminium foil. Any suggestions?

  • January 31, 2012 at 1:28 am: Carolyn

    My first seitan sausage trials came by way of PPK and Julie H, and I’ve never had a fail. Every time I’ve made seitan with a recipe like this (with these general proportions), it has come out great. But confesh- I use olive oil AND tomato paste, so that kinda blows the low fat trick all to hell. Nevertheless, this is a foundation recipe, sorta like grammy’s spaghetti sauce.

  • January 31, 2012 at 1:37 am: Tierney @ Get Your Veg On

    This looks great! I’d much rather make my own veggie sausages instead of relying on store-bought versions. Thanks for posting this – I can’t wait to make them!

  • January 31, 2012 at 1:42 pm: Connie Fletcher

    I have made lots of variations of your veg sausages and have never been disappointed!!!!!!!!!! They are, as we say in Vermont, FREAKIN’ YUMALICIOUS!!!!! OK, not everyone in Vermont says that…but I surely do!

  • January 31, 2012 at 4:15 pm: Melissa

    I love these and make them all the time. Have you ever frozen them? I’d love to make them in bulk and have them always on hand. They’re so good!

  • January 31, 2012 at 4:25 pm: Willow

    It’s funny that you put these up because I just made them last week. I’ve been eating the heck out of them they are so good! I also made navy bean gravy with the left over beans and some crepes and sauteed the sausages with some garlic, onion, and chard. It was uber delicious!

  • January 31, 2012 at 4:31 pm: Graham

    The Julie Hasson original recipe:

  • January 31, 2012 at 5:51 pm: Austin

    There’s been a lot of talk on the PPK forums about different kinds of sausages (ex. andouille, bratwurst, etc.). I was wondering if the spice combinations are the only thing that changes.

  • January 31, 2012 at 6:27 pm: Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi)

    Um. These are amazing. Truly. I’m never buying a vegan sausage again.

  • January 31, 2012 at 7:26 pm: wkde

    ummmmmmm is there something other then foil i can use al.transferrs into the food ./;]

    • January 31, 2012 at 10:48 pm: IsaChandra

      If you ask nicely and without typos I will tell you.

  • February 1, 2012 at 3:08 am: Miss Chievous RN

    lmao! is there an alternative to foil? maybe parchment paper or muslin or corn husk?

    • February 1, 2012 at 3:17 am: IsaChandra

      Tamale husks do work! I’ve used them in a pinch. They come out differently shaped, but they work. Parchment tied with string works, too, but the shapes can be erratic. If you’re just chopping it up, though, who cares?

  • February 1, 2012 at 10:51 am: Beatrice

    Hello, thanks for al your amazing recipes Isa! I am in the UK and it is often hard to get ingredients for your recipes, sadly. For example I have never seen (and don’t really know what they are to be honest) these in my local shops:

    Vital wheat gluten
    Nutritional yeast

    Can you name any alternatives? Or a UK name for these things?

    Really want to make the stew with these sausages in. Thanks again! :)

  • February 1, 2012 at 11:14 am: Therese

    Hi Beatrice,

    I live in the UK and I buy those online. I suggest goodnessdirect.co.uk or veggiestuff.co.uk.

    Nutritional yeast:

    Wheat gluten flour:

    • February 1, 2012 at 6:00 pm: IsaChandra

      Thanks for the info! I also want to add that there is a UK section on my message boards (just click forum up on top.) If you ever have ingredient questions, I bet you could find answers in there. I’ve never been to the UK so I am not fit to answer those questions, I would just be googling it.

  • February 1, 2012 at 11:15 am: Therese

    That sausage looks delicious by the way – can’t wait to try it!

  • February 1, 2012 at 5:01 pm: dana

    These look amazing! Has anyone ever tried steaming these in a pressure cooker? I’m wondering if it would work and how long it would take.

  • February 1, 2012 at 9:42 pm: Corey

    I make these all the time. In fact, I am making them as I type this. But every time I make them, all I can think is, “why do Isa’s look so perfect? Did she use some sort of vegan voodoo?” Mine always look crappy (pun intended).

  • February 1, 2012 at 9:55 pm: Brittany

    Can these be made tiny like cocktail weenies? How long do you think i should steam them?? Thanks!

  • February 1, 2012 at 9:57 pm: Maddy

    Yes! This looks delicious. However, I’m not a fan of nutritional yeast :( does the flavor come through really strongly in the recipe or is there anything I could sub in? Thanks!

  • February 2, 2012 at 9:44 am: Beatrice

    Thanks Terese and Isa :) Much appreciated info.

  • February 2, 2012 at 3:14 pm: cate

    Is there a way to sub a gluten free ingredient for the vital wheat gluten? :/

  • February 2, 2012 at 7:10 pm: missbear

    Can I ask a thick question? Can I used canned beans and count them as cooked (as canned are cooked in the can….. I’m having an awful day and so my brain is totally fried. Sorry!)

    • February 2, 2012 at 7:24 pm: IsaChandra

      Yes, of course!

  • February 2, 2012 at 8:41 pm: missbear

    Thanks so much, I’m truly sorry for being such a dullard today!

  • February 2, 2012 at 11:22 pm: Nathalie

    I made a double batch Tuesday and we’ve been enjoying them in all sorts of dishes since- it was the first time I made vegan sausages and I am definitely not buying the overpriced and less tasty ones from the health food stores again! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! And a gazillion others too… I can’t believe I never checked your site out before!?
    Has anyone ever tried freezing these? Does it work? Would be great to be able to have a little stash in the freezer!

  • February 3, 2012 at 4:18 am: Maddy

    I’m not a fan of nutritional yeast :( does the flavor come through really strongly in the recipe or is there anything I could sub in? Thanks!

  • February 3, 2012 at 4:41 am: quarrygirl

    aaaaaaaaah! i wish i could tell you how grateful i am for this recipe. i made it the other night for the first time and it was amazing! so much so, that i made a double batch tonight (which came out perfect) to eat throughout the weekend. just the smell of these things cooking makes me giddy.

    huge thanks! your recipes are undoubtably the backbone of my home cooked meals. <3

  • February 3, 2012 at 9:38 pm: amliag

    You can also get gulten flour from here http://www.flourbin.com/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi?search_text=&formCategory=Gluten+Powder
    this is where I got my first lot from. Then I got some when I was on holiday in the USA.
    Think I used the other link for my nutritional yeast – make sure you stock up for all the other delicious recipes you’ll need to make once you have it!!
    Oh, make sure you make the bean balls too once you have your gluten flour :)

    And I’d also know if these are still good if you freeze them. I’m a big fan of having a huge cooking session and filling the freezer up with goodies for later!

  • February 3, 2012 at 9:49 pm: Rhian Bowley

    Yes, these are great to freeze. I like to make a big batch & have them there ‘just in case’. They go with loads of meals – pasta, breakfast, stirfrys, sandwiches – perfect emergency freezer food.

  • February 4, 2012 at 2:57 am: Heidi

    I’m just starting to go vegan, what is vital wheat gluten, is it just wheat flour?? I can’t wait to try these they sound wonderful!

  • February 4, 2012 at 5:33 pm: amliag

    Thanks Rhian :)
    @Heidi – it’s not normal flour, it’s gluten flour. Have a look at the links in the previous comments if you’re in the UK. If you’re lucky enough to live in America then Bob’s Red Mill make it. I got mine in Whole Foods when I was there in the summer :)

  • February 5, 2012 at 9:58 am: Joy

    These were so easy and really good! Made spaghetti with them. Steamed the sausages, then sliced them and fried them up in some olive oil, added mushrooms, onions, lots of garlic and herbs, tomato sauce. Tossed with whole wheat spaghetti. Served it at my chavurah gathering and everybody loved it – babies to parents and everyone in between! And *tonight*, I used the sausage recipe and seasoned them like hot dogs (from Ruhlman’s hot dog recipe), and lo and behold, they smell and taste like hot dogs!!! I’ll be slicing them and simmering them in my home-made barbecue sauce for Superbowl party. Woohoo! I love vegan cooking!!

    • February 5, 2012 at 5:58 pm: IsaChandra

      Sounds so fun!

  • February 5, 2012 at 4:13 pm: MichelleB

    Hi Isa,
    When made correctly, are these at all rubbery? Today was my first time making wheat gluten sausages, and they turned out quite rubbery. If that’s not how they’re supposed to be, I think my error was that my vegetable broth was warm, rather than room temp, when I mixed up the batter. Just wasn’t sure what the texture is supposed to be.

    • February 5, 2012 at 5:53 pm: IsaChandra

      Hmm, I wouldn’t describe them as rubbery. They’re definitely firm and have a bite, but they shouldn’t be hard to chew or gummy. Yes, warm broth does activate gluten so that could be the problem.

  • February 5, 2012 at 11:31 pm: Summer

    These are delicious! I’ve tried making other Italian sausage style things before, and I was disappointed. I think it was the steaming process that really set these apart! They were plenty moist without falling apart. The spice mixture on these is absolutely perfect for me. I used the tomato paste instead of oil, and I don’t miss any richness at all. Next time, however, I will put my beans and broth into a blender before I add the rest of the ingredients, because apparently I’m no good at hand mashing. I still have whole beans! I think the texture would be better if they were completely smooshed up. Oh, and I did a nutritional analysis on these, and each sausage has 225 calories and about 33 grams of protein (if anyone is interested!). I’ll be making these this summer for grilling!

  • February 6, 2012 at 8:12 pm: Daniel

    Any idea what the cook time would be in the pressure cooker for these bad boys? I see a couple other commenters have mentioned it. I Googled for other vegan sausage recipes, and they seem to suggest about 15 minutes.

  • February 7, 2012 at 1:12 am: Heidi

    Thank you! I’m in America.. I’ll try whole foods.

  • February 7, 2012 at 3:55 pm: Cielle

    Wow! MERCI BEAUCOUP!!! ;) I live in Montreal, Quebec… It was my first time making vegan sausages and I can tell it’s a very ridiculously easy and delicious recipe!!! I use to by a lot of Tofurky italian sausages and the taste of yours is not so fa… ! Next time I’ll make smaller ones so they can fit in hot-dog breads ;) Oh! and I’ll try a batch with some beer in it! Also, I’ll search for another way to roll them instead of using alu… too much waste for me. I’ll let you know if I find something effective… Bon appétit!

  • February 7, 2012 at 11:47 pm: Corey

    I put them in a soup with white beans and kale, topped pizza with them, made sausage sandwiches, and tonight was currywurst. Every time I cook these, I’m blown away by how amazing they are. Making a double batch was the best idea ever.

  • February 9, 2012 at 9:31 pm: Cindy

    I really like these sausages! I made a double-batch, so I could make the seitan beef stew (awesome stuff!), chop some up for breakfast and to add to spaghetti sauce.

  • February 10, 2012 at 10:58 pm: Pat

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these sausages and have even made extra of the spice blend to keep on hand for the next time I make them (as I have done with your spice blend for tofu scramble from Vegan Brunch). Will try the Seitan & Porcini Stew tonight. Thanks so much for your delicious recipes.

  • February 12, 2012 at 2:41 pm: Rachel Joseph

    I can’t get vital wheat gluten (I live in Malaysia). My local health food cafe say they make their seitan with ordinary flour but when I use this in these sausages they are pretty heavy. Any alternatives?

  • February 15, 2012 at 4:32 pm: Tina

    These were super easy to make and fabulous with peppers and onions! Great in pasta sauce, too! Thank you!

  • February 17, 2012 at 12:45 pm: Connie Fletcher

    I’ve got these in the steamer, even as I type. This recipe is the bomb!!!! The only thing I add, is finely chopped fresh italian parsley. Also, Rachel Joseph: if you’re using regular flour, the process is much longer and very involved, but it can be done. Google (?) making seitan with all purpose flour?

  • February 17, 2012 at 2:45 pm: MamaMelissa

    Any problems with doubling the recipe? My steamer tray fits in a rather small pot… so I know if I doubled the recipe they’ll fit, but they’ll be cozy/crowded in there. Do I steam for the same amount of time, or longer? Move the sausages around? Or steam in two batches?

    • February 17, 2012 at 4:19 pm: IsaChandra

      You can double. No need to steam longer. If you think they’re too crowded then yeah, move em around once.

  • February 17, 2012 at 8:47 pm: MamaMelissa

    I had no trouble with doubling the recipe. They were all consistently steamed/cooked! I don’t know why I thought it would work, but I put a few drops of liquid smoke in the water before dropping the sausages in to steam. Maybe next time I’ll add just a drop or two along with the vegetable broth to give it a smoky taste.

    Is it smart to cool them completely before refrigerating, or doesn’t it matter? I was wondering if it would change the texture if I stick them right into zip locks and stored them in the fridge. I also don’t want them to dry out on the counter. Suggestions?

  • February 17, 2012 at 11:43 pm: Heidi Cunningham

    Can you use some other kind of flour instead of the vital wheat gluten???? Is that the actual name or are you saying that it is vital to use the wheat gluten??

  • February 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm: bunniee

    Heidi, vital wheat gluten is flour with most of the starch removed, making it 75% protein. I don’t think there is a substitute, regular flour would be too starchy.

  • February 19, 2012 at 6:38 pm: Nicole

    I can’t use nutritional yeast (it makes me ill) . What can I use in place of it? More wheat gluten?

  • February 20, 2012 at 5:42 pm: Julia

    Wow. I have tried SO MANY vegan sausage recipes and they are always lacking. This is by far the best sausage recipe I have ever made–I’m pretty sure the beans are the magic ingredient here. Yet, the sausages were still a bit on the bland side for me, so I will increase spice quantities in the future. I sliced and cooked some of the sausage in olive oil to crisp them up a bit and boy, oh boy were they delicious!

    Thanks again for another hit, Isa! Or should I say….Old Reliable? ;)

    • February 20, 2012 at 7:14 pm: IsaChandra

      Are you calling me old?!

  • February 21, 2012 at 1:24 am: Heidi

    thanks! I have to get to the store , so I can try these sausages.

  • February 21, 2012 at 10:37 am: SallyT

    Is there some reason why I can’t eat these every day? I have been very attached to vegan sausages recently–it’s a bit scary!

  • February 21, 2012 at 8:18 pm: Sonchit

    The recipe seems easy and ‘global’ so what i would like to know is if you could recommend some good sauces that would go nicely with them. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

  • February 22, 2012 at 12:09 am: Jim

    Would you be able to advise spice modifications to make this a breakfast sausage?

  • February 25, 2012 at 8:36 am: Anna

    It’s amazing!

  • February 27, 2012 at 10:36 pm: Rebecca

    I just tried these yesterday, and they are amazing!

  • February 28, 2012 at 5:21 am: Joy

    I already commented, but I just made these tonight again, and they are JUST SO WONDERFUL! The only difference I made from the first time I made them (Italian flavored, the second time I made them, I actually flavored them like hot dogs, and those were a HUGE hit) was using fresh garlic instead of granulated garlic. Seems like such a simple difference, but it’s the only thing I did differently, and they were way better this time. Can’t say why. I LOVE THESE SAUSAGES!! Isa, you are truly a (punk) rock star!!

  • February 29, 2012 at 8:30 am: Bluebirdwhobird

    Hiya! These look great!
    I’m having problems tho with cups (i’m from the uk) I have your vegan with vengeance book and was so relieved it was in grams and oz, could someone help me out with how to convert or even use US cups?
    It will make me a very happy lady!
    Hope you’re all smiley :)

  • March 1, 2012 at 7:05 pm: Florence

    These are the bomb! So so good! My four year old daughter say : Oh! they taste much better than the sausages from the store. Says it all (those with children know what I mean)!! Thanks!

  • March 2, 2012 at 11:02 pm: Lisa

    Might be a stupid question ,but here goes….Can i sub canned chickpeas for the white beans??Or will it ruin it?

    • March 3, 2012 at 12:15 am: IsaChandra

      You can! But mash very well because chickpeas are firmer than white beans.

  • March 6, 2012 at 3:52 pm: Sam

    I’ve tried the recipe with chickpeas and it worked fine (also added morrocan spice mix and tahini) I blitzed in the processor rather than mashing though.

  • March 8, 2012 at 4:30 pm: AlyS

    I would add in the spices earlier, before adding the wheat gluten. I found it difficult to thoroughly incorporate the spices once the wheat gluten was in because the mixture was very “gummy” at that point. Overall, however, I was so happy with how these turned out after my first try!! So delicious! Can’t wait to make these again. I am going to double the recipe! Also, I might increase the spice amounts.

  • March 8, 2012 at 6:51 pm: Linda

    these were so easy to make- and so delicious!!! how long will they keep in the fridge- or in the freezer??? Will def be making these again thanks Isa !!!!

    • March 8, 2012 at 8:29 pm: IsaChandra

      They keep in the fridge for 5 days or so. Freezer about a month.

  • March 10, 2012 at 2:44 am: Linda

    Awesome- thanks so much I will def be making these again!!

  • March 13, 2012 at 6:53 pm: Joy

    These might be my very favorite recipe from your site, Isa! They’re so useful! The other thing I love about them is that I always make a double batch, and they last through many meals: in spaghetti, as a pizza topping (with caramelized onions…oh BABY), as a hash for breakfast… And for a pound of spaghetti, for example, I only use 2 or 3 sausages. WAYYY cheaper than the Tofurkey sausages, tastier, HOME-MADIER. They ROCK.

  • March 15, 2012 at 2:30 pm: Lynne Gerard

    Dear Isa,
    I’ve been making seitan for years and years, following a system of cooking it in boiling water which I learned from two different cookbooks. Having been a fool for sausage all my life, I have been on and off trying to make vegan sausage over the years (via boiling) and have never even come close. Then, surfing the web, I read something about steaming a seitan loaf. Steaming?!! Never heard of that! (I live on an island in the wilderness and don’t get out much…) Well that got me to searching the web about steamed seitan, wherein I tumbled into this blog entry of yours. Reading the success and innovations from your many commentators fueled well the initial excitement the recipe you gave generated. I couldn’t wait to try making these and thankfully had all the ingredients on hand so went right at it–and met with awesome success!!! Isa! You cannot imagine how HUGE a thing this is for me!!! My husband is now a sausage addict too (and relieved to not have to suffer the trials and failures from the boiled method attempts!)

    Well, I also do a lot of cooking using a clay oven (a Romertopf) which basically steams food after the clay baker has been soaked in water and then put in a cold oven and then turned on to 400°F–typically for forty to fifty minutes depending on what’s being cooked. Of course, Isa–I had to try making these vegan sausages in the Romertopf. What do you think happened? PERFECTION!! The only difference is instead of steaming for 30 minutes in a traditional stovetop steamer, it takes 40 minutes (because you have to start with a cold oven and it needs extra time for the steam to build.) Even less bother than the stovetop method because once done, when the clay oven is cooled down, you simply put it away…no washing or drying necessary.

    They say knowledge is power…well this vegan recipe has been truly empowering. My husband impressed upon me long ago to eschew the store-bought versions of vegan sausage, but I confess I used to pine away for good vegan sausage–no more–and this recipe (and its variants) is so easy and so superior in taste & texture, store-bought versions will never again catch my eye.

  • March 20, 2012 at 8:41 pm: Steph

    In an experiment to find alternate wrappings, in the same batch I wrapped half the sausages in muslin/cheesecloth and the other half in alum foil. While the ones in the cheesecloth came out fine, they were a bit more rubbery than their foil counterparts and a little less tasty. So my conclusion is the foil wrapped have both better texture and better taste. I also sliced and fried each side by side to see if the differences waned. While it improved the cheesecloth sausages, I found the foil ones still better. Regarding someone’s concern about waste, the foil easily rinses for reuse.

  • March 22, 2012 at 4:18 am: evilive

    i love this recipe. thank you very much

  • March 24, 2012 at 4:36 pm: Jenny

    I just made these and am really a bit overly proud of myself…….my first ever bag of wheat gluten! From the picture yours look wonderfully firm and chewy, and whilst chewy, mine are slightly ‘rubbery’ to my palate. I wonder if anyone else has found this? Is this generally how they are? I followed the recipe as faithfully as possible (though used smoked paprika instead of sweet). Still, they are incredibly yummy and now I have four proud sausages to throw into a casserole tomorrow! <3

  • March 27, 2012 at 12:18 am: Lisa

    I just made these using white kidney beans and they came out perfect.i sliced one and sautéed it and used it for a pizza topping with kale , mushrooms and onions ,so good!!

  • March 27, 2012 at 10:49 pm: Julia

    Hello, I made some bratwursts based on this recipe, as well as these Italian ones, both delicious, thank you so much for the technique!! As another alternative to foil: I used a double layer of cheese cloth to wrap them, and tied off the ends with some kitchen string. Then I ran out of kitchen string and used twist ties for the last one! It all worked out.

  • April 1, 2012 at 4:06 am: GT

    I just made these, albeit with a little more chili than the recipe called for (I was looking for a ‘Chorizo’ type flavour).

    Like another person, I made the (rookie) mistake of using warm ‘broth’ (vege stock + hot water in my case) which definitely activated the gluten.

    I found that I need to steam mine for upwards of an hour – but I have made ‘fat’ sausages. The ones that I steamed for the regulation 40 minutes wound up still rubbery. (Note to self: next time use cold stock, dummy).

    When I pan-fried one (after steaming) it turned out pretty damned good – I wish I had taken a photo before I scarfed it down. It was certainly good enough to stick on a bun with some barbeque sauce, grated cheese (yes… sorry) and fried onions for a spicy ‘schmancy’ hot dog.

    As an Aussie though, I would love to see someone come up with a recipe that turned out to taste just like those ‘common or garden’ Coles sausages that are used on barbeques throughout the mighty ‘Strayan’ nation during cricket season; all Aussies know them… they’re the ones that are basically snouts, hooves, ears, tails, breadcrumbs, salt and sawdust.

  • April 23, 2012 at 11:40 pm: Peark

    Can I make it into a log instead of sausages so I could slice it and use for sandwiches ?

  • April 24, 2012 at 2:50 am: morgan

    Aluminum substitute: For those worried about the wastefulness of using aluminum, I wanted to report that I made a batch tonight using plastic hotdog casing (http://www.lemproducts.com/product/671/178). Worked like a charm, though I need to work on my stuffing technique to reduce the air pockets.

    Next challenge will be to try using fresh gluten made from flour instead of the packaged gluten flour. Anyone tried this?

  • May 19, 2012 at 10:55 am: Bluebird

    I noticed a comment about not using foil.. could you use cling film with a bit of oil on the sausage to sticking when unwrapping? I’ve used clingfilm to ‘boil’ veggie sausages before…
    Also mine came out HUGE last time.. not that this is a bad thing at all.. but wondering why yours look so dainty and cute and mine were such beasts.
    Does some gluten expand more than others?
    Thanks ! :)

  • May 26, 2012 at 2:09 am: sayntzero

    Just for full disclosure, I am not vegan. I am not vegetarian. I choose to eat meat very rarely and only when I know it’s source down to the grass it ate.

    Lately I have been craving a spicy sausage for breakfast. Not the spices of sausage, not some chemical concoction that looks like sausage, not browned soy, but for real sausage.

    We tried this tonight and I am amazed. When it came out of the steamer it was really good. When I got out a skillet and crumbled some on medium-low heat, it got even better. The flavor and the texture were just incredible.

    I am not a fan of meat replacement foods, but I would have written this review 20 minutes ago if I could have stopped eating it.

    Thank you so much for giving me a solution for my weird breakfast cravings.

  • July 7, 2012 at 8:18 pm: Momsaysimaoops

    I am looking for the forum that lists all of the different amazing spicing changes that can be used with this recipe. This Basque girl is trying to get her Chorizo on! Soyrizo is “ok” but not grillable. I’d like to make a couple of different flavors so I can A. Save money B. feel a hell of a lot more proud about my cooking knowing I made my faux meats instead of buying under seasoned, overprocessed soy products. If ANYONE can assist me in my search I would be incredibly appreciative! Thanks

  • July 13, 2012 at 12:44 am: Rhonda

    Made these tonight — they were supper easy and AWESOME! I think I’m going to have one for breakfast. My first seitan recipe — yay!!!!

  • July 19, 2012 at 2:54 pm: Emily

    I just made these (subbing chickpeas for white beans, rosemary and parsley for the oregano and thyme) and they are amazingly delicious! I could barely stop myself from “taste testing” the entire first sausage.
    I plan to serve them tonight fried with roasted carrots, rice, and a red pepper coulis. Yum.

  • July 30, 2012 at 12:30 am: Denielle

    This looks so good and less expensive than store bought! Thank you, can not wait to try!

  • August 5, 2012 at 2:50 pm: Dan

    Hi! Should I leave a little room for the “sausages” to expand in the foil or do I wrap them up tight? Thanks!

  • August 5, 2012 at 10:47 pm: jo-ann

    nice. thanks isa chandra so much for putting that on here. i am new to this vegan diet and working on of course getting alot better and be a total vegan down the road. i am 3/4 there. i really appreciate the time all of the people i met on here who have put receipes on line for people such as myself. i look forward when i have the time to try this one for sure. it seems easy enough.. and hopefully i will like it. have a great night. thanks again.

  • August 10, 2012 at 6:06 am: Brian

    Mine turned out great! I wished it was a bit bolder on the spices, but I’ll just add more next time!

  • August 27, 2012 at 3:15 pm: Russell

    Thanks Isa Chandra, I made these vegan sausages and they were great. But I was wondering if it would be OK. to use anything other than white beans in the recipe?

    • September 3, 2012 at 4:04 am: IsaChandra

      Sure, other beans work well. What did you have in mind?

  • September 3, 2012 at 9:28 pm: VP

    I have tried making these a few times. Each time the texture is perfect, but I get the typical wheat gluten taste that I get every time I make some type of seitan dish. I have tried experimenting with different brands of vital wheat gluten, doubling the spices in the recipe, and brushing them with different sauces afterwards and baking them. Still, I can’t get rid of that after taste. Do you think slow cooking them or baking them in some marinade, instead of steaming, would help? This recipe has so many great reviews. I don’t know if I am doing something wrong or if people just don’t mind the seitan after taste. I would appreciate any ideas you have for getting rid of that after taste.

    • September 3, 2012 at 10:23 pm: IsaChandra

      I don’t think I can help because I don’t notice an aftertaste! I’m sorry. Maybe someone who has the same issue would be able to help.

  • September 7, 2012 at 5:52 pm: Vegima

    I have been getting an aftertaste that may or may not be the same as what VP has been getting. I have not had that aftertaste when I have made other types of seitan (and I have always been using the same brand of Vital Wheat Gluten all along). At first, I thought it was maybe one of the herbs, like oregano, so I cut that back, but still had that funky taste. I was thinking maybe it was the nutritional yeast I was using. I never thought that it might be the VWG (after i test another brand of nutritional yeast, maybe I’ll have to try that). I was on a roll trying different things with this, but got busy and haven’t been able to make them again and test why I’m getting that funky aftertaste. If I figure it out, I’ll let you know.

  • September 12, 2012 at 2:23 am: Maggie

    Thank you, Isa! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Can I use regular paprika instead of sweet paprika?

  • September 16, 2012 at 11:41 pm: Maggie

    Isa, you are a genius. These sausages are unbelievable.

  • September 18, 2012 at 3:28 pm: Tania

    Hi! By vital wheat gluten you mean the loose flour kind right? Not the already solid meat like seitan ground up? I made this recipe using seitan and it was a mushy mess :( ! The foil basically exploded in the steamer and it didn’t get solid at all.

  • September 24, 2012 at 1:47 pm: Ava

    Love the recipe! I had issues with them sticking to foil and did not have a sausage shape when trying to unwrap–maybe because they stuck to foil? They still tasted great but was more like a spread or dip than s sausage!. I’m going to try another batch today. ;-)

  • September 25, 2012 at 1:13 am: melody

    Just made these, VERY easy but they are spicy! I might do half the red pepper flakes next time. They passed the hubby test. Next time I’ll try using tomato paste in place of olive oil. They have a wheat gluten taste but not overbearing. We think they’ll be good in stews or pasta sauce.

  • September 27, 2012 at 8:33 pm: ebeth

    I made these the other day and they are wonderful! I was so inspired that yesterday I tweaked the recipe a little bit (added cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika and left out the fennel seed) and came up with a really nice chorizo. Thank you!

  • October 2, 2012 at 11:55 pm: god

    consider corn husks instead of foil. I’ve done it several times, it works, and I don’t have any dementia that I can remember Michael vick? he is the man! I love that guy.

  • October 15, 2012 at 9:30 pm: Karen

    OHhhhhhhh. YUMMMMMMmmmmm!!!!! I used pizza sauce in place of tomato paste and a mushroom broth in place of the vegetable broth. I also used a dash of liquid smoke.

  • October 18, 2012 at 9:15 am: Outsidog

    this taste incredibly good!! OMG!! thanks for sharing the recipe!!

  • October 19, 2012 at 4:23 pm: Lisa

    I have made these gluten free following this basic recipe and the above directions and they are DELISH!!
    Gluten Free option:
    1/2 c. beans, 1 c. broth, 1 Tbsp. olive oil or tomato paste, 1/2 c. garfava flour, 1-1 1/2 c. brown rice flour, 1/4 c. tapioca starch, 1/4c. nutritional yeast (or more brown rice flour), s&p to taste. Used the spices above plus I added 1/2 c. each finely diced red and green pepper and used 2 cloves fresh minced garlic. I used anise seed instead of fennel (mine hasn’t gone to seed yet) and wet the foil just barely before rolling/steaming as above. Amazing. I’m about to make a breakfast sausage version for the weekend…

  • October 19, 2012 at 6:09 pm: Lisa

    I have made these gluten free following this basic recipe and the above directions and they are DELISH!!
    Gluten Free option:
    1/2 c. beans, 1 c. broth, 1 Tbsp. olive oil or tomato paste, 1/2 c. garfava flour, 1-1 1/2 c. brown rice flour, 1/4 c. tapioca starch, 1/4c. nutritional yeast (or more brown rice flour), s&p to taste. Used the spices above plus I added 1/2 c. each finely diced red and green pepper and used 2 cloves fresh minced garlic. I used anise seed instead of fennel (mine hasn’t gone to seed yet) and wet the foil just barely before rolling/steaming as above. Amazing. I’m about to make a breakfast sausage version for the weekend…OOps! I forgot the 2 tsp. of guar gum!! ADD IT TO THE DY INGREDIENTS.

  • October 26, 2012 at 4:34 pm: Sam

    Yes, I’m shouting!
    Easiest recipe, best vegan sausage ever!
    Every bit as good as Field Roast without any funky aftertaste.
    I cannot believe how easy this recipe was and great the results were. I have tried seitan recipes before with terrible results, and were it not for Field Roast, I don’t think I would even eat much in the way of store bought seitan products. However, this recipe changes everything. Serve on a bun with sauteed onions and peppers and you’ve got a great vegetarian sandwich. Its got bite, flavor, spice, looks… just awesome.

  • December 7, 2012 at 12:41 pm: Eric White

    What if you don’t have an steamer ?

  • December 8, 2012 at 11:18 pm: jgjensen

    I use pinto for the color of what I remember as italian sausage–and I’ve doubled the beans and use only one cup vwg with no problems. As a vegetarian for over 35 years, it’s difficult for me to handle the chewiness in the original, but because of the forgiving recipe, it always steams perfectly for me. I’m making the maple sausages tomorrow.

  • December 17, 2012 at 2:07 am: erin

    i’m making a christmas care package of vegan foods for a newly vegan friend who can’t cook and is thus slowly starving to death. these are AMAZING. i used chickpeas instead of white beans, and upped the spices and garlic a little (i love it spicy), and i steamed them for longer than 40 minutes – closer to and hour or so. so. effing. good. i might not give them to him! i absolutely recommend you try this recipe.

  • December 28, 2012 at 5:16 am: Suzy

    HI Isa! I love your books, and have learned so much about vegetarian / vegan cooking from you – Thank you. I actually first found a recipe like this somewhere on You Tube, and one way I enjoyed them was to use a combination of roasted potatoes / yams as an alternative to the beans…and some sun dried tomatoes and maybe pesto in addition to the fennel which is wonderful!
    Anyways, this is a wonderful recipe and I will have to play with making this again very soon.
    I’m going to try throwing in some cooked eggplant to see if I can get something close to field roast.
    (this was the original you tube video that inspired me to make these – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wmNlHOfSrA) I would love to see Isa do a cooking show!

  • January 1, 2013 at 11:53 pm: Szzn G

    Followed recipe exactly… after 40 mins seaming they’re still mush. What did I do wrong?

    • January 2, 2013 at 4:39 am: IsaChandra

      Not high enough heat? Not the right kind of flour? Too much liquid accidentally? Those are my immediate thoughts…

  • January 14, 2013 at 9:57 pm: Statch

    These are so good! I’ve been trying to think of what vegan recipes my husband might like, and he always loved bangers and mash whenever we were in England (me, not so much — bangers are too soft for me). So I tried these, and served them over mashed potatoes. He said they were great, and I even liked them too! We loved your Seitan Porcini stew too, making it without the sausages, so now I have to try it with this…and try them for an Italian sausage sandwich, over spaghetti, over homemade pizza….

  • January 15, 2013 at 8:05 pm: Teresa

    Wow – this is fantastic sausage. I made it on Sunday, then last night, used it “crumbled” in Isa’s Cauliflower Ricotta and Spinach Lasagna – amazing!!!

  • January 24, 2013 at 1:12 am: Cara

    These are fantastic! They are SO easy to make, and the texture is spot on. They were a great addition to my spaghetti tonight. I’m excited to make them with different spice blends.

  • January 25, 2013 at 1:55 pm: Andrea Galas

    Along with the alfredo, this is one of my favs. We had an Italian night and made these with some carmelized onions and roasted red peppers and some lovely fresh bread and wine. Took me back to my childhood. I highly recommend this pairing!

  • February 5, 2013 at 4:19 am: matt

    Just made these and they were perfect. I ran out of nutritional yeast so omitted it, but will try it with this next time. Very quick, easy and really delicious!!! Another winner, thanks!

  • February 8, 2013 at 1:45 am: Ricky Brincat

    Thank you sooo much for this recipe! I have made it 3 times now and it is fool proof! It is a total hit with my family and everyone we’ve shared it with… And we have made double batches every time only to give half of them away. Huge hit!

    I’ve been out of this or that and sub’d it with something else and have had no problems. I’ve even dumped in left over farro and quinoa into it! Good with any black and red beans too. Also, I used liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. You can’t mess this up :)

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

  • February 13, 2013 at 7:30 am: Chef Richard

    Try wrapping with parchment paper under the foil to avoid any contact with aluminum oxide.

  • February 16, 2013 at 8:07 pm: Beth

    Got these steaming right now! What should the texture be like when they are done? Spongy or firm?

    • February 16, 2013 at 9:32 pm: IsaChandra

      Firm! I mean, a little spongy but not so much that you’d call it spongey. Did I confuse you enough?

  • February 17, 2013 at 11:40 pm: Amy

    This is amazing! You have turned myself and husband in to seitan-worshippers. We are so excited to bust out the grill and try these…until then, we are putting them on pizza, sandwiches, sautéed dishes, etc.
    Oh…and this base recipe is fab! My mind is spinning with possibilities for different styles of sausages! Brats! Pepperoni! OMGAWESOMENESS! Thanks Isa!

  • February 20, 2013 at 5:15 pm: Johanna

    Yes, simple and delicious. I added some chipotle powder, too, as I’m going to use it in chili. I just ate one the sausages all by itself. Now I just put a batch of your cornbread in the oven.

  • March 7, 2013 at 10:34 am: Gill T

    I’ve spent forty minutes trying to find out if these could be done in the microwave instead of standing over a steaming pan for- you guessed it forty minutes! Any ideas?

    • March 7, 2013 at 4:12 pm: IsaChandra

      I don’t think so!

  • March 8, 2013 at 10:27 am: Gill T

    Never mind. I went out, bought a steamer pan and made them anyway.
    I am now one fat and happy girl!
    I made the seitan roll at Christmas and that was also divine, but baked in the oven rather than steamed. Do you think these might work in the oven too? Seems I have a thing about steaming!

  • March 14, 2013 at 5:37 pm: Dani

    Love these! I used my food processor..so easy..definitely a keeper

  • March 24, 2013 at 1:20 am: Barbara Martino

    Isa, I made these today. After 4 years plant strong, I cannot tell you how absolutely DELIGHTED I was with these. My husband approves. I’m serving them to company this week. I shared some with a friend as I made a double batch, and I am only concerned that I will get myself tired of these. THANK YOU.

  • March 28, 2013 at 12:25 am: Lucia

    Tried these, they turned out great!! Used in a stir fry and will try them in a stew tomorrow. Thank you!!

  • March 31, 2013 at 7:45 pm: BonnieS

    Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it today for the first time, and am very pleased with the flavor and texture. It couldn’t have been easier! Next time, I will make the rolls a bit thinner. Very excited to try your recipe for the breakfast style ‘sausage’.

  • April 2, 2013 at 12:09 pm: Bear

    I got a question, Does anyone know where i can fins a recipe for sausage using the “traditional” way of making seitan? IE making a wheat dough and kneading out the starch in water baths?

  • April 8, 2013 at 1:58 pm: Melissa

    How fantastic, my husband loves his vegan, veggie sausage and dogs.when I make them myself, I know whats in them. This is so easy. Thanks a million.

  • April 14, 2013 at 6:54 am: Patricia Leo

    It sounds great, my only problem is that this and other recipes all call for he use of aluminum foil. Something that I’ve been trying to avoid for most of my life Any other suggestions. Thanks

  • April 16, 2013 at 5:17 am: amanda-conceredcaterer

    So I’ve worked with seitan before, which is cooked in a broth, but have not tried this recipe. I am cooking for a laaaarge crowd and thinking of making gumbo, and trying to make it cost effective. If i made these sausages, Cajun flavored, do you think they would hold up in a broth, or should i wait till the end to add them?

    • April 16, 2013 at 6:20 pm: IsaChandra

      Oh, they would hold up just fine! They’re really firm.

  • April 24, 2013 at 10:50 pm: Megan

    These are incredible!! I’ve noticed a couple people comment that they used this base to make hot dog-flavoured wheenies – could someone share the spice list, or a link to a recipe? Thanks!!!

  • May 12, 2013 at 2:12 pm: Glennagirlz

    This recipe is awesome! I love store bought vegan sausages, but mt doctor told me to reduce my sodium intake and they are high in sodium. I made this recipe with half the soy sauce (reduced sodium kind) and a tablespoon of salt free tomato past. I used black beans and hot Hungarian paprika. They are so delicious and easy to make! I will be trying more variation in the future!

  • May 19, 2013 at 2:08 am: MorganeQc

    For everyone who want to do those INCREDIBLE sausages but don’t want to use aluminum i’ve found a great way! You’ll need a Food Saver or a friend who have one :-) I simply made 4 tubes with a bag. I’m putting the sausages in the bags leave some room for expension and close it with a coton string. Voilà! You can wash it and use it again and again.

  • June 4, 2013 at 3:13 am: Jeffy

    Just made em for the first time. Really tasty.

  • June 6, 2013 at 12:12 am: Red

    I LOVE this recipe. I double the spices (except the red pepper), and cut the soy sauce in half. My husband wants me to add more oregano & garlic, add bread crumbs and steam them up round for “meatballs”. They are perfect as-is, sliced and sauteed, but he wants “round” with a bit of crumble. I think his idea might just work if I keep them small. But these are just TOTALLY awesome, as is, thanks, Isa! I own all of your cookbooks, paper AND Kindle versions,, except for the cupcakes, because I would totally make all of them, and I really need to hang in at 95 lbs (I’m NOT thin, but I am very short!) I just know your cupcake recipes would have me utterly charmed, bewitched by the batter, hanging in front of the oven, gorging on the results, and I would turn into a beach-ball!
    These sausages are TRULY wonderful! Every single recipe of yours is wonderful! THANKS!!!!

  • June 8, 2013 at 10:32 pm: Carleen

    Thank you so much! My daughter and I were just discussing vegan sausages and how to make them. The store bought ones are so high in sodium. Can’t wait to try these :)

  • June 17, 2013 at 11:20 pm: collette

  • July 1, 2013 at 2:57 am: DougJ (Patterson, CA)

    Hello, Well mine looked exactly like the picture. These Italian Maple sausages are outstanding, awesome, fantastic, & wonderful! The flavors are GREAT, cannot wait to put these on some pizza! These are definitely a “keeper”. Both this Maple and the Italian sausage are almost too easy to make, 20 minutes maximum to prep, then the 40 minute cook time, dinner in an hour.
    These are tastier, with the sense of fresh, over the commerially produced sausages. Plus I estimate the cost to be about $0.65 to $0.80 per sausage, much less cost. (See nearly the same write-up Smoky Maple Sausage).
    Thank you for providing two wonderful recipes.

  • July 4, 2013 at 2:47 pm: Max

    Can these be put in the freezer ? THANKS

    • July 4, 2013 at 3:06 pm: IsaChandra

      They sure can!

  • July 7, 2013 at 6:06 pm: leslie

    I love these!!

  • July 12, 2013 at 6:09 pm: Julie

    Just ate these for dinner last night with homemade barbecue sauce. Omitted the fennel (I like it, the husband and the kid loathe it) and red pepper flakes (again, the kid but can add hot sauce later
    on) & they were incredible easy and tasty. Moist with a good bite…perfect. Thanks!

  • July 15, 2013 at 12:27 am: BILLY

  • July 21, 2013 at 9:28 am: Justin

    Very nice flavour on these!

  • July 21, 2013 at 11:48 am: KImmy

    ALL non-vegans should try this recipe! These sausages are cheaper, healthier, and yummier than regular sausages or poultry sausages. This is my first vegan recipe to date, and it came out perfectly! I sauted in coconut oil with cubed up yams! sooooo delicious and easy! Thank you!

  • August 2, 2013 at 9:02 pm: TGirl

    Any way to make this a gluten free recipe?

  • August 16, 2013 at 2:45 am: cathy

    This is a winner!!

  • August 29, 2013 at 10:47 pm: Heather

    Ok, just made these and then sauteed one sliced up in some olive oil and served over angelhair pasta with marinara sauce, and let me just say its 5 stars!! The best seitan sausage I’ve ever had, beats tofurkey hands down and was easy and cheap to make too:)

  • September 1, 2013 at 4:08 am: Dianna

    These were great! My omni family loved them with spaghetti and on sandwiches! I did halve the crushed red pepper and add a half teaspoon of salt to suit our tastes. I think even without this modification it would be yummy.

  • September 5, 2013 at 7:53 pm: Angela

    So I make seitan cutlets regularly using mashed white beans. But I usually have to knead the mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes for them to come out with a nice chewy texture after steaming. You say to just mix with a fork, so I just want to clarify if it seemed necessary to knead these a bit to get a great texture in the end? Thanks so much!!

  • September 11, 2013 at 5:40 pm: Roger Williams

    Took these to a party a few weeks back. Sliced them up and served with apple slices, crackers, and some spicy mustard. This was not a vegan party, meaning there were mostly meat eaters there. I turned around to talk for a few minutes and when I turned back the sausages were gone!

    I make a triple batch of this pretty much once a week and then use it in scrambles, on salads, and pretty much everything except for dessert, but I am close to that as well.

  • October 2, 2013 at 1:39 am: Kathleen

    I’m almost embarrassed by how much I like these! I have too many friends who think gluten is a four letter word, I just won’t share the recipe with them. I made a double batch after the initial batch to freeze, I ended up having to increase the cooking time to compensate. Thanks for the recipe!

  • October 5, 2013 at 1:40 am: Karen

    This was my first time making vegan sausages. I am hooked. I can’t wait to try different flavor combinations! The first one I unwrapped when into a pan to sautée, then was sliced promptly and devoured with yellow mustard. As a fan of field roast, I have to say, these are just as yummy. And I made them. Thanks Isa!!!!

  • October 8, 2013 at 12:57 am: Amanda

    Holy crap these are good! I made them to try in my favorite red beans and rice but Im not sure how they will last until tomorrow. Thanks for this!

  • October 9, 2013 at 8:12 pm: Mary

    could I use the foundation of this recipe and change up the seasonings to make a smoky chorizo or pepperoni? Your recipes are great by the way!!

  • October 14, 2013 at 5:47 pm: Judi H

    Hi, would the time be different if a pressure cooker steamer was used to make these

  • November 1, 2013 at 8:56 pm: Mary

    Ok, have my first ever vegan sausages in the steamer, 16 minutes to go. You’re right, they come together beautifully. So, I’ll give you an update in a tick or two. Really excited to taste them.

  • November 1, 2013 at 9:23 pm: Mary

    I don’t believe how good these sausages are. They even have the right texture. SO glad I attempted these. Thanks Isa. You’re a marvel!!

  • November 12, 2013 at 11:15 pm: lillian

    Just made these yummy sausages! Thanks for the recipe!

  • November 22, 2013 at 7:48 pm: Susanti

    THE BEST vegan sausages ever- store bought or home made. I have already had these for breakfast and with spaghetti sauce. I can’t wait to make sausage sandwiches, gumbo, quiche…These are very easy to put together & freeze well. Thanks for a keeper!

  • November 22, 2013 at 8:38 pm: bythesea

    I tried this last night and it worked really well. Turns out I really don’t like fennel so I’ll be making them again with different seasonings. I put all the ingredients into a food processor for a quick mix, and it was super fast.

    Since I don’t have a steamer, I used a 4qt slow cooker and a small steel colander, with two cups of water inside that didn’t come near the bottom of the colander. Turned it on high and closed it while making the sausages, then put them in and since the lid didn’t close entirely due to the colander handles, I used foil to close the gap. Put a dishtowel over it and then a pot to weigh it down. It took an hour instead of 40 mins, probably because I didn’t turn it on soon enough, but they came out the perfect texture, consistency, etc.

  • November 23, 2013 at 10:04 pm: Shep

    These are an easy and great tasting alternative to store bought field roast or tofurkey, and they taste AWESOME. Be sure to keep all the liquids cold, including the broth, for best results.

  • November 26, 2013 at 2:52 am: Jamie

    Is there any way to bake these in the oven instead of steaming them? I have burned pots trying to steam things for as little as ten minutes, so I fear this will be a disaster if I attempt it.

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  • December 9, 2013 at 11:52 pm: Alex

    I just made this and substituted 1/2 cup of lentils instead of white beans. It worked perfectly and tastes magical. Thank you!!!!

  • December 16, 2013 at 11:49 am: Michelle

    I made these last night, but made a few changes. I used smoked paprika instead of sweet, I may’ve put a little more crushed pepper flakes (I like it spicey!), and I didn’t steam them. I didn’t think there’d be enough room in the steamer basket so I looked at other sausage seitan recipes and they were also cooked in the oven at 350. I tried 1.5 hours, which they didn’t seam to be cooked quite enough in the middle, so put them back in for a half hour. I went to bed before I could try them, so did so this morning; they may’ve been slightly overcooked, but hard to tell since they were right out of the fridge. May be softer/more tender after being heated? I will find out tonight! :) Taste: top notch! I can see how significant others could be fooled (per some of the comments on this page). WILL MAKE AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN! Note: make sure to have enough foil to actually twist. I just pinched the ends and one actually expanded enough to force it’s way out a bit. Not a big deal, just was a little tough.

  • December 19, 2013 at 7:20 am: pasta sauce

    Fantastic put up, very informative. I ponder why the other specialists of this sector don’t realize this. You should continue your writing. I’m sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!|What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & help other users like its helped me. Good job.

  • January 17, 2014 at 2:18 am: russell chaney

    just made these sausages couldnt find nutri yeast tho, came out good gut just alittle soft.thinking the yeast.still very good thank you.

  • January 24, 2014 at 10:03 pm: Sheindal

    Like others I wanted to avoid aluminium/tin foil so thought I’d experiment and do half in the aluminium foil and half in organic cotton muslins (like you use over your shoulder when holding a baby). There was no difference in consistency, size or taste, only that the aluminium foil ones looked very slightly browned, as if grilled for 30 seconds or so. (I could tell because mine didn’t have paprika etc in so were quite a pallid colour.) So I’d recommend using (organic, so you don’t get any leftover chemical trace seeping in to the sausages) muslins to wrap them in if you don’t want to use the foil. Don’t know if it makes a difference, but I dampened the muslin first. I didn’t have white beans so I used chickpeas and they turned out fine. I’ll roll them thinner next time as all mine turned out the size of haggis not sausage! Thanks for this recipe, wish I’d been able to find organic vital wheat gluten years ago…

  • January 26, 2014 at 12:44 am: Pilander

    SO excited to try this, I was wondering, can I use coconut oil or rice bran oil, instead of olive oil? Sorry if someone already asked.

  • January 27, 2014 at 1:23 am: AshYTim

    Just made these. Sliced, then sautéed, and put them on top of your Roasted Red Pepper Mac…. And uh yeah…. BOMB!

  • January 27, 2014 at 3:20 am: Heika

    These sausages. THESE SAUSAGES, PEOPLE.

    I first pulled up this recipe about a year ago. Looked good, so I bought all the stuff and let it rot in my cupboard because I was lazy.

    I went vegan again about seven months ago, and am always on the lookout for new dishes to try. Today was free, and I was hungry, so I thought I’d round up the stuff and try it for realsies this time. My plan was to make the sausages, then use them in the Seitan Porcini stew*. My luck with homemade seitan has been iffy; a few successes, a few more failures. So I figured if it went pear-shaped, I had a couple of vegan italian sausages in the freezer that I could use in a pinch.

    When the timer went off, it was like Christmas morning. I got all excited, pulled my wrapped little bundles of bean out of my MacGyver’ed steamer, and steeled myself for tragedy as I eagerly ripped one open.

    It is fortunate that the recipe makes 4 sausages, since I ate that one immediately. I ate the whole sausage. I COULD NOT STOP. And now I am full as a freakin’ tick, wondering why I let a whole year go by without these in my life. SO MUCH TIME WASTED THAT COULD HAVE SPENT EATING SAUSAGES.

    Make your life better. Whip these up. Now. Don’t let another day go by. Life is too short to not eat these delicious logs of awesome.

    *also INCREDIBLE, by the way.

  • February 12, 2014 at 5:31 pm: patti

    a couple of questions- I made your recipie for the stew and sausages and it was wonderful- however I do have 2 questions you use low or rapid boil or? I could not tell if or when the sausage were done and what they should look like for sure. Mine were a little chewy but the flavor good…..
    Thank you

  • March 12, 2014 at 5:59 pm: katie

    hmm…now say i want to make a big night style timpano…could this be used in place of the sausage? opinions? if anyone knows what i am talking about, that is…

  • March 20, 2014 at 10:26 pm: David

    And the “active” time include prepping the beans? I dont think so.

  • March 24, 2014 at 7:18 pm: Harper

    I work in a kitchen that just bought sausage stuffer. As a vegetarian, I am looking for alternatives to our new product. Can these be par cooked and frozen for mass production and serving?

  • April 12, 2014 at 8:33 pm: Sandra, Italy

    While everybody else has already said it, I just had to chime in: These are magic and you are a Genius!!!

  • April 14, 2014 at 11:17 pm: tarron

    Ok, first things first. I’ve made these twice now and all I can say is WOWZERS!!! This recipe turns out every time and to make things even easier, I used regular ol’ canned brown beans. I am MORE than thrilled to have this recipe and she isn’t kidding when she says its easy. Do yourself a favour and try these immediately. You won’t be sorry!!!!

  • April 29, 2014 at 2:23 am: Johnk491

    Wow! This could be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Excellent. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your hard work. addaaedbdfag

  • June 27, 2014 at 1:13 am: deb

    if I am making my own seitan, how would I do that?

  • July 15, 2014 at 4:32 pm: JayRed

    Is there a way to pre-cook these without steaming? Maybe form and poach in plastic wrap? Since I’m normally just cooking for myself if I can cook and then cool and store in one package things would be a little more streamlined. Thanks for a great recipe!

  • September 5, 2014 at 12:27 pm: anniy

    Will this work with chick peas (pois de chiches) ?
    thank you

  • September 22, 2014 at 12:07 am: Karina P. Worek

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    webpage, Keep up the good work.

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  • October 11, 2014 at 12:24 am: Beth

    These sound delicious, since I learned of the tin foil bake or boil methods for sausage and hot dog making and such Im addicted. I started with the venison we had. I admit I am all about wild game . I love protein and carbs.. And vodka. But liver made me give that up. Anyway this is tomorrows first task. Love the spices you used and anxiously anticipating biting into the first one! Thank you thank you.. Love fellow adventurous foodies…

  • October 11, 2014 at 7:22 pm: heather

    Geez I wish someone could invent gluten free sausage. :-(

  • November 7, 2014 at 2:14 pm: cheryl

    What is the substitute for wheat gluten?

  • November 8, 2014 at 5:58 pm: Megan

    In it much of a cook but I Love Trader Joes Italian vegan sausage.
    Brown it in olive oil and then add freshly cut sweet tomatoes or
    Marinara sauce til heated through. When using sauce I like to cook it way
    down so it has a roasted taste.

  • November 10, 2014 at 3:44 am: Maureen

    I have made these sausages several times now and I love them! My omnivore daughter and coworker love my pizza when I make it with your sausage recipe (it’s that good). I have used other beans (pinto & black) and it still turns out great but I prefer it as written. Give it a try–you will not be disappointed.

  • February 18, 2015 at 1:57 pm: Leah

    Isa, I love your website and your recipes have impressed the some of the most vegan fearing people I know! I was wondering – with the sausages, if I make 8 smaller sausages instead of 4 fat ones, should the steaming time be reduced and do you have any idea by how much?

  • March 1, 2015 at 1:06 pm: ummi rani

    yummy… next saturday i’ll try, for my lovely husband.. thanks for receips…

  • March 5, 2015 at 1:03 am: Susan

    Can these be frozen after steaming for use (way) later? :) THANKS!

  • May 16, 2015 at 3:21 am: Suzanne

    These are fantastic! Thank you for your wonderful recipes.

  • May 30, 2015 at 9:01 am: Jason Hansell

    I’ve made these twice now and been really pleased with the results, just wondered if you could confirm weights of gluten and other ingredients because I must admit to guessing with the cups conversions, also wonder whether tin foil should be tight or loose, thanks – Jason (UK)

  • May 30, 2015 at 9:01 am: Jason Hansell

    I’ve made these twice now and been really pleased with the results, just wondered if you could confirm weights of gluten and other ingredients because I must admit to guessing with the cups conversions, also wonder whether tin foil should be tight or loose, thanks – Jason (UK)

  • May 30, 2015 at 9:01 am: Jason Hansell

    I’ve made these twice now and been really pleased with the results, just wondered if you could confirm weights of gluten and other ingredients because I must admit to guessing with the cups conversions, also wonder whether tin foil should be tight or loose, thanks – Jason (UK)

  • June 1, 2015 at 11:50 pm: Vivienne

    These look amazing! I want to make some to freeze as reserves. When I thaw them I’d like to just grill them so how long should I steam them for?

  • June 14, 2015 at 10:25 pm: aimee

    I just made them. They are awesome, but this thyme… I can’t wash my mouth out of the taste of it. Even a put only the half amount, still very overwhelming. That was my problem with the pizza mac an cheeze, too. Thyme. It seems to be in every recipe… :(
    I will just leave it out and enjoy the rest. Your recipes are very good, but because I am not american, I suppose I have to shape them to my taste buds. :)
    Thank you anyway. :)

  • June 15, 2015 at 11:50 pm: William Ramos

    Oh my God! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Been vegan now for about a year and a half and have been craving Italian sausage with peppers and onions and this was amazing. Excellent texture and the spices were perfect. Only thing I added was some salt to the recipe. Will be making these for my omnivore friends and they won’t be able to tell the difference.

  • June 19, 2015 at 2:34 am: cheap stone island

    Dr Siebold,????We were worried but the main thing was we knew he was alive.The size of the fine depends on the offence committed.The fine is too bigIf you are fined by a parking attendant, as he liked to call it, But age and illness did not bring Vidal closer to God.95 – or ?35 per cent annual fee on your investments, It represents what??s best about the human spirit.You are a good woman.

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  • June 27, 2015 at 1:45 am: Annelies

    Thanks to everyone’s tips (cool broth, DIY tinfoil steamer,etc.) Every time I’ve made these they’ve been great. So I wanted to share my version: kofta kebabs. The ingredients are the same but instead of fennel seed, oregano, and thyme, use 1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Enjoy!


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City View: Roseville Electric giving away energy-efficient light bulbs

By: Vonette McCauley
-A +A

Those funny looking light bulbs - the ones that save energy - have been around for a while now. But technology has improved significantly since compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)were first introduced. Roseville Electric is now offering you an opportunity to try CFLs for free.

Beginning March 20, Roseville residents can exchange up to 10 incandescent bulbs for ENERGY STAR rated CFL bulbs. CFL bulbs cost less in the long run because they use significantly less energy - less than one quarter of the energy when compared to an incandescent bulb. And one CLF bulb can last as long as almost nine incandescent bulbs.

Roseville Electric is offering two CFL styles. Bring in any type of incandescent bulb, excluding candelabra bulbs, to receive a 15-watt CFL bulb. A 15-watt bulb has the light output equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent.

Bring in a flood light style incandescent lamp - commonly used in down spots and can lighting - and exchange it for a 15-watt CFL style lamp that looks like a flood light. This type of bulb has the light output equivalent to a 65-watt incandescent.

To participate in the program, customers must bring incandescent bulbs to the Roseville Utility Exploration Center, 1501 Pleasant Grove Blvd., in the Martha Riley Library to exchange them for up to 10 new energy efficient CFL bulbs. The Utility Exploration Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Customers can download the CFL Exchange participation card at Complete the card; include your name, address and Roseville Electric account number. Bring the card and your most recent utility bill or a driver's license to complete the exchange process and receive your new CFL bulbs.

Supplies are limited; first come, first served.

A display of the CFL bulbs will be available at the Utility Exploration Center. Call 79-POWER (797-6937) or visit for information about energy efficiency and Roseville Electric's rebate programs.

City View is provided by the City of Roseville. Vonette McCauley is the public relations manager for Roseville Electric.

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text:
Anna Wintour a Recessionista? She’s Heading to Macy’s Queens for Fashion’s Night Out Sept. 10

Pictured: Vogue Magazine’s Guru Anna Wintour is Heading to Macy’s

Last night, I was TV channel surfing, being something of a night owl/insomniac, and I came across Vogue Editor Anna Wintour’s appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Anna is the alleged doppelganger for Meryl Streep’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Is this a myth or truth? Only Vogue staffers know for sure. On Letterman, she displayed a wee touch of Meryl’s movie bite when she told Letterman about shorter pants that would display his love of colorful socks better. But what I found most interesting about the whole thing is that Anna is out making media appearances pre-Fashion Week to promote the event and the Vogue documentary, The September issue. Interesting to see a magazine editor on a talk show before a MAJOR fashion event that is evolving in the midst of an economic downturn ( a downturn that is not going away as quickly as hoped.) But even cooler than turning up on Dave’s show, is the fact that Anna will be hoping over to Macy’s in Queens on Sept. 10. I LOVE THIS. Anna will be working the economic stimulus by trying to get consumers into Macy’s. While at Macy’s she will be signing T-shirts. How delicious is this? A low priced item, a Fashion Night Out T-shirt, will be signed by Anna for the first 50 customers. I understand one of Macy’s mainstay designers Michael Kors will also be on hand. Macy’s is one of over 700 designers, retailers, and brands participating in Fashion’s Night Out events on September 10. Eventually, this event will go global with events to be held around the world. T-Shirts for all! But will there be accessible, affordable fashion for all? Stay tuned. When the Queen of Vogue pops over to Macy’s, and not the one in Manhattan’s Herald Square, you know the times really are a chang’in.

Check Anna’s appearance on Letterman on YouTube in case you missed it. Anna talks about Fashion’s Night Out on Sept. 10th and the united attempt to get people back in the stores. Dave asked if the prices would be dropped in order to get consumers back. When Dave asked her what could be bought for $20.00, she mentioned lipstick! Mm…is that Chanel lipstick? Anna, we should talk. There might be a few more things other than lipstick that could be recommended. :) This is the raison d’etre of The Recessionista.

This entry was posted in Fashions Night Out, New York Fashion Week and tagged .

  1. RyanAugust 31, 2009 at 3:38 am | Permalink

    Hey, your blog rocks! Keep up the great work.:)

  2. reckless daughterSeptember 3, 2009 at 11:32 pm | Permalink

    I'm sorry but that is kind of ridiculous! :) I can see her now signing cheap t-shirts in Queens in her couture.

    I can't wait to see that film!


text:
Ballmer: “Linux is a cancer”

Contaminates all other software with Hippie GPL rubbish

Microsoft CEO and incontinent over-stater of facts Steve Ballmer said that "Linux is a cancer that attaches itself in an intellectual property sense to everything it touches," during a commercial spot masquerading as a media interview with the Chicago Sun-Times Friday.

Ballmer was trying to articulate his concern, whether real or imagined, that limited recourse to the GNU GPL requires that all software be made open source.

"The way the license is written, if you use any open-source software, you have to make the rest of your software open source," Ballmer explained to an excessively credulous, un-named Sun-Times reporter who, predictably, neglected to question this bold assertion.

Perhaps Ballmer was thinking of this: "If identifiable sections of [a companion] work are not derived from the [open-source] Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it."

The passage is hopelessly ill written. What on earth, we must wonder, can the authors mean by a companion work which can be 'reasonably considered' to be separate? Do they mean it should have been developed independently? Do they mean it should function independently? Do they mean both?

What if a secondary work were developed separately, and function separately, but remain inextricably integrated with the first, the way Internet Explorer is with Windows? Is that 'reasonably considered' to be a separate work?

What's 'reasonable' here, anyway? And 'considered' by whom? The average adult? The average programmer? It's vague, all right; we'll give old Steve that much.

But one thing we can depend on is that it definitely doesn't mean what Ballmer slickly tries to imply: that once you issue anything under the GPL, every other piece of software you have for sale is suddenly affected by it.

And yet this is the shaky basis on which Ballmer dismisses open source as anathema to all commercial software companies. It can't be used at all, he reasons, because even a tiny germ of it, like a metastasizing cancer, contaminates the entire body. Thus Microsoft 'has a problem' with government funding of open-source.

"Government funding should be for work that is available to everybody," he says patriotically. But "open source is not available to commercial companies," and should therefore be regarded as a violation of the public trust.

Ballmer touches on a few other items, including Microsoft's new product activation and licensing schemes, which, it is hoped, will pave the way for a thriving software rental business and its subsequent endless revenue stream.

"Our goal is to try to educate people on what it means to protect intellectual property and pay for it properly" (read 'eternally'), Ballmer says.

If by 'educate' he means punish with higher costs those who fail to appreciate the wisdom of volume software leases, and inconvenience Win-XP users who like to re-format on a regular basis with a limit of two clean installs, then perhaps he might have chosen different wording.

'Train' or 'housebreak' strike us as somewhat more in tune with the subtext. ®

Sponsored: Flash Array Deployment: Download the Dummies Guide


text:
Sun starts flashing Solaris 10 to chosen few

Solaris 9 updates too

server room

Sun Microsystems has decided to give key customers a sneak peak at future versions of the Solaris operating system, hoping to convince users to stick with the vendor over the long haul.

Sun has put up a Web site for what it calls the Solaris Pilot Program (Update: Sun has since removed the page detailing this Reg exclusive. Imagine that). Armed with a valid account name and password, customers can go to this Web site and download early builds of the upcoming Solaris 10 OS. Sun hopes this will give some of its "bet the company on Solaris" customers a chance to see what is coming down the pipe and to provide them with a new channel for feedback on the code.

As one readers points out, "This is a much more fine-grained beta schedule than what Sun has done in the past."

The Pilot Program is a beta site for what Sun later plans to call Solaris Express - name subject to change.

Giving customers a preview of Solaris mimics a move Sun took earlier this year with its processor business. While usually very secretive about future chips, Sun decided to take the wraps off a host of upcoming multicore processors. Some of the products presented by Sun won't arrive until 2006, so why start talking them up now?

The answer, friends, is simple. Sun wants to prove its hefty research and development budget is not going to waste by showing customers all the goodies it has in store. Your marriage to Sun may be full of quarrels about gimpy processors and the like right now, but counselors have been called in to to hold your hand for the next couple of years. If you stick it out, a second honeymoon is your reward.

Sun has heaps of top-notch technology prepped, but the problem is users need to wait a couple of years before it's all packaged together. The processor bits you know (see above), and we've revealed other key features coming to Solaris and the rest of Sun's software stack. The N1 applications for managing servers and storage systems are trickling out and should start to take better shape in a year or two. There are plenty of reasons to hope.

Sun's biggest problem, however, will be making sure that it can hold onto as many customers as possible in the next couple of years. Some flighty types might see HP or IBM as better long-term bets and jump ship. It's not that HP or IBM have better technology as such, they're just a hell of a lot larger. Sun is the rebel and always has been. This makes some CIOs nervous, especially when tight-fisted CEOs keeping whispering sweet-nothings in their ear. Saying things like, "Don't screw up 'cos it's your ass not mine."

Sun has addressed this problem in the best way it can - almost full disclosure. Nervous users should sign up for Sun Express and see for themselves. Sun says the roadmap is paved in gold.

In the meantime, Sun keeps plugging away on Solaris 9 and is happy to tell the press, and not just its key customers, about the advances.

A new update to Solaris 9 was released this week with three key additions.

Sun has provided the GNOME 2.0 GUI for download on Solaris for months now, but these days users will find it as a standard choice on Solaris installs alongside CDE. The new release also includes a re-tooled Unix file system that can support up to 16TBs on 64bit servers. (Don't forget, Sun offers Solaris x86 for 32bit machines.)

In addition, Solaris now ships with version 2.1 of Solaris Live Upgrade.

As part of the Live Upgrade software, users will be able to convert Veritas volumes over to Solaris volumes with ease, said Bill Moffit, one of Sun's resident Solaris gurus and a fellow Sagehen. Sun has addressed some of the performance issues users had with the Solaris Volume Manager in the hopes that it will be a bit more appealing to customers especially on lower end kit. ®

Sponsored: Hyper-scale data management


text:
Info Commissioner: Too late to stop school fingerprinting

Not that we really tried in the first place

The ICO said in a statement that it expected schools to be sensible about it - for example, by keeping only minimal information about the children and deleting it once they leave the school.

And that is that, according to the Data Protection Act, aside from advising schools about "good practice", Smith told The Register.

"Rather than revisit that question we should look at how they should be used proportionally," he said.

Interestingly, Hong Kong's Data Protection Registrar told The Register in November that it was a lack of proportionality that made him order a school to rip out its fingerprint system. Why take a child's fingerprints when you can just take their name, he asked.

He doubted whether many other schools would now attempt to fingerprint their children, and perhaps the same might have happened in the UK had the ICO taken a similar approach.

Yet the ICO's interpretation of proportionality is slightly more subtle. It is not concerned whether someone is using a biometric sledge hammer to crack a nut.

"There is something in that argument", said Smith of the Hong Kong ruling. "But I'm not sure how much. If fingerprint systems operated in the same way as the police fingerprint record, there might be a problem. But if they are not stored in the same way, it is much more likely to be proportionate," he said.

There is a growing assumption that the horse has already bolted, not just for school fingerprinting but for all types of biometric detection devices.

The technology is here, and getting smaller, faster, and inevitably closer to economies of scale. How safe will your DNA be when you can buy a gene-test kit in Boots for a fiver?

Privacy officials, meanwhile, are starting to worry about nanotechnology.

Taken to the logical extreme, this trend might engender the fatalistic view proposed by the likes of Polar Rose, which is that you might as well part your kimono because everyone's going to know what's under it anyway.

Yet the campaigners against human fingerprinting talk of such things as "human rights" trumping rampant technological evolution as though they still lived in ye timid olde world.

"I don't think anything is inevitable in a democracy. It's only inevitable if there's apathy," said Clouter before his trip to Westminster. "I'm in favour of a DNA database of criminals, but to fingerprint everyone, to take DNA from the entire population brands us all as criminals."

On the other side of the debate, should the government humour us, we might hear some more from people like Chris Bridge, head teacher at Huntington Secondary School, who told the York Press last week that to have their biometrics swiped at a young age prepared children for a world where they would have to relinquish their personal privacy in exchange for security against terrorists.

"All the measures to do with ID cards will possibly invade their privacy even further, but the world has no answer to terrorism without using these things and I would see us as getting them ready for the world in which they will have to live," he said. ®

Sponsored: RAID: End of an era?


text:
Related topics

EU tells Microsoft to open its Windows

Don't expect much compensation though

Microsoft will be forced to hand over sensitive technical information about the Windows operating system to its rivals but can expect next to no compensation, according to a report in the Financial Times.

In its anti-trust ruling three years ago, the European Commission said Redmond had to licence technical information to competing groups allowing them to design better Windows-compatible server software.

The FT said it had seen a confidential statement of objections document that said Microsoft will receive little or no licence fee payments from its rivals, which include the likes of IBM, Sun, and Oracle.

The commission said last month that Microsoft's demand of up to 5.95 per cent of companies' server revenue for royalties from licences was excessive.

Professor Neil Barrett, technical expert at the commission, said it would take rivals seven years to recoup development costs if hit by Microsoft's suggested fees: "We can only conclude on this basis that the Microsoft-proposed royalties are prohibitively high...and should be reduced in line with this analysis."

Microsoft said it "will respond to the latest statement of objections in full by the deadline of 23 April. We believe we are in compliance with the March 2004 decision and that the terms on which we have made the protocols available are reasonable and non-discriminatory". ®

Sponsored: Flash Array Deployment: Download the Dummies Guide


text:
eBay glitch wipes out 11 year-old account without a trace

Reps couldn't help owner because he wasn't a valid user

Updated eBay users on both sides of the Atlantic are reporting potentially serious site glitches that have confounded customer service representatives trying to diagnose and fix the problems. The glitches, while unrelated, both appeared to involve database problems that prevented users of the online auction house from carrying out basic functions.

The first bug has bitten hard at Stefan Waldman, a seller who woke up last week to discover that his eBay account had mysteriously vanished. The account, which had the user id "stefan," was established in 1996 and had racked up a 99.7 percent positive feedback score from 717 comments. Loss of the account, which Waldman estimates he used to transact $20,000 to $30,000 worth of sales, could put him at a severe disadvantage.

"If you were purchasing something from me and looked at my feedback, you'd have confidence in purchasing from me," he told El Reg. "To take a hit and be a new user, are people going to have any confidence in buying a $100 or $200 item from you?"

Waldman's ordeal isn't the only recent disappearance of a coveted eBay account. Last week, a separate user who goes by the name "amishtaxi" also reported being frozen out when trying to log in.

"Much of our livelihood comes from selling on eBay," a person claiming to be the account holder wrote in this eBay forum. "What has happened to our amishtaxi account?" At time of writing, the account appeared to be working normally. Attempts to reach the user for comment were unsuccessful.

The deleted accounts are coinciding with a separate problem being reported by an eBay user in the UK, who presented evidence that transactions conducted on PayPal are not being reflected properly on eBay.

Show me the money

Screenshots provided by Tina Weston of Worcester show she successfully paid £8.55 to buy five sterling silver end cap hooks using her PayPal account. But when she checked her eBay account, the transaction never appeared in the "Items I've Won" section. In other words, eBay has no record the transaction was ever completed even though PayPal has debited her credit card and forwarded the money to the seller.

An eBay spokeswoman said the two issues were unrelated. In the first, she said, eBay inadvertently deleted "a very small number of accounts" in the course of doing database maintenance. The second problem is being caused by delays in the time it takes PayPal confirmations to appear on eBay. Some payments take as long as 48 hours to appear. Teams are actively working to fix both issues, she said without saying how long it will take.

"We understand that this is very frustrating for the few folks who have been impacted," spokeswoman Catherine England said in an email. "Our community has come to expect a certain level of consistency in their services from eBay and PayPal and in these instances we haven’t lived up to that expectation."

That's a far cry from the information delivered to Weston by an eBay customer service representative, who told her there was little eBay would do for her.

"Your purchase isn't protected by our buyer protection services," he wrote in an email. "Please make sure that the item is listed under 'Items I've Won' in My eBay before sending any money."

Apparently, the representative had never heard of "Buy It Now," a button that allowed Weston to immediately jump off the My eBay section of her account to a PayPal page so she could pay for the item. After completing the transaction, PayPal deducted the money from her account and delivered it to the seller, but that information was never reflected by eBay.

The representative told her her problem was most likely the result of her falling for a fraudulent auction.

"In the future, you can protect yourself from these fraudulent activities by completing your purchases on the eBay website - it's the safest way to trade with other eBay members."

Weston says she invested hours of time trying to explain the mix up. She finally gave up after eBay employees repeatedly referred her to their colleagues at PayPal and PayPal repeatedly passed her off to people at eBay.

The problem sounds somewhat reminiscent of a glitch reported in September that sent items purchased on eBay to the wrong address.

No accountability

Waldman, the US-based eBay user mentioned earlier, also reports getting the run-around from customer service reps. Several have told him that they are unable to help him because he doesn't have a valid account. After spending hours speaking to reps for both eBay and PayPal, he was finally able to establish that his account name has been changed to edaaffa0a4d340a9102214.

But messages and other personal information associated with the original account are gone, and no one at eBay can explain why the change was made or if it's possible to restore the account.

Says Waldman: "Once your ID is deleted, you cannot get into the help system. I don't exist. I've been made into another person."

Around mid-morning New York time on Tuesday, Walman discovered his coveted stefan account had been restored, although he says some of the messages and transaction records are missing.

"Nobody has even sent me an email explaining what happened or saying I'm sorry," he added.

We also heard from Pat Myers, the owner of the amishtaxi account, who indeed confirmed that the name, with almost 5,000 pieces of feedback, "vanished off the face of the earth" for about 48 hours. "It's as if we didn't exist," she said.

After the account was restored, Myers found many auctions that had been pending during the outage had been recorded as being completed, even though they had not stayed open for the period of time she specified. Buyers with the biggest bid at the time the auction went dark have been recorded as the winner. That's a big problem, she said, because the vast majority of winning bids come during a listing's last two hours.

"Now we're having problems with a buyer who insists she won," said Myers, who says her eBay-based business selling vintage clothing and other items is her sole source of income. "She's really gotten harassing about it now. What I want [eBay] to do is actually delete all those auctions. As it is now, she can leave us negative feedback for not sending her that dress." ®

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text:
Short bursts of The Reg at work increase your productivity

Oz study calls for WILB time

Sneaking a little web surfing into the work day increases our concentration and productivity overall, according to a University of Melbourne study.

Report author Brent Coker, from the U's department of management and marketing, said folks who indulge in short browsing breaks are about nine per cent more productive than those who do not.

"Firms spend millions on software to block their employees from watching videos on YouTube, using social networking sites like Facebook or shopping online under the pretense that it costs millions in lost productivity, however that's not always the case," Coker wrote on the university's website.

Net benefits to work productivity were noted, so long as surfing is kept below 20 per cent of the total time in the office, according to the study's release. The conclusion was drawn by observing 300 workers, 70 per cent of which browse the net at work. It's not clear how "productivity" was being measured in the study, however. As of publication, Coker hasn't replied to an email requesting further details.

Coker apparently hopes to pin surfing at work with its own acronym - Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing, or WILB. The conclusion he draws from the study is that "people need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration."

He claimed a typical work day involves an overall goal broken into a series of smaller tasks. For example, writing a report may require formating graphs, editing and so on. By rewarding the accomplishment of these smaller tasks with "short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf on the internet" our concentration can reset itself. If we aren't given a break, our concentration slides down, Coker said.

According to the study, the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products and reading online news sites (thank us for your productivity later.) Playing online games ranked number five, and watching YouTube vids was seventh.

The catch, of course, is browsing at work must be done in moderation. Those who spend more than a "normal" amount of time online (showing signs of "Internet Addiction") will have a lower productivity overall than those without.

So chances are we aren't helping you after all. ®

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