Vegan Biscuits And Tempeh Sausage Gravy Recipe
Biscuits and gravy is a popular dish in American cuisine, particularly in the South. It consists of soft, buttery biscuits and a savory gravy made with sausage or sausage drippings. It's a hearty meal that can be served for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, and if you grew up having it, it probably evokes a nostalgic feeling of home and family.
If you have decided to live a vegan lifestyle, though, biscuits and gravy could be something you miss, so this recipe for vegan biscuits and tempeh sausage gravy is for you. "Any meal that involves homemade bread of some type is usually a winner at my house, and the use of tempeh here to create a vegan sausage makes the perfect topping," says wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn. "I love using tempeh to recreate vegan meat dishes because it has the right texture and a neutral enough taste that it will take on the seasonings it's cooked with." Read on to learn how to make yourself some Southern gravy and biscuits, vegan-style. It may surprise you how easy it is.
Gather the ingredients for vegan biscuits and tempeh sausage gravy
You'll need some soy milk, apple cider vinegar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vegan butter for the biscuit portion of the recipe. "I'm using soy milk in this recipe, but you can easily substitute any type of plant-based milk," Hahn says. In vegan cooking, it's common (and simple!) to replace buttermilk with a mixture of plant milk and vinegar, which is how Hahn makes her vegan buttermilk biscuits.
To make the gravy, you'll need some oil, tempeh, soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire, a little water, and lots of spices. Check your spice cabinet for oregano, fennel seeds, garlic granules, onion powder, paprika, sage, and pepper. "If you haven't cooked with tempeh, you'll find it near the tofu at most grocery stores. It's made from fermented soybeans and has a similar texture to sausage," Hahn shares.
Make the biscuit dough
Go ahead and preheat the oven to 450 F, then pull out a small bowl and combine 1 cup of the soy milk with the vinegar. In about 10 minutes, you'll have vegan buttermilk.
To make the biscuit dough, start by combining 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add in the cubed butter and pinch it into the dry ingredients with your hands, no food processor needed. Next, make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir to combine, then form the dough into a ball with your hands.
Shape and bake the biscuits
Lay the ball of dough onto a floured work surface and roll it out to a thickness between ½ and ¾ inch. Then, using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or a glass of that size, cut out 10 circles and place them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Pop the baking sheet into the oven and bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Make the tempeh sausage gravy
To turn the tempeh into sausage, add the oil to a large skillet and heat it to medium-high. Crumble in the tempeh and add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic granules, onion powder, paprika, sage, and remaining salt. "Since the tempeh is pretty neutral in taste, this combination of condiments and spices will copy the taste of sausage," Hahn says. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the water and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes.
To complete the gravy, add ⅓ cup flour to the pan and stir to coat the tempeh. Add in the remaining soy milk, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes until the gravy has thickened. Give it a taste, and "if you find you want a thinner consistency, just add more soy milk to the mixture," Hahn advises.
Serve the biscuits and gravy
Once the gravy has thickened up, lay some biscuits on a plate and pour over some gravy. Now, your delicious vegan biscuits and gravy are ready to serve! For some color, you can add some fresh chives or any chopped fresh herb as a garnish.
Pair this meal with a nice green salad or steamed broccoli for balance. The biscuits are best eaten the same day, but the tempeh sausage and gravy will keep well for up to 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. If you have leftovers, Hahn says it makes a nice topper for a baked potato or mashed potatoes.
- 4 cups soy milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ cups + ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ¼ cup vegan butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper pepper
- Chopped fresh chives, for serving
- Preheat the oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup soy milk with the vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the butter and mix it into the dough with your hands until crumbly.
- Create a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Add the milk and vinegar mixture, stir with a wooden spoon, and form the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough ball on a floured work surface and roll out to ½ to ¾ inch thick. Cut out 10 circles, about 3-inches across, with a cup or round cookie cutter. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, to make the gravy, add the oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high. Crumble in the tempeh and add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic granules, onion powder, paprika, sage, and remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 more minutes.
- Add the remaining ⅓ cup flour to the pan and stir to coat the tempeh. Add in the remaining soy milk, lower heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring every so often, for 5-10 minutes until the gravy has thickened.
- Pour the gravy over the biscuits and garnish with chopped chives, if desired, before serving.
| Calories per Serving | 651 |
| Total Fat | 25.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 78.0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 7.4 g |
| Sodium | 923.5 mg |
| Protein | 29.7 g |
