I love the Beyond Burger, so I was excited when I heard that Beyond Meat came out with Beyond Sausage.
You can find this plant-based sausage at Whole Foods and it's also served at some restaurants. Beyond Sausage is available in 3 varieties: Brat, Sweet Italian, and Hot Italian. I tried the Sweet Italian.
Like the Beyond Burger, it's soy and gluten-free. The main ingredient is pea protein and the casing is made from algae.
I didn't like these quite as much as the Beyond Burger. They are really big, and that draws more attention to anything that gives away that they're vegan. The texture is a little soft, so I grilled them and then cut them in half and grilled the insides too. That helped to keep the texture crispy. I don't know if I would like it hot-dog style though.
Review: Beyond Sausage - Sweet Italian
Taste: It tastes like pork sausage but is missing something I can't put my finger on.
Texture: It was nice and crispy on the outside when I grilled it. But I think the inside would be too soft if I hadn't cut it in half. I don't know if I would like it whole in a bun.
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, but I might be tricked if it was prepared differently. It would be good to try with a sauce.
Better than other vegan versions? I haven't tried any others.
Worth buying again? I'm not a big sausage eater, but if I was craving sausage I would buy this again.
Overall: 4 out of 5.
When I first started swapping out animal products with vegan alternatives, butter was one of the easiest for me.
I tried Earth Balance Buttery Spread a few years ago and haven't gone back since. It's made from vegetable oil, but to me it tastes like real butter. They say their "proprietary blend of oils" is the reason for its buttery taste and texture.
It works for spreading on toast and also holds up to cooking and baking. I've used it in everything from cookies to making a roux and have not noticed a difference. It's also available in sticks that make it easier to use for baking.
A small number of people have told me they think it has an aftertaste that they don't like. Personally I don't pick up on that though.
Earth Balance makes a few different varieties: original, soy free, whipped, olive oil, omega 3, coconut, and a new European style. I haven't seen that one in stores yet but it will be interesting to try.
The original spread is made with vegetable oil, and a few of the varieties are organic. Most of them are pretty easy to find. All of the grocery stores near me have at least the original spread and some have more varieties.
Review: Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread
Taste: I don't notice a difference between this and real butter. Maybe someone who likes to eat sticks of butter would notice.
Texture: When cold, it's a little softer than real butter and a little firmer than margarines like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. It melts like real butter.
Can you tell it's vegan? No.
Better than other vegan versions? Yes, but I haven't tried very many. Some people have told me they prefer Miyoko's. I haven't tried that one yet.
Worth buying again? Yes, I always have it in my fridge.
Overall: 5 out of 5
