I’m not a good baker, especially when making any sort of dough from scratch. I suck at it to be honest. Flour everywhere that ends up nothing like any kind of dough. I can’t even make my own seitan. It doesn’t matter what recipe I follow, the results are the same. I’m left with something akin to a giant sponge that could also double as a bouncing ball. Thank goodness for the shortcuts and cheats out there.
Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without frozen pastry dough or mixes from a box. Original Bisquick is one of my cheats and it’s vegan. There’s a biscuit recipe right there on the side of the box! All you need to do is mix 2/3 cup plant-based milk and 2¼ Bisquick into a soft dough, drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and pop in a 450°F oven for about 8-10 minutes or until nice and golden. If I can do it, so can you!
The vegan sausage and gravy part is just as simple.
Let's start with the sausage.
While the biscuits are in the oven, brown up some vegan sausage (I use the Lightlife brand that comes in a tube) in a fry pan. Break it up into crumbles as you go. I like a mix of big chunks and small pieces, but do it however you like. I add a LOT of fresh ground pepper. And I do mean a lot! But again, add as little or as much as you prefer. I don’t measure how much I use. I go by taste here. Once the sausage is nearly browned how I like, I add a squirt of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to add some salt. Be careful here though. Too much and it can make the whole dish very salty. I speak from experience! I generally stick to a quick circle around the pan. It’s best to err on the side of caution. You can always add more salt later. Like the chefs always say on the Food Network, it’s about layering flavors.
Once the sausage is cooked, set it aside and move on to the gravy.
For the gravy, I start with the basic béchamel sauce as I do with my vegan mac and cheese. The difference here (minus the cheese) it that I double it. This is one of the rare times I make sure to measure the ingredients. I never had much luck with gravies that weren’t from a packet until I finally learned that lesson the hard way.
You’ll need:
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp vegan butter
4 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (I use soy), a little more as needed if your gravy is too thick
1-2 tsp dried sage
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
- In a 3-4 qt saucepan, melt the butter over over low-medium low heat. Keep an eye on it. You don’t want it to turn brown or burn.
- Whisk in the flour and nutritional yeast and cook for a few minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the plant-based milk. I usually pour in enough to make a smooth paste and gradually add more as I whisk to keep it from being all lumpy and weird.
- Once it all starts to thicken, add the spices. Adjust everything to your own tastes. If it appears a little too thick, carefully add a bit more plant-based milk.
- Add the vegan sausage you browned up earlier. You want to warm up the sausage and let its flavor get into the gravy. Keep tasting and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Take the biscuits out of the oven (if you haven’t already), place one or two on a plate and pour on the gravy!
There you have it! My take on biscuits and gravy. I know, I know. I really should learn to create and write proper recipes. Someday. But for now, think of it as cooking up delicious food with a good friend.
