Product Review: Tofurky Italian Sausage

Can a meat eat enjoy vegan Tofurky products? Read my review on Tofurky Italian Sausage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil to find out.

I enjoy eating meat so when I first became acquainted with Tofurky products I wasn't sure I would like them. I was more interested in the name. I later found out there are numerous food items from this company.

During a trip to Trader Joe's I picked up a package of Tofurky Italian Sausage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil. The vegan sausage links come in packs of four. The links contains organic tofu, vital wheat gluten, water, shoyu soy sauce, sun dried tomatoes, textured wheat protein, basil, black pepper, spices, granulated garlic, salt and chili pepper. There seemed to be enough flavorful ingredients to pique my interest.

The bright red package looks appetizing showing a photo of a bed of pasta covered in marinara sauce topped with Tofurky sausages. The package boasts that the sausage is gourmet, meatless and delicious. The sausage is outdoor grill approved. Tofurky falls under the umbrella of the Turtle Island Foods company, which has been family owned and independent since 1980.

There are three options when preparing Tofurky sausage. You can cook it on a stovetop, by heating it in a microwave for 30 seconds or grilling it after rubbing it with cooking oil. The stovetop method is recommended. I prepared the Italian sausage on the stovetop the first time basing the pan with olive oil.

My first impression was that the Tofurky sausage was very favorable for it not to be meat. I could taste the sun-dried tomatoes and basil as promised on the package. The second time I prepared the sausage on a baking sheet in the oven. It did not come out as well as I believe I slightly overcooked it. Since Tofurky is meatless it only needs to be heated. The next time I prepare more sausage I will do it on the stovetop.

A serving size of the Tofurky Italian Sausage is one link, 3.5 ounces. There are 270 calories with 120 fat calories. There are 13 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of saturated fat. One nutritional perk is that the sausage has zero cholesterol. The sodium count is 620 mg. There are 12 grams of carbohydrates with 8 grams of dietary fiber and 3 grams of sugars. There are 29 grams of protein.

The Tofurky Italian Sausage four-pack, 14 ounces, costs $2.99. This is a reasonable price for a healthy alternative to meat sausage.

Overall, I give Tofurky Italian Sausage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil a good review. It tastes delicious by itself or on a bun as long as you don't overcook it.