- Simmer the tempeh. Cut the tempeh into small cubes or crumble it with your hands. Add the tempeh, vegetable broth, and soy sauce to a medium pot. Bring the broth to a slow simmer, cover the cooking pot, and simmer the tempeh for 20 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Prep the dry ingredients while the tempeh simmers. Add the vital wheat gluten (seitan), thyme, marjoram, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red chili flakes to a medium bowl.
- Press the tempeh. Once the tempeh is done, drain it over a colander. Use the back of a spoon to press excess moisture from the tempeh.
- Blend the ingredients. Add the tempeh, onion, garlic, mushrooms, maple syrup, soy sauce, and vegan Worcestershire sauce to a food processor or blender. Blend until the tempeh, and other ingredients are broken down. You don't want a smooth paste.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients. Add the tempeh mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are moist and blended.
- Test the sausage mixture. Use your hand to form a ball of sausage mixture. If the ball crumbles, the sausage mixture is too dry. Add a little water. If the ball melts into your hand, it is too moist. Add a little seitan.
- Make sausage patties. Separate the sausage mixture into small balls and form about ¼ an inch thick. If you are going to pan-fry them, keep them on the thin side so they thoroughly cook in the middle. The number of sausage patties depends on how big you make them. I ended up with 9.
Pan fry. Heat a non-stick pan or large skillet and add the sausage patties. Cook them for about 5 minutes until they brown on the bottom. Flip the patties until they are firm and golden brown on both sides.
Oven bake. Preheat the oven to 400 F. and place the sausage patties on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake the patties for 10 minutes or until they start to brown. Flip them and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes.