Step 1

Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in a drizzle of oil or veggie broth until they begin to get soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the basil, oregano, thyme, fennel, red pepper, smoked paprika if using, black pepper and soy sauce. Cook about 2-3 minutes until no liquid remains. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile put oats and walnuts into a food processor and blend until crumbled.

Step 4

Add in the sauteed mixture and lentils. Pulse until you get a crumbled but dough like consistency. If you want more texture don’t blend into a paste but keep it crumbled.

Step 5

Allow mixture to set about 5-10 minutes so the oats can soak in some liquid (you can also do this after you shape into sausages as well). I use this time to clean up a bit.

Step 6

Shape into 8 sausage like links.

Step 7

Here you have two choices. You can cook directly on a pan with a drizzle of oil, rotating every 3-4 minutes so the whole thing gets brown and cooked. Allow to cool so the texture will set before eating.

Step 8

If you want a more firm consistency, then wrap each link in some parchment and then foil. Place in a steamer basket in a pot with a few inches of water at the bottom. Steam for about 45-60 minutes. The longer you steam the firmer they will get. Make sure to check the water level and refill as needed.

Step 9

You can then pan fry after or eat as is! The texture sets more as it cools.