Vegan Chorizo Crumbles, 3 ways; Classic, Tex-Mex and Sonora-style!

As with seitan sausages, crumbles are a great addition to pizza, soups, skillet bakes, and casseroles...and pretty much whatever else you can think of. The recipe below mirrors the Vegan Chorizo Sausage recipe, but the quantities are smaller and produce about 1 cup of crumbles, which is usually enough for 4-6 people if it's part of another recipe. After researching, testing and veganizing various recipes for the original version, I've narrowed down my favorites to the following 3 Chorizo crumble recipes; Classic, Tex-Mex and Sonora-style.

Note: decent heat, so cut back on peppers/cumin if you prefer something milder

The wet ingredients are the same for all 3 variations of the crumbles. Put the following in a small bowl and blend into an emulsion (oil thoroughly mixed in):

2 Tbsp cold water

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp olive oil

 And now for the dry ingredients. Put 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten in a bowl, and choose one from the following spice blends:

Classic Chorizo Blend       Tex-Mex Chorizo Blend           
2 tsp smoked paprika        2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika                 1 tsp garlic powder          1/2 tsp garlic powder             
1 tsp oregano                   1 tsp oregano  
1 tsp chili                         1 tsp chili

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper    1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper        1/2 tsp ground cumin 

1/4 tsp salt                      1/4 tsp black pepper

                                        1/4 tsp salt 

Sonora-style Chorizo Blend

2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves 

1/4 tsp black pepper 

1/4 tsp salt

Note that the use of paprika varies depending on your taste. I keep Hungarian sweet and hot in the house, but I'm not sure of the origins of my smoked paprika. I find Hungarian paprika to be smoother and richer than it's Spanish equivalent, which tends to lend a sort of 'dryness' to dishes. Hard to explain, so trust me on this one! Pick up quality stuff for a good price in local euro food shops, our chain grocery store actually imports it too.

Pour the liquid mixture into the gluten and spice bowl, and quickly mix with a fork or spoon until blend. Knead the dough on a clean surface (dust with more gluten if needed) or, if you're lazy like me, just knead it in the bowl itself. It should take 3-4 minutes of kneading to get a nice smooth ball of dough. Spray a non-stick frying pan, and turn the heat up to medium. As the pan heats up, quickly tear off small bits of the dough into the pan - do 2 batches if needed. Let the "crumbles" cook in the pan for about 10 mins, occasionally turning and pressing them down with a spatula to help brown them evenly. Remove from heat when the desired texture is achieved - only well to tell is to nibble on a few - and let cool. Store refrigerated in a covered container for up to 5-6 days.

Full recipe: 361 cals, 15g fat, 15g carbs, 294mg sodium, 2g fiber, 44g protein.  (PRO48%,CHO16%,FAT36%)