My New Favorite “Delicious” Sausages Are the Only Thing I’m Grilling for the Rest of Summer

As a vegetarian, more often than not, a Beyond Burger is my go-to (and only) option when eating out — and I’m not mad about it. I gave up meat for ethical and environmental reasons, so I personally love the way a Beyond Burger replicates the juicy, umami nature and taste of a beef burger. 

I’m also a big fan of Beyond Meat’s other products: I’ve cooked up their sausage alongside a breakfast hash and mixed their ground “beef” into my plant-based bolognese (it’s so good — don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!). I’ve always known meat alternatives like this aren’t necessarily better for you, but they do satisfy that meaty craving. 

Beyond Meat first came on the scene in 2016 with its revolutionary “bleeding” burger and quickly gained popularity. More recently, the brand faced criticism for reports that its products were unhealthy and loaded with saturated fats. The company has since recently revamped its recipes, swapping out canola and coconut oil for avocado oil, which slashed the saturated fat of their products by 60%. 

The brand is taking those innovations one step further in its latest offering: Beyond Sun Sausage. The new sausages don’t aim to mimic meat but instead focus on letting the whole veggie-forward ingredients they’re made with shine.

As a Beyond Meat fan, I naturally had to try the three new flavors — Pineapple Jalapeño, Cajun, and Pesto —  to see how they compared to the originals. While all three were good, to my surprise as someone who tends not to love spicy things, I couldn’t get enough of the Pineapple Jalapeño flavor (more on that later). Here’s what I thought.

Beyond Sun Sausages are packed with ingredients you can actually pronounce, like peas, brown rice, fava beans, and lentils. (We love to see it!) Each sausage has 12 grams of protein and no added antibiotics, hormones, soy, GMOs, or gluten. Plus, they’re kosher and halal. 

The Pineapple Jalapeño flavor also gets dried pineapple and jalapeño, and spices for an extra punch. Beyond Sun Sausages hit shelves in July and are currently available at Sprouts Markets nationwide (with plans to expand to additional stores). 

I immediately noticed that Beyond Sun Sausages have a different look and feel. Unlike the OG Beyond Sausages, which have a red hue and more compact patty-like texture, Beyond Sun Sausages are light brown in color and seemingly have more air throughout the mixture. You can clearly see the ingredients they’re made with (hello, flecks of jalapeño!), and the clear casing was visible, with some gaps almost pulling away from the filling itself. Plus, the brand didn’t skimp on the avocado oil either as it seeped out behind the raw sausages in the package.

I’ve cooked a lot of Beyond Meat products before, and typically the brand omits a very distinct odor. These didn’t do that, nor did they have any red bleeding juices. The sausages browned up nicely, and smells of pineapple and jalapeño quickly filled my kitchen — a promising sign. 

When I tasted one on its own, I was hit with a punch of flavor. The pineapple really comes through and gives the sausage a fruity, slightly sweet taste followed by a mild kick from the jalapeño. Both ingredients harmoniously came together, perfectly playing off the “swicy” trend, and weren’t competing for attention. None of the flavors tasted fake either, a nod to the quality ingredients.

The texture is also quite different from the OG links. It kind of flaked away when I bit into it, and I could see whole chunks of fava beans. The sausage tasted fresh and bright, and was far less salty than the OG ones, too.

I served up my sausage in a brioche hot dog bun, topped with ketchup, with some sautéed peppers and potato salad on the side — which made for a delish meal. Immediately after I finished, I wanted another one! 

These sausages would be perfect for a summer barbecue and spice up (pun intended) the options plant-based eaters typically have at cookouts. They’re so good I’m convinced even meat eaters would be impressed. Pick up a pack, and bring the heat with these next time you fire up the grill.

Buy: Beyond Meat Pineapple Jalapeño Sun Sausage Plant-Based Links, $10.99 for a 4-pack at Sprouts