Whats actually in the Greggs vegan sausage roll?
Were not sure how you would have missed this monumental news, but this week – after months of speculation and leaked emails – Greggs launched their first vegan sausage roll.
Naturally, people were overjoyed and outraged. Even Piers Morgan got involved, and we know how rare it is for him to share his opinion about something.
But in the midst of all the hype, a question emerged: Whats actually in a Greggs vegan sausage roll?
Is it simply a carrot wrapped in pastry, as some (rude) people alleged? Is it in fact a real sausage pretending to be a vegan alternative?
We went to the source (Greggs), who confirmed that yes, the sausage is vegan, and no, it is not just a large carrot.
Instead, the vegan sausage inside a delightful vegan pastry case is made of the same stuff as Quorn sausages. Thats because Greggs actually teamed up with Quorn to make a unique vegan filling, using Quorns mycoprotein.
Mycoprotein is made using a type of mould called Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684. Quorn takes this and adds oxygen, nitrogen, glucose, and minerals, then lets it ferment and dry.
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That might not sound particularly appetising, but its free of any animal cruelty and creates that yummy meaty texture.
So, for the Greggs sausage roll, the mycoprotein has been used in a new recipe made just for the brand. Beyond that, its pretty much a standard sausage roll.
A Greggs spokesperson tells Metro.co.uk: Weve worked hard to make a vegan friendly product that is as close to the nations favourite sausage roll, only changing the recipe from our original meat sausage roll where necessary to ensure that it is vegan friendly.
For example, working closely with Quorn weve created a unique vegan filling (using Quorns mycoprotein).
The milk-based glaze used on our original sausage roll, to help make the pastry golden, has been removed and not replaced, making the lattice design more prominent and allowing a clearer difference between the two sausage rolls.
The ingredients for our famous crisp puff pastry and unique seasoning remain the same.
The seasoning is handy, as it really does make the vegan sausage roll match the regular one, taste-wise. Sadly Greggs wont tell us what that exact seasoning is (secret recipe and all that), but they do use the same unique blend of herbs and spices in both the vegan sausage roll and the meaty one.
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In terms of nutritional value, the difference between the vegan sausage roll and the regular sausage roll is fairly minimal.
The vegan sausage roll weighs 101g and has 311 calories, while the regular Greggs sausage roll weighs 103g and has 317 calories.
The vegan version has slightly less fat than the regular one, with 19.02g of fat per roll versus 22g of fat, but it has slightly more salt, containing 1.85g of salt versus the regular sausage rolls 1.6g of salt.
How does the Greggs vegan sausage roll taste?
We tried Greggs vegan sausage roll for ourselves, and were pretty blown away.
Avowed meat fan Jess described the vegan sausage roll as: Almost indistinguishable from the meaty version. Flaky pastry, a hearty bite to the inner, and the savoury tang that keeps me coming back to my local Greggs like an addict in need of a fix.
While veggie Ellen (thats me) was overjoyed to finally have a solid replacement for the sausage rolls shed missed since her childhood.
The pastry is slightly less flaky and greasy, but this just means eating the sausage roll is a less messy experience.
The sausage tastes and feels bizarrely like a regular meat sausage, so much so that biting into it you do question whether youve made a terrible mistake and picked up the meat version.
Its 10p extra, costing £1 while the meat sausage roll is 90p.
But for vegans and veggies, that 10p is worth it. Finally we can dive into a Greggs on a cold, rainy day, and grab a sausage roll. All our dreams have come true.
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