This weekend I got my first taste of Tofurky’s new vegan kielbasa. Being half-Polish, I’ve tasted a few kielbasas in my time and while I haven’t been itching for them since I became vegetarian, I was certainly interested in trying these puppies out.

Interestingly, all of the new Tofurky sausages are designed to be used on a grill. I heated mine in a microwave since my grill is currently in my basement waiting for a thaw before it finds its way back into my backyard. The spices are well balanced and the texture is pretty close to the real thing, though perhaps a bit more compressed. It was tasty and filling on its own, but I think that this will really shine on a roll with some sauerkraut. Healthwise, it’s not too bad: though it has a fair amount of sodium and is far from low-cal, it’s got no cholesterol (it’s vegan, so of course it’s got no cholesterol!), 26 grams of protein, 8% of the RDA for calcium, and 10% of the RDA for iron.

Also in the fridge, just waiting to be tried: the Tofurky beerbrats and sweet Italian sausage.

Vegan kielbasa… it’s getting easier and easier to go vegetarian.