Is Tim Hortons’ Simply Sausage Vegan?

As plant-based diets continue to grow in popularity, more customers are asking about vegan options at popular chains like Tim Hortons. One menu item that often gets overlooked is the Simply Sausage breakfast sandwich. Can vegans enjoy this tasty sandwich? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients.

A Brief History of Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons first opened in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario. Founded by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton, the small doughnut shop quickly became a national phenomenon Today, Tim Hortons has over 4,800 locations across 14 countries.

While best known for coffee, doughnuts and Timbits, Tim Hortons has evolved its menu over the years with breakfast sandwiches, wraps, soups, and burgers

The Rise of Plant-Based Options

Responding to demand, Tim Hortons began testing Beyond Meat sausage in 2019. The Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches and wraps proved so popular that Tim Hortons rolled them out nationally. However, in 2020 the chain pulled Beyond Meat from its menu due to decreased customer demand.

With few remaining vegan options, the removal of Beyond Meat was disappointing. But in early 2022, Tim Hortons announced it was bringing plant-based sausage back through a partnership with Impossible Foods. Two new breakfast sandwiches featuring Impossible sausage were added.

This was great news for vegans! But we still need to examine the ingredients closely

Breaking Down the Simply Sausage Sandwich

The Simply Sausage sandwich contains Impossible sausage, egg, and cheese on an English muffin. Clearly not vegan as is. But ordered with “no egg, no cheese” this sandwich can potentially be vegan. Let’s look at each component:

Impossible Sausage Patties

The Impossible sausage contains soy protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and natural flavors. It uses heme from soy plants to recreate the meaty taste. The ingredients are all vegan.

English Muffins

Tim Hortons’ English muffins have unbleached enriched wheat flour, water, yeast, cornmeal, sugar, salt, soybean oil, vinegar, dough conditioners, wheat gluten, and may contain traces of milk. The basic ingredients look vegan, but the “may contain traces of milk” is concerning.

Egg

Obviously not vegan. Ordering without egg is necessary.

Cheese

Another non-vegan ingredient. Must omit cheese as well.

Customizing a Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

While not on the menu, a vegan breakfast sandwich can be customized at Tim Hortons. Order the Simply Sausage with:

• No egg
• No cheese
• On an English muffin

However, the “may contain milk” warning on the English muffins presents a potential risk of cross-contamination. To be extra safe, further customization could include:

• Ordering on a plain bagel instead of English muffin
• Adding veggie toppings like tomato, lettuce, or spinach
• Using oil and vinegar instead of dairy-based sauces

With some simple substitutions, the Simply Sausage sandwich can easily be made fully vegan friendly.

Other Vegan Options at Tim Hortons

Beyond the modified Simply Sausage, what else can vegans order at Tim Hortons?

• Oatmeal – ask for it without milk
• Bagels – plain, everything, sesame, multigrain
• Hash browns
• Coffee and tea – with non-dairy milk
• Iced Capps – made with non-dairy milk and no whipped cream
• Fruit smoothies – with non-dairy milk and no yogurt
• Chili – without dairy toppings

Tim Hortons has also expanded non-dairy milk choices. Most locations now offer almond, coconut or oat milk.

The Future Looks Bright for Vegan Options

While Tim Hortons’ current vegan selections are limited, progress is being made. The addition of Impossible Foods sausage is a step forward. And more customers are requesting dairy-free and plant-based items every day.

Tim Hortons has shown a willingness to test and add more vegan fare. With sufficient demand, we’re likely to see more meatless menu items rolled out in the future.

So if you’re vegan, go ahead and customize that Simply Sausage sandwich. And make sure to ask for more plant-based options so you’ll have even more choices next time.