Sausage and peppers is a classic comfort food and it’s so easy to make. Sometimes I add chopped tomatoes to have more juice that soaks into the roll, mmmm. This time I added tiny portabella mushrooms because I had them in the fridge and they add a “meatier” taste – you know, cuz I’m trying to go meatless. All the ingredients are from Trader Joe’s – I’m one of their best customers and promoters, yet Sprouts is opening in Huntington Beach on January 29th, so I might defect – hear that Trader Joes?
Sassy Sausage & Peppers (Vegan style)
1 pkg. Trader Joe’s Sausage-less Italian Sausage*, sliced on the diagonal
1 red pepper, cored and sliced
1 green pepper, cored and sliced
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 pkg. mini portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 t. butter
red pepper flakes
4 Panne Rustique Rolls (it’s all about the roll, folks)
Serves 4. * Of course, you may use real Italian sausage if you’re not vegan. I’ve had it both ways and its delicious either way!
Preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees. Cover toaster oven tray with aluminum foil and spray with oil so sausages don’t stick. Brown sausages in toaster oven turning once. Slice on the diagonal and set aside.
Heat 1 t. olive oil in large skillet, sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Add the peppers and onions and sauté, stirring every few minutes to evenly brown. Add more olive oil as needed to prevent vegetables from sticking.
Meanwhile, in a smaller skillet heat 1 T. olive oil plus 1 t. butter over med-high heat and sauté mushrooms, stirring to brown evenly, about 5 minutes or until the juices have cooked off. (I do this in a separate pan because the juices from the mushrooms can make the pepper mixture mushy.) Add mushrooms and sausages to pepper mixture.
Warm the rolls in the toaster oven, slice in half and fill with sausage and pepper mixture.
This looks delicious! I suppose if a person were to want to cut back on calories & fat I’ve had a turkey sausage that would be a good substitute for ital. sausage.