Italian Sausage and Peppers

This easy sausage and peppers recipe will be the new house favorite at dinner. This classic meal is hearty and can be made several ways. You can either serve this in a hoagie Italian-style with your tomato sauce or you could place the sausage and peppers over white rice and serve with the sauce on top. Either way, the choice is going to leave your belly full and your mouth smiling.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

Vegan Sausage:

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour

1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten

4 oz tofu firm, drained but not pressed

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp Simply Organic oregano

2 tsp. Simply Organic fennel seeds, optional

1 Tbsp. fresh basil

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/2 tsp Spicely Organics ground black pepper

1 cup authentic homemade italian tomato sauce

Peppers and Onions:

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium green bell pepper

1 large yellow onion

1 garlic cloves

1/2 cup authentic homemade italian tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp Simply Organic oregano

2 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

pinch Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

pinch of Spicely Organics ground black pepper

Directions

Peppers and Onions:

1. In a frying pan, drizzle olive oil and place your thick onion slices (do not cube) and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Then add the peppers,  salt, pepper, and oregano. Allow to slightly brown, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Vegan Sausage:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until dough like mixture has formed and is well combined.
3. Using parchment paper, cut into 4 squares depending on how large or small you want to make the sausage links. Grab some of the mixture and roll it into the shape and wrap it up in the parchment paper (twisting the ends to seal).
4. Bake sausages for 20-25 minutes.
5. To crisp up the outside, drizzle of olive oil to coat a pan. Turn on medium-high heat and pan fry sausage for 3-5 minutes.
6. To assemble, place the peppers and onions in a hoagie with the sausage on top. Drizzle some homemade sauce on top and add some parsley or vegan parmesan cheese.

Chef’s tip: You can rub a clove of garlic on the bread and smear with vegan butter. Top with parmesan cheese and bake at 375 degrees F to get it nice and crispy!