Chopped Italian Sausage & Pepper Sandwich | Vegetarian

What are your ultimate comfort foods? For me, it has to be something savory, filling, and carb-dense. Because of their stigma of being unhealthy, these foods often make me feel like I probably shouldn’t be eating them, but of course I do anyway…and have a second helping. Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches are one of those foods and, boy, do they hit the spot.

I remember those park style sausage pepper and onion sandwiches that you can buy at a hot dog stand outside Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The smell and the sizzle of the skillet lure you in. However, for the cost of one you can make about eight at home. Plus, mine are lower in calories and taste just as good, if not better.

This recipe stands out from the rest for a couple reasons:

• It’s vegetarian: Because I don’t eat meat, I use vegan Italian sausage by Field Roast, which combines ingredients such as eggplant, onions, red wine and fennel seeds for a surprisingly meaty taste. Even my meat-eater husband can’t tell the difference.

• It’s chopped: Ingredients are put into a recipe for the purpose of eating them all together, so how frustrating is it when you take a bite and only get one part? My clever brother-in-law came up with the idea to chop all components into little, bite-sized pieces, so when you take a mouthful, you get a little bit of everything!

• There’s potato and cheese: Unlike a traditional sausage, pepper and onion sandwich, I roast the peppers and onion with red potato. I also fold in some provolone cheese at the very end. I usually avoid dairy, but since this is a comfort food, you gotta pull out all the stops, am I right? However, if you know of a really good vegan cheese out there, let me know! Here’s the recipe...

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Chopped Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwich | Vegetarian

Makes 7-8 servings

You'll need:

• 2 medium-sized red potatoes

• 1 green pepper

• 1 onion

• Olive Oil

• 1/2 tsp of dried oregano (split)

• 1/2 tsp dried basil (split)

• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder (split)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 4-6 vegan Italian sausages, such as Field Roast

• Hot dog buns

• Sliced Provolone Cheese

• Mayonnaise

1. Preheat oven to 425, line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper

2. Wash and cut potatoes into bit-sized pieces, place in a bowl and toss with a large drizzle of olive oil, 1/4 tsp of oregano, 1/4 tsp of basil, 1/4 tsp of garlic powder, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. While the potatoes are baking, cut the green pepper and onion into bite-sized pieces. Put in the bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add to the baking sheet with the potatoes and roast for an additional 20 minutes, stirring the vegetables halfway through.

4. While vegetables are roasting, cook your sausage in a frying pan, until they are browned on all sides (and rotate frequently to prevent sticking). When done, let cool for a few minutes on a cutting board and then slice into bite-sized pieces.

5. Combine the sausage and roasted vegetables back in the pan and heat on low.

6. To assemble, spread some mayonnaise on the inside of a hot dog bun. Meanwhile, create a little space on the bottom of the pan and slide a slice of cheese around until it begins to melt. Then fold it into some of the filling with a spatula. Scoop that section out and put in your prepared bun. Tastes great with some chopped avocado and fresh tomato on top.

Writing this makes me wish I had one in my hand right now (sigh). I hope you give these a try!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Sandwich | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.8g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24.3g | Saturated Fat: 6.8g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 772mg | Fiber: 7.4g | Sugar: 4.8g