Sausage, peppers and onions using beyond meat is a simple, mouth-watering, one pot recipe everyone will love! This vegan recipe has petite diced tomatoes, Italian seasonings and smoked paprika that come together as a delightful sauce packed full of flavor. Best of all, this easy, weeknight Italian-American meal can be made in under 30 minutes!
Note: this recipe was originally published on May 22, 2020. It was republished with an updated recipe and photos on June 30, 2024. Please contact me if you would like a copy of the original recipe.
This is the perfect meal to make when you need an easy last minute dinner idea that requires minimal work. The smoked paprika adds depth of flavor to the simple tomato sauce, really bringing this dish to the next level.
This sweet Italian sausage, peppers and onions recipe was inspired by weeknight dinners with my family. Growing up, my parents would often make a similar meal, usually made with chicken sausage, and served on a roll or over rice. This vegan version is also delicious served over rice, pasta or a hoagie roll! It pairs well with air fryer potatoes and broccoli salad. I find that Beyond Meat is one of the best tasting, plant-based meat alternatives that still leaves me feeling good!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Sausage, peppers and onions on a roll is a hearty meal to make when you have to cook for a range of diets. I promise, even the meat-lovers will enjoy this crowd pleaser!
- Beyond Meat Italian sausage is a tasty, vegan replacement for traditional meat. It is made using pea protein and contains 16 grams of protein in one sausage link!
- There are so many ways to enjoy this easy one pot-skillet meal. Serve sausage peppers and onions on a roll like a hero, over a bowl of rice or on top of pasta!
Equipment Notes
You’ll need a large skillet or cast iron pan. If you double or triple the recipe, I recommend using a dutch oven as it will give you more room.
Ingredient Notes
- Beyond Meat Italian sausage - you can usually find this near regular sausage in the grocery store. You can use mild or hot sausage for this dish!
- Olive olive - you will need just a bit of olive oil to saute the sausage and sliced veggies.
- Yellow onion - I recommend using a yellow onion but use whatever variety you have.
- Bell peppers - you will need 3 peppers of any color. I usually use red, orange and yellow (simply because I can buy them in a pack of 3). Green peppers will also work here and they are usually a bit cheaper to buy.
- Garlic - just a bit of minced garlic helps flavor the marinara-like tomato sauce.
- Spices - salt, oregano, basil, smoked paprika and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Red wine - this is optional but I like to add just a bit to deglaze the pan after cooking the sausage and veggies.
- Petite diced tomatoes - I find these small canned tomatoes to be the perfect size. They have great flavor and help create a delicious tomato sauce with.
- Hoagie rolls - I love serving sausage, peppers and onions on a hoagie roll so it is like a hot hero sandwich! You can also serve it over a bowl of pasta or rice.
Substitutions and Variations
- Hot Italian sausage - feel free to use Beyond Meat’s hot Italian sausage in place of mild/sweet sausage.
- Tofurky sausage - Tofurky is another plant-based meat option (often found in the produce area near the tofu). Try making it with Tofurky’s zesty andouille sausage!
- Wine - you can omit this or simply swap it with veggie broth.
- Spicy - use beyond hot Italian sausage and add more red pepper flakes!
- Pasta - toss the sausage, peppers, onions and tomato sauce over a pound of cooked pasta.
- Potatoes - serve peppers and onion with sausage over a bed of crispy air fryer potatoes.
Step by Step Instructions
Sauté the sliced beyond sausage in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until browned on both sides. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside.
Add the sliced peppers and onions, basil, and oregano and sauté for 8-10 minutes until they have softened. Add more olive oil to saute if needed.
Add in the red wine and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan, allowing it to deglaze. Once the wine has reduced after a couple of minutes, add in the petite diced tomatoes.
Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together. Turn off the heat, serve and enjoy!
Hint: if you want to cook the sausage at the same time as the peppers and onions you can but it will not brown as nicely.
Tips and Tricks
- This street-food inspired dish will taste even better the next day as leftovers. The flavors marinate together overnight in the smoky tomato sauce resulting in a beautifully balanced meal.
- The beyond sausage is not pre-cooked so it needs to be cooked through before eating. If you are using a different vegan sausage, make sure to check the cooking instructions as it may or may not be precooked.
Storing and Freezing
Store sausage peppers and onions with sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors will heighten overnight in the fridge. Simply reheat the meal in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet.
You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months but I think it is best enjoyed within 4 days of making it.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you can use another plant-based meat such as Tofurkey, Impossible Meat or Field Roast. Make sure to check the package directions and adapt to the recipe as needed.
Yes you can use frozen peppers and onions to cut back on prep time! You can either microwave them before adding them to the pan or add them to the pan frozen and sauté until heated through.
Yes, the flavors will actually taste even better the next day as they marinate together. Make this one day in advance and reheat on the stove or microwave for maximum flavor.
Sausage, Pepper and Onions Using Beyond Meat
Equipment
- A large skillet, cast iron pan or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 package of beyond meat Italian sausage, 4 sausage links, sliced into rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive olive
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 bell peppers, any color, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup red wine (optional)
- 1 (15) oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 package Hoagie rolls (4-6 rolls)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a hot skillet. Saute the beyond sausage for 5-5 minutes over medium heat, until lightly browned on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the sliced onion and peppers to the skillet with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Saute for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and sausage back to the pan. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the red wine and let it cook off until it is barely left. Scrap any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has reduced, add in the petite diced tomatoes with their juices.
- Bring the dish to a simmer, allowing the flavors to muddle together. Simmer over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any burning.
- Serve over a hoagie roll, pasta or rice.
Notes
- This will taste even better the next day as leftovers!
- Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
- The beyond sausage is not pre-cooked so it needs to be cooked through before eating. If you are using a different vegan sausage, make sure to check the cooking instructions as it may or may not be precooked.
Em says
I've made this multiple times this month. I like having the leftovers for lunch during the week!
Letscurry says
Emily
I love how quick this dinner can be put together to kill those hungry pangs especially on the days when you have no plans to cook or you have no time to cook.
Thanks for such a quickie. I admire you for taking those pictures and detailing the steps. Helpful
Emily Toshiko says
Thank you, I really appreciate it! Let me know if you make it 🙂