Name: Vegan Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound pasta of choice; 4 ea Vegan Italian Sausages (cut in large rounds); 5 ea baby bell peppers (cut in rings); 4 ea cloves garlic (chopped); 1 cup collard greens (chopped); 1 cup arugula; 1 can Crushed tomatoes (28 oz size); 1/2 cup asparagus ends (chopped); 1 cup water; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for sauteeing ); 1 tsp italian seasoning; 1 tsp turbinado sugar (you may sub sweetener of choice); 1 ea salt and pepper to taste; 1 ea crushed red pepper to taste (to top)

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Recipe Rundown

This Vegan Italian Sausage and peppers pasta is a nice twist on the classic sausage and peppers. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food. It's cheap, filling and super versatile. Kids and parents can enjoy the same meal with just a few small tweaks. It's my default meal when I have no idea what to make for dinner. This is why I came up with this recipe for Vegan Italian Sausage and Peppers pasta! Combining a few vegetables in a quick sauce is always a hit with my family. My kids love to drown their pasta in parmesan cheese which makes vegetables palatable for them. And the parents love to drown theirs in chili flakes and black pepper, skipping the cheese.

The dish on Gluten Free Pasta

I thank the gods that we are not sensitive to gluten in my family. Nonetheless I try to minimize our intake. It's so hard to eat a proper portion of pasta! Pasta is so delicious and an amazing vehicle for flavor. That's why it is important to pack your pasta with high fiber vegetables and proteins to help fill you without gorging. If you are gluten sensitive, experiment with gluten free pastas like rice pastas, lentil pastas, corn pastas, and chickpea pastas. Trader Joe's has some great ones that are really affordable and Banza is a favorite. There's a learning curve with cooking alternative pastas. You must monitor them closely for doneness and then rinse after draining to halt the cooking process. When I sub different noodles, usually the kids do not object. Unless of course I accidentally overcook and they are horrified by the dreaded mush.

The dish on Meatless Sausages

There are some great vegan sausage options from brands like Tofurkey, Field Roast, Light Life and Beyond meat. Read the labels, especially if you are concerned about allergies. Something can be labelled veggie but have eggs and most of these types of products are not gluten free. I don't encourage eating these meat substitutes more than a couple times a week. They are delicious and convenient, but they are processed which is not ideal to have as a staple if improved health is the goal. As people transition from a traditional omnivore diet, it is ok to lean heavily on these sorts of food items to ease into a vegan diet. But once you stop craving meat, the majority of your diet should be whole foods. You will notice a big difference in your digestion if you are eating too much fake meat, and they are expensive!

I hope you try this quick, easy and delicious recipe. This Vegan Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is sure to please even the pickiest of palettes. Perfect for a chilly or rainy evening, this meal is like getting a warm hug from your Nonna. Mangia!

Vegan Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Hearty and quick weeknight dinner

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine fusion, Italian, Mediterranean, vegan

Servings people

Equipment

stovetop

Ingredients

1 pound pasta of choice
4 ea Vegan Italian Sausages cut in large rounds
5 ea baby bell peppers cut in rings
4 ea cloves garlic chopped
1 cup collard greens chopped
1 cup arugula
1 can Crushed tomatoes 28 oz size
½ cup asparagus ends chopped
1 cup water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp turbinado sugar you may sub sweetener of choice
1 ea salt and pepper to taste
1 ea crushed red pepper to taste to top

Instructions

For proper timing always start by putting large pot of water on to boil for the pasta
chop all vegetables and ingredients
heat a large pan with oil on medium for saute then add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes until browning and fragrant
next add sausage and cook for another 5 minutes stirring or tossing pan depending on skill level occasionally not constantly
add italian seasoning, bell peppers and collard greens, salt lightly and cook for 3 minutes
add canned tomatoes, water, and sugar and bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes
then taste for salt and adjust to taste
Toss cooked pasta with some of the sauce to prevent sticking then toss in the arugula to wilt only. Portion into bowls, ladle sauce and veggie/sausage mix over the top. Garnish with copious fresh groung black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes

Notes

This recipe works well with any kind of sausage. You could sub in other forms of protein as well like meatballs, tofu, tempeh or seitan. The sauce is tasty and versatile

Also to reach the goal of 20 minutes, pasta water should always be step one and the prep should be done while water is heating. When cooked in tandem this way, pasta dinners are one of the easiest and quickest dinners around.

The asparagus is cut from the ends which are usually discarded. I reserve them for soups and sauces. I do not use the part that is really woody but use the part that is still tender. I do this by keeping them in the elastic and using just the part above the elastic that is toward the tips. There is about 1 ½ inches of the stalk that isn't tender enough to eat grilled but is tender enough to eat in a presentation where they are braised in liquid. You may skip and it will not make a huge difference in the dish.

Keyword comfortfood, Easy, garlic, hearty, pasta, simple

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