This Vegan Sausage Pasta is a veganized twist on the classic sausage and peppers. The plant-based sausages are sauteed with fresh garlic, onion, and aromatic vegetables to create a rich tomato sauce, then served over al dente pasta with fresh greens. It's hearty, delicious, and full of Italian flavors. Perfect for meal prep and very family friendly too!
Why you’ll love this hearty vegan sausage pasta recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes flat (truly the perfect weeknight dinner!)
- It's the ultimate comfort food - hearty, filling, and cozy
- Easy to make with gluten-free pasta for an allergy-friendly entree
- Makes great leftovers for easy lunches or dinners all week
- Can be made with any type of plant-based sausage and lots of different veggies
- Gives you that traditional sausage and peppers flavor without the meat
- Classic main dish vibes - it has everything you need to feel totally satisfied
What are vegan sausages?
There are some great vegan sausage options from brands like Tofurkey (this is what I used), Field Roast, Light Life and Beyond sausage. They come in lots of different flavors, so you can even use vegan Italian sausage to replicate the flavor of the real deal.
If you're new to working with store-bought vegan products and are concerned about allergies, be sure to read the packaging closely. Many of these products contain gluten and some may also contain eggs.
They're also highly processed, so think of them as sometimes foods instead of daily essentials. You will notice a big difference in your digestion if you are eating too much fake meat, and they can be expensive!
Helpful Tip
If you're cooking for a diverse group of eaters, consider serving the dish with regular parmesan cheese for the omnivores and just some red pepper flakes and black pepper for the vegans.
Ingredients for Vegan Sausage and Peppers Pasta
These ingredients are versatile and easy to find at most markets. I used collard greens and asparagus in this picture but have used spinach (regular or baby spinach) and zucchini or kale and broccoli with success. Use whatever pasta you like! I like to make a bed of greens for my pasta because it helps me with portion control but it is entirely optional.
- Pasta: I like to use spaghetti or fettucine, but the sky's the limit. It's a simple recipe and tastes great with any type of pasta you prefer.
- Onion
- Vegan Italian-style sausage: I used Tofurkey sausages for this specific batch, but you can really use any brand you enjoy. You can also use your favorite vegan sausage crumbles if you are open to smaller pieces of "meat."
- Baby bell peppers: These peppers are a little sweeter than the larger ones, which is really nice with all the hearty, savory flavors.
- Fresh garliccloves
- Collard greens, Spinach or Kale: To wilt into the sausage for an extra dose of greens.
- Arugula or Salad (optional): I love serving the pasta over some fresh greens for a little lightness and more color.
- Crushed tomatoes: This is the base of the homemade pasta sauce and has a very bright, fresh tomato flavor.
- Asparagus, Zucchini or Broccoli: All of these work equally well.
- Olive oil
- Italian Seasoning: The dried herbs will perk back up in the sauce to add a lot of Mediterranean flavor.
- Turbinado Sugar: For just a little touch of sweetness. It really balances the whole dish and mellows out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Crushed Red Pepper
How to Make Vegan Sausage Pasta
This pasta dish is as easy as it gets. This will get you dinner on the table in about 30 minutes and makes the best leftovers, too!
- For proper timing always start by putting large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
- Chop all vegetables and ingredients .
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat for saute then add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes until browning and fragrant.
- Next add the peppers, asparagus or whatever veggie you like, sausage and cook for another 5 minutes stirring or tossing pan depending on skill level occasionally not constantly.
- Salt lightly and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, water, and sugar and bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then taste for salt and adjust to taste. Add greens of choice and cover until the steam wilts them.
- Toss cooked pasta with a little sauce so it won't stick. Portion into bowls with a handful of arugula on the bottom, ladle sauce and veggie/sausage mix over the top. Garnish with copious fresh ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Sausage Pasta
- Garnish to taste. If you miss cheese, feel free to sprinkle some nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese on top. You can also add strips of fresh basil or parsley for a nice herbal note. Prefer a little crunch? Add some chopped cashews or sunflower seeds for a little extra texture.
- Load up on veggies. The veggies are very flexible here, and you can sneak quite a few into the sauce. I've used different squashes, colors of onions, sizes and colors of bell peppers, greens, and more. It's very forgiving.
- Make a spicy vegan sausage pasta. Use spicy vegan pasta and add dried red pepper flakes to taste. Just be careful - the heat will build over time, so use less than you think you need!
- Store the cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Serve it with the fresh greens separately, as those will wilt while reheating.
FAQs
This vegan sausage pasta uses canned crushed tomatoes, which already have the peels removed and have been partially processed. Although you can add some fresh tomatoes, adding too many may cause your sauce to become really watery. In this situation, regular canned crushed tomatoes are ideal. Consider adding some halved cherry tomatoes to the sauce right before serving.
The long answer is yes, with some tweaks. I thank the gods that we are not sensitive to gluten in my family. 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.
Please note that 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, they are horrified by the dreaded mush. Also, be sure to check labels on the vegan sausage brand as most do have some gluten.
I've found that most sausages sold as vegetarian are also appropriate for vegans, although you'll definitely want to read the packaging to be on the safe side.
Other Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
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Vegan Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 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 or spinach chopped
- 1 cup arugula
- 15 oz Crushed tomatoes canned
- ½ cup vegetables asparagus or broccoli or zuchinni
- ½ 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 the peppers, asparagus or whatever veggie you like, sausage and cook for another 5 minutes stirring or tossing pan depending on skill level occasionally not constantly.
- Salt lightly and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, water, and sugar and bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then taste for salt and adjust to taste. Add greens of choice and cover until the steam wilts them,
- Toss cooked pasta with a little sauce so it won't stick. Portion into bowls with a handful of arugula on the bottom, ladle sauce and veggie/sausage mix over the top. Garnish with copious fresh ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flake.
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