An homage to my Italian American heritage and the perfect weeknight meal, these sheet tray sausage and peppers pitas are unbelievably fast and easy to make.
Growing up in an Italian American family, sausage and pepper sandwiches were a staple. We always had them at our big summertime parties (because huge tray of sausage and peppers will always feed a crowd) and they were always the first treat we went for at any Italian festival or street fair (see my post about the Giglio Feast for some photos of the unbelievable sausage and peppers there). But I never really thought of them as an easy weeknight meal. That is, until I was stumped for a meal that would only take a few minutes to prep when I got home from work and could bake in the oven while I showered and changed. Enter sheet tray sausage and peppers pitas.
All you have to do it slice your onions and peppers, toss them with the sausage and a bit of olive oil (I added grated garlic, smoked paprika and chili flakes at this step, for added flavor) and bake. Serve on a pita with any sauces or toppings you’d like, and dinner is ready in under 25 minutes.
A TWIST ON A CLASSIC
Nothing compares to a classic Italian sausage and pepper sandwich. Rich pork sausage smothered with peppers and onions that have been cooking for hours, and served on a freshly baked roll that’s optimal for soaking up all those tasty juices. But my sausage and pepper sheet pan bake is a faster and slightly healthier version that does a pretty good job of living up to the original. I chose to use chicken sausage instead of traditional Italian pork sausage. It’s somewhat healthier and since it’s already cooked, it saves you a little time and energy. I also tossed them with spinach at the end, just for some added vitamins. And serving the sausage and peppers on a pita spread with hummus (as we did) or tzatziki gives the sandwich a Mediterranean vibe, a welcome spin on a classic.
Cooking the peppers and onions in a matter of 20 minutes means that you’ll never get all the low-and-slow vibes that a traditional sausage and pepper sandwich gives. But it’s a sacrifice that I’m completely willing to make. Because it means that dinner is on the table fast, I didn’t have to stand over the stove to make it, and there’s only one pan to wash. These sheet tray sausage and peppers pitas are still every bit as tasty as they sound, and I’ll definitely be adding them to my weekly dinner rotation.
Sheet Tray Sausage and Peppers Pitas
Ingredients
- 1 package (4 links) chicken sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- salt
- 4 pitas for serving
- hummus or tzatziki for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Halve and thinly slice onion and pepper. Mince garlic. Slice chicken sausage into rounds.
- In a large bowl, toss sausage, onions, peppers, garlic, olive oil, paprika and chili flake (if using) and salt. Spread onto a sheet tray and bake, tossing once halfway through, until caramelized, 20-25 minutes.
- Serve sausage and peppers on a pita spread with hummus or tzatziki.
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