Vegan Planet: Sloppy Giuseppes

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sloppy Giuseppes

When I was a kid, it was just as likely that my mom would make me a spicy Italian sausage sandwich for lunch as it was that she’d make a PB & J. Sometimes she’d make sausage with onions and bell peppers. But my favorite was when she simmered crumbled sausage and mushrooms in a rich tomato sauce. Mom would spoon this spicy mixture onto crusty Italian rolls. I came to realize this was sort of an Italian version of “Sloppy Joes.”

I developed a vegan version of this childhood favorite and the recipe is in TheVegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook. I call the sandwiches “Sloppy Giuseppes” because they’re like Italian Sloppy Joes.

Hard to believe The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook is ten years old this year. It remains a personal favorite and paging through the sandwich chapter, I remember some of the reasons why that’s so. To list a few:

· Spicy Tofu Po’Boys

· Seitan “Cheesesteaks

· Tempeh Reuben

· Chicken-Out Salad

· Tofu Egg Salad

· Nothin’s Fishy Tuna Salad

· Avocado Salad Wrap with Salsa

· Hungry for Hummus Pita

· Cajun Bean Burgers

· Amazing Grain Burgers

· Cardamom-Spiced Lentil-Potato Wraps

And, of course, Sloppy Giuseppes. Yes, please.

My original recipe for Sloppy Giuseppes called for chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian burger crumbles and bottled marinara sauce. I’ve adapted it by adding other options including TVP and chopped vegan sausage links. I’ve also increased the amount of spice to a degree that would make my mother proud (but you can cut way back if you’re making this for kids that don’t share my childhood fondness for heat.)

Try this quick and easy recipe. Served with a salad, it makes a hearty meal for lunch or dinner.

Sloppy Giuseppes

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, chopped

3 frozen vegan burgers, thawed and chopped; or 8 ounces vegan burger crumbles; or 1 1/2 cups reconstituted TVP; or 3 to 4 vegan Italian sausage links, purchased or homemade; or 1 1/2 cups chopped seitan or tempeh

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups bottled marinara sauce

4 Italian sandwich rolls, split and toasted

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the veggie burger, fennel, red pepper flakes, cayenne, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to heat through and blend flavors. Spoon the mixture on rolls and serve.

Labels: Sloppy Giuseppes, The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook

# posted by Robin at Vegan Planet @ 11:32 AM

Comments:

Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes was my first Robin Robertson cookbook, and it is positively battered and bruised from 10 years of regular use! There are many pages that fall open from so much use...especially the Butternut Squash Risotto, Vegetarian Pot Roast (though I've now switched over to your slow-cooker version), Great Stuffed Mushrooms, Spiced Lentil-Coconut Stew, and the Red Pepper-Walnut Pate makes an appearance every Christmas. But somehow, Sloppy Giuseppes isn't something we've tried yet...I'll have to give it a try on the weekend.

# posted by

Stacey : March 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM

Stacey, How nice to hear how much you've enjoyed Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes over the year. Thanks for letting me know -- it helps make the 10 year anniversary even more special!

# posted by

Robin at Vegan Planet : March 28, 2012 at 9:57 PM

I agree...Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes is still one of my favorite cookbooks of the many cookbooks by you, Robin - perhaps it IS my favorite! I will have to try the Sloppy Giuseppes sometime (I missed that one, too).

One of the best things about the cookbook is that the meals in it are great to serve to meat-eaters. This makes life so much more simple when our children visit; one is a vegetarian, one is a meat eater. Both of them can't get enough of the Shepherd's Pie or Brunswick Stew. My daughter HATES eggplant, but when I served the Baked Ziti and Eggplant, she ate it ALL. Now that's an endorsement!

# posted by

Carole : April 1, 2012 at 12:08 PM

Thanks, Carole. Cooking "persuasive" meals for meat-eaters was the main reason I wrote this book and it remains a personal favorite of mine as well.
What an amazing endorsement from your formerly-eggplant-hating daughter! So glad your children enjoy the recipes.

# posted by

Robin at Vegan Planet : April 1, 2012 at 12:19 PM

Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes is one of my favorite cookbooks. I have both the paper version, which I've had for years, and the Kindle version, so I can look up recipes away from home.

# posted by

Celia : April 5, 2012 at 9:28 AM

Thanks Celia. It's great to know how much you enjoy the book. And I love that you have it in two different forms!

# posted by

Robin at Vegan Planet : April 5, 2012 at 9:54 AM

This is an interesting Italian dish, that I might keep for my Meatless Monday repertoire. http://www.miratelinc.com/blog/meatless-monday-csr-business-one-pot-pasta-primavera/

# posted by

Elyse : April 16, 2012 at 6:27 PM

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