Description
Experience the smoky, charred goodness of grilled beef sausage and vibrant bell peppers piled high on warm flatbreads. This quick and easy sheet pan recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and delivers maximum flavor with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
- Naan bread or pita bread or pre-made thin pizza crusts
- High-quality Italian-style beef sausage
- Red bell pepper
- Yellow bell pepper
- Orange bell pepper
- Red onion
- Marinara or pizza sauce
- Fresh low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Shredded provolone cheese (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
- First things first, let's get our sausage and veggies ready for their moment on the grill. If you're using raw beef sausage, remove it from its casings and crumble it into bite-sized pieces. If you have pre-cooked sausage, slice it into rounds. For the bell peppers, remove the cores and seeds, then slice them into strips about a quarter-inch thick. Do the same with your red onion.
- Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat. If you don't have an outdoor grill, a cast-iron grill pan on the stove or even your oven broiler can work – just keep a close eye on them to prevent burning. Toss the sliced bell peppers and onions with a tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Grill them, turning occasionally, until they're tender-crisp and have lovely char marks. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove them from the grill and set aside. Next, grill the beef sausage (if using crumbled, cook in a grill basket or on a grill pan, breaking it up as it cooks). Cook until it's fully browned and cooked through. If using sliced pre-cooked sausage, just get some nice grill marks on it. This pre-grilling step is critical for that fantastic smoky flavor the recipe promises!
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lay out your flatbreads on a large baking sheet (or two, if needed, to avoid overcrowding). A light brush of olive oil on the edges of the flatbreads before adding toppings can help them crisp up beautifully.
- Spoon a generous layer of your favorite marinara or pizza sauce over each flatbread, leaving a small border around the edge for the crust. Next, sprinkle a good amount of shredded mozzarella over the sauce. Now, evenly distribute your beautifully grilled sausage, peppers, and onions over the cheese. Finish with another lighter sprinkle of mozzarella, perhaps with a touch of provolone, and a dash of garlic powder and dried oregano.
- Slide the sheet pan (or pans) into your preheated oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden, and the edges of the flatbreads are crisp and golden brown. Cooking times can vary depending on your oven and the type of flatbread, so keep an eye on them.
- Once out of the oven, let the flatbreads cool for a minute or two before slicing. A sprinkle of fresh basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if you like a little heat, are the perfect finishing touches. Slice, serve immediately, and watch them disappear!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 flatbread
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Grilling the sausage, peppers, and onions adds an incredible depth of smoky flavor. Choose your flatbread wisely, and consider adding a secondary cheese for flavor. Pre-prep your ingredients for convenience, and feel free to customize with additional toppings.