Guys! It’s finally September! Which means fall comfort is a go. So, let’s get it started with this vegan sausage and mushroom pomodoro served over cheesy polenta! It is so dang good, and getting a bite of sausage, mushroom, pomodoro sauce and polenta is like heaven! Pomodoro sauce is usually made with fresh tomatoes that are cooked and then blended. I thought I would save you some time by using canned tomato sauce and then adding fresh grape tomatoes to the sausage and mushrooms. That way, this meal comes together in no time!
The sausage is browned, then you saute garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes. You can then use the same pot to simmer the simple pomodoro sauce. That can all be done while you simmer the polenta. Then, you can either add the sausages, mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes to the sauce. Or, if you prefer, you can serve a nice bowl of steaming hot polenta with the sausage and mushrooms over it, and pour the sauce over. I like to do the latter. Then I can put as much sauce on as I want!
I used Beyond Meat sausages for this recipe, but I really love Field Roast sausages as well. If you don’t like using meat alternatives, I would recommend just using more mushrooms. It would be amazing with all mushrooms too! Honestly anything served over cheesy polenta is a win in my book. This vegan sausage and mushroom pomodoro can be served over pasta or gnocchi as well. However, I do love this polenta. It is creamy from the vegan butter and cheesy from the nutritional yeast. It is the perfect vessel for this dish! This simple meal is so comforting and essential for all the chilly fall nights that are headed our way. This is also a great super easy sauce to have memorized for all your pasta needs!
Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Pomodoro
Ingredients
Sausage and Mushrooms
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided
- 4 Vegan sausages, sliced (I used Beyond Meat)
- 6 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 8 Ounces Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 10 Ounces Grape tomatoes
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Pomodoro Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Olive oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1 Can(15oz.) Canned tomato sauce (tomato puree not ketchup)
- 1/2 teaspoon Organic cane sugar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cheesy Polenta
- 6 Cups Water
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 3/4 Cup Yellow cornmeal(coarse), or Polenta
- 3 Tablespoons Vegan butter, I used Earth Balance
- 1 Tablespoons Nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Cook the sausage and mushrooms first. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high.
- Add the sliced sausages to the skillet and brown them on each side for 2-3 minutes or until the sausages are nice and brown. Then remove the sausages from the skillet and place in a bowl, set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and then add the garlic, mushrooms and grape tomatoes. Saute reducing heat as needed for about 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through and the tomatoes have burst open. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Remove the mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic from the skillet and add them to the bowl with the sausages.
- Now make the sauce, in the same skillet, heat the olive oil on medium. Then add the garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes to start cooking.
- Then add the tomato sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes while the polenta cooks. Stirring occasionally. When done, taste and adjust seasoning, turn the heat off, and leave covered until ready to serve.
- Start the polenta while the sauce simmers. Heat the water and salt in a medium sized sauce pan that has a lid. Heat on high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium high so it is not boiling super strong but still bubbling.
- Very, very slowly add in the cornmeal, a tiny bit at a time whisking the whole time so it doesn't clump together. Once all the cornmeal has been incorporated, reduce heat to low, cover and cook, whisking occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until the polenta is cooked through and nice and thick.
- Add the vegan butter and nutrional yeast. Whisk to combine. Turn off the heat.
- Add the sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic to the pomodoro sauce. Stir to combine. Then serve a bowl of polenta with the sauce over the top!
Nutrition
Eeek thank you for this! this is exactly the type of recipe i’m craving now that it’s “fall” hah!
Great recipe, thanks so much! My non-vegan fiancé loved it 🙂 it’s hearty and feels fancy without being expensive or complicated. Next time I’ll try adding caramelized onions! I think they would complement the other flavors very well.
Thank you!
This is SO good & a perfect comfort food!
This recipe was amazing.. it reminded me of dinners made by my grandparents while growing up in Italy. Full of flavor!
Thank you!
Just made it, it turned out great. It was something different,very hearty, one bowl and I’m full for the night. Thank you for this!
This is a keeper! Whole family agrees it’s going into our normal rotation.
Excellent. I will make again, doubling mushrooms and halving the sausage. Thank you for the deliciouness!
Loved the combination of ingredients. I was a bit confused by the 1/4 c olive oil in sauce. Seemed like a lot so I drained a bit of it after sauteing the garlic and I skipped the sugar.. Only comment is that the addition of an herb, maybe basil, would make a nice addition to the yummy tomatoes.