Using only 5 ingredients, this super quick and easy harissa vegetarian sausage tray bake recipe is just perfect for a midweek dinner. Full of deliciously spicy, sticky and sweet flavours it’s a tray bake you are sure to keep coming back to.
We are big fans of Harissa in this house and this vegetarian sausage tray bake doesn’t disappoint. The veggie sausages are cooked alongside sweet roasted onions, tomatoes and peppers to create a slightly spicy and sticky irresistible meal. Packing a nutritious punch alongside lots of delicious spices and roast vegetables, it’s sure to become a favourite in your home too.
Full of sticky, spicy wonderfulness, this main meal is a really easy option for a mid-week dinner. With only 5 ingredients and cooked in 30 minutes you couldn’t really ask for better than that.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a Middle Eastern Spice paste. It is made predominately with roasted red chilli peppers and then other spices will be added such as paprika, garlic, coriander and cumin. If you are using a rose harissa paste then rose petals will also be added.
Harissa has a slow-burning chilli heat, which is complemented with a sweet smokiness that adds real depth of flavour to any dish
In this dish, I use a Rose Harissa Pesto as sometimes my children complain that the Harissa paste is too spicy! The pesto version has added sun-dried and semi-dried tomatoes to the harissa paste. If you can’t get hold of the pesto version then you could just add some sundried tomato paste to your harissa.
There are lots of brands out there and most supermarkets seem to have their own brand version of harissa paste. However, my personal favourite for the depth of flavour is the Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto or their Rose Harissa Paste
Other possible uses for Harissa paste or pesto
- Spread it on your toast with scrambled eggs or smashed avocado on toast
- Add to crème fraîche and stir through your favourite pasta
- Mix into salsa or guacamole to enjoy with tacos
- Add to yoghurt for a delicious marinade
- Coat a chicken breast or salmon fillet and bake in the oven
Vegetarian or Vegan Sausages?
There is a massive choice of either vegan or vegetarian sausages in the supermarkets. It seems that we all enjoy different brands, sizes and flavours when it comes to our sausages, so my suggestion is to simply choose whichever vegetarian or vegan sausages you prefer.
I use vegan sausages that are recommended to be pan-fried. I did this prior to adding them to the harissa vegetables and then put them back on top to warm through. However, some vegetarian sausages can be oven cooked. If this is the case you can just put them on top of the vegetables to cook. Just read the recommended cooking advice on the package and either cook separately and add at the end or after step 3 in the instructions below.
You could of course use meat sausages for this recipe as well if you would prefer.
What you will need for the harissa vegetarian sausage tray bake
- Onions
- You can’t have sausages without onions.
- Giving them an extra 10 minutes helps to caramelise them and bring out all their natural sweetness.
- Peppers
- Adding a supercharge of vitamin C to this dish
- use any colour you have, I chose red and yellow
- Tomatoes
- I prefer vine-ripened tomatoes as I think they have the best flavour.
- A brilliant source of Vitamin C and K, as well as the antioxidant lycopene, linked to many health benefits
- Rose Harissa pesto
- I use the pesto by Belazu. Even though its a little more expensive it’s worth it for the flavours
- If you can’t get the pesto then use harissa paste and adjust the quantity to how spicy you like it.
- vegetarian sausages
- There is a huge choice of veggie or vegan sausages so use whatever you have or are your favourites
- For this dish, I used the Heck vegan meatless chipolatas as I love their herby flavours.
How to make this delicious harissa vegetarian sausage tray bake
Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan while you prepare your vegetables.
Once all sliced and chopped, place the onions only into your baking tray with a little oil and roast for 10 minutes. This extra time helps them caramelise and ensure they are cooked beautifully.
After 10 minutes, you can add the peppers and tomatoes. Also, stir through the harissa pesto and put the tray of veggies back in the oven for a further 20 minutes.
Whilst your veggies are cooking, in a non-stick frying pan cook your vegetarian sausages of choice. Or if they can be oven cooked, pop them on top of your veggies before they go back in the oven. However, read the packaging and cook as suggested.
If you are frying your sausages, then you can add them on top of the tray bake 5 minutes before the end and place it back in the oven while you steam your other veg if serving alongside.
What to do with any leftovers
If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, pop them into an airtight container and once completely cooled store them in the fridge for a couple of days.
I like to either reheat any leftovers or enjoy cold on top of a salad for lunch the next day.
Diabetes note
This is a carb-count-free dinner, well almost.
You may choose to count a little for the pesto however we decided the net carb amount was so small per portion that we choose not to. However, as always you know best what to do when it comes to carb counting.
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