Vegan Sausage Hoagie Sandwich
Ginny McMeans
Published:
November 7, 2020
Last Modified:
May 8, 2024
Vegan Sausage Hoagie Sandwich makes life easier by being able to do it all in the slow cooker. It’s a flavorful sandwich that always hits the spot.
This vegan hoagie is easy to throw together, and it all gets cooked in the slow cooker. The vegan sausage is store-bought, and my favorite is Field Roast. This isn’t a sponsored post. I think Field Roast is the best for quick, hardy sandwiches.
Chipotle Sausage was used for this hoagie sandwich, but there are apple sage varieties plus others, and they will all be delicious with this sauce. I’m just usually partial to spicy so that’s what I used this time around.
The sauce is made with tomatoes and seasonings, and the flavors are wonderful. Here again, because it is all made in the crock pot, the process is really easy.
The plant-based sausage loosens up as cooking but still holds its shape and offers up a nice tender filling. Scoop out the ‘meatballs’ and lay into your favorite long bun.
Preparing vegan sausage
The way you handle those fat store-bought sausages is to peel off the covering and then slice them into about five pieces. This will give you the illusion of a ‘meatball’.
Especially after they’ve been cooked in that wonderful sauce, it is very similar in taste to spaghetti or marinara sauce.
If you’d like the sausages to be more solid, there is a trick. Fry them in a little oil after you have cut them, as in the photo below. They will be forced to be firmer. I like them both ways but don’t fry them very often. It’s all for the sake of speed since they taste just as delicious either way.
By the way, that oval pan is 14″ wide, not counting the handles, so you can see the pieces are a good size.
Ingredients
- Field Roast sausage is also a favorite because it is grain-based, not soy-based.
- Crushed tomatoes are the main sauce component.
- Tomato paste adds a deep richness that puts the tomato sauce over the top.
- Water thins out the tomato sauce in the cooker.
- Chili pepper – adds some more spice and can be omitted.
- Garlic adds a little added earthy flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar is a little tangy but has a flavor undertone.
- Dried oregano is an herb that lends itself to tomato sauces.
- Salt livens up the sauce even in this very little measurement.
- Hoagie buns of your choice can be used from traditional hoagies to whole wheat buns. You’ll have a vegan sausage hoagie no matter what the bun.
Instructions
- Cut the casings off of the ‘sausages’, handling them carefully. They will break. The ‘sausages’ aren’t that delicate but be a little gentle.
- Cut the ‘sausage’ into large chunks, about 3 to 4 slices per ‘sausage’.
- If you choose to brown the pieces then add oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high.
- Add the sausage to the pan and brown on all sides.
- When done, set aside to cool and then put in the refrigerator.
- While the’ sausage’ is browning, put all the remaining ingredients (except the buns) in the slow cooker.
- Stir and cook on high for 3 hours.
- Add the ‘sausage’ and stir carefully. Leave on high and cook another hour. If it seems to be getting too thick you can add a little water. Just a couple of tablespoons to a quarter cup at a time.
- That’s it! All done.
Hoagie sandwich toppings
- You can enjoy this vegan hoagie just as it with only sauce or include a variety of toppings.
- To make the hoagie sandwich as in the photos – lay a slice of dairy-free mozzarella on the bun, scoop in the plant based sausage and sauce – sprinkle with paremsan. I love this Nut Free Parmesan Recipe that’s made with hemp hearts.
- Lay the cheese down (or not) place your favorite lettuce or spicnach leaves on that. Sprinkle with chopped red onion and then scoop on the ‘sausage’ and sauce.
- Thinly sliced black olives would go great on the sandwich.
- Quartered artichoke hearts would add more Mediterranean flavors.
- Don’t forget about diced green bell peppers. They’d be a great addition too.
Chef’s tips
- I would lay down all of the added vegetables first, into the bun, and then put the crockpot sandwich filling right down the middle.
- Don’t slice the bun all the way through. That will hold all of the goodies inside the bun for your big bite.
- Have a stack of napkins. My happy place can be yours.
Vegan sandwiches
- Sandwiches are one of my meals. They can be served for lunch or dinner and the choices are endless. There are about 24 very different sandwiches on this blog but I’ll share just a couple with you right here.
- For something very different and very delicious give this Vegan Muffuletta sandwich a try.
Vegan Sausage Hoagie Sandwich
Ingredients
- 12 ounces grain based chipotle sausage – I use one package of 4 sausages of Field Roast Mexican Cipotle
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes – 1 large can
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoon chili pepper – finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 hoagie buns Italian or whole wheat hoagie buns
- Dairy-free Mozzarella cheese, optional – I used Chao in my photos
- Dairy-free parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Cut the casings off of the ‘sausages’, handling carefully. They will break. The ‘sausages’ aren’t that delicate but be a little gentle.
- Slice the ‘sausage’ into large chunks, about 4 slices per ‘sausage’.
- If you would like to brown the ‘sausage’ then add oil to a large skillet and heat to medium high.
- Add the sausage to the pan and brown on all sides.
- When done, set aside to cool and then put in the refrigerator.
- While the’ sausage’ is browning, put all the remaining ingredients (except the buns) in the slow cooker.
- Stir and cook on high 3 hours.
- Carefully add the sausage to the crockpot and leave on high and cook another hour.
