Crumbled Sausage Hoagies: Saucy and Quick
Crumbled Sausage Hoagies are one of those meals that gets thrown together quickly but eaten slowly and savored because they’re just that good.
This is ready to eat within 30 minutes, but can easily be held for those stragglers making their way in from work (or the gym). Make the saucy sausage and keep it warm until you want to toast off the buns and melt the cheese. Technically a sandwich, a fork will not be out of line. I serve this with zoodles or spaghetti squash, but garlic noodles, potato chips or fries work too.
(Do fries ever not work?)
Crumble the sausage and cook over medium heat in a big skillet (affiliate link).
I think I’ve mentioned parts of our Marriage Contract before: I agreed that the sausage, pork and chicken would always be well cooked.
To do that, I almost always add some water to sausage to steam it a bit (and guarantee it’s cooked through) which I do here. Strain out the fat after you let the water cook down.
Add the pasta sauce at this point.
I like the cheap generic marinara for this – the sausage adds a ton of flavor so the sauce doesn’t have to start out fabulous. The 99 cent “meat flavored” sauce works just fine.
If you’ve got kids like mine, remove the two pieces of tomato they put in with the sauce to make it “chunky”.
Add Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes for flavor. Let this bubble for a few minutes to meld the flavors.
Meanwhile, prepare the hoagie buns: cut them in half, then smear plenty of butter on them. Sprinkle with garlic powder and some Parmesan cheese before you pop them under the broiler.
As soon as the hoagies get a little color on them, remove them from the oven. Don’t do what I did and let them get too toasted.
They have to stand up to another run under the broiler as Crumbled Sausage Hoagies without getting burned.
Generously spoon the saucy sausage on the toasted buns, and cover with as much cheese as you’re comfortable with.
I like to combine mozzarella and provolone because the mozzarella melts great but doesn’t have a ton of flavor, and the provolone has the flavor but doesn’t melt quite as well. These hoagie buns are 8″ – and a slice of provolone split in half covered them from tip to toe.
Put them back under the broiler, keeping an eye out for burning, and melt the cheese.
Of course, you can scrape off the burned section if you want.
We like ’em crispy. We’re tough like that.
Crumbled Sausage Hoagies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 pounds Bulk Italian sausage (without casing)
- 1 jar Pasta Sauce (22 ounce jar)
- Parmesan Cheese
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)
- 6 small Hoagie Buns (6" size)
- 3 tbsp Butter, softened
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Provolone and Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Cook sausage in skillet over medium high heat, breaking it up into small pieces as you do so.
- When sausage looks mostly cooked, add about 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking until it is absorbed and the sausage is cooked thoroughly. Strain excess fat from the pan.
- Add the pasta sauce, a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Mix and continue to cook sausage for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Meanwhile, as sausage is cooking, prepare "Garlic Bread Hoagies": split hoagies in half lengthwise and butter (liberally) on inside. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder, then Parmesan cheese and place on a baking sheet, open to heat. Place in preheated oven.
- Cook hoagie buns until just toasted on inside, and remove from oven. Don't overcook - they go back in to cook with the cheese.
- Spoon cooked saucy sausage mixture on one side of each hoagie and add mozzarella, provolone or your favorite melting cheese mixture on top.
- Broil for a few more minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Serve immediately.
This has a permanent spot in our rotation – enjoy! ♥
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