Tuscan Veggie Sausage & Roasted Grapes

5 from 3 votes

My Tuscan Veggie Sausage and Roasted Grapes is a plant-based version of an Italian classic. Serve with my mascarpone mashed potatoes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time23

Total Time38

Servings:

4 veggie sausages, cut to ½ inch rounds, I prefer Beyond Meat’s Hot Italian Sausage
2 cups grapes, washed
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled, preferably Dutch or Yukon Gold
¼ cup milk, (use a plant-based milk to keep these potatoes vegan; I use Unsweetened Almond Milk)
2 Tbsp butter or Earth Balance, (or olive oil)
2 Tbsp mascarpone or vegan cream cheese, (or omit, but using mascarpone or vegan cream cheese makes these potatoes extra creamy)
1 tsp sea salt

If you plan to make this meal with my Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes, start by boiling the potatoes.
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a large soup pot of water. The water should cover the potatoes by at least one inch. Boil for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, and a fork goes easily through when the potatoes are pricked.
Note: if using large potatoes, I recommend cutting them in half before boiling so they cook faster.
While the potatoes boil, roast the sausage, onion, and grapes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the sausage, red onion, grapes, salt, and pepper on a standard-sized baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the top, and toss everything in the olive oil with you hands until evenly coated.
Spread the sausage, onion, and grapes out evenly on the baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, take the baking sheet out of the oven, and flip everything with your spatula so a different side of each sausage, grape, and onion is touching the baking sheet. Don’t worry if not everything turns over, this can be a very casual flip.
Put the baking sheet back in the oven, and roast for another 8-12 minutes, until the sausage is cooked through and slightly browned.
Note: this second roasting time will vary by a few minutes depending on the type of veggie sausage you use. Beyond Meat Sausage generally requires more roasting time than other veggie sausage brands. Start with 8 minutes, and roast longer if needed. You don't want to dry the sausage out.

Take the baking sheet out of the oven, and drizzle 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar over the top. Mix the balsamic in with your spatula so everything is evenly coated.
The veggie sausage, grapes, and onion are done.

Back to the potatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked through and a fork goes easily through each potato when pricked, drain the potatoes, and put them back in the pot.
To the pot, add the milk, butter, mascarpone, and salt.
With a handheld mixer, mix the potatoes on medium speed until completely smooth, and the butter and mascarpone are completely incorporated. Potatoes are done.

Serve the Tuscan Veggie Sausage & Roasted Grapes over the Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes and a bed of greens. Spinach or arugula are my favorites.

This meal is vegetarian.

This meal is vegan if you follow my vegan ingredient instructions in the mashed potatoes.

This meal is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free veggie sausage, like Beyond Meat.