Shrimp, Sausage and Peppers

There's nothing more I love than a super quick weeknight meal that is flavorful and satisfying. When you find yourself wishing for just a few more hours in the day, it's meals like this that can make all the difference.

Whenever I go to a NY Mets game, I HAVE to grab myself an Italian sausage and peppers sandwich. Tender, sauteed peppers and sweet onions piled high on top of a crispy grilled sausage. Ugh. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Yes, the Mets are my favorite sports team of all time. I love them even their darkest hours. It's a testament to my dedication and loyalty.

Back to the sausage and peppers...

Last night's dinner was this Shrimp, Sausage and Peppers stir fry. Rich and smokey sausage with sweet peppers and shrimp in a tart, tomato gravy. This meal was perfect as is, but it would also be delicious over rice or served with a crusty bread.

Sweet peppers and thinly sliced onions are sauteed until almost caramelized. This really amps up the flavor and makes you want to give yourself a nice pat on the back.

Brown and crispy sausage and shrimp pack this meal with protein.

A rich tomato gravy pulls the whole thing together. That is, chicken broth, tomato paste, fresh lemon juice and earthy fresh thyme. And it's ready in thirty minutes or less.

That's all it takes! I'm still thinking about this meal, and even had the leftovers for lunch today. I think you're really going to love it.



Here's what you need for Shrimp, Sausage, and Peppers (Print Recipe!)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 bell peppers (about 2 cups), sliced thin but not as thin as the onions (I used a mixture of green, red, yellow, and orange)
Salt and cracked black pepper
2 links sweet sausage, sliced (I used a sun-dried tomato chicken sausage, but any will do!)
10 to 12 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Here's what you do

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sautee until translucent, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the peppers and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender.

Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan and place the sausage in the middle of the pan. Cook on 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

Add the shrimp, thyme, oregano and chicken broth to the pan. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil (there should only be about a centimeter of chicken broth up the side of the pan). Whisk in the lemon juice and tomato paste.

Reduce heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally. Cook until the shrimp is opaque and the gravy has thickened slightly. Serve immediately.