Since they’re made in the slow cooker, hands-on time is only about 20 minutes to brown the sausages and slice the onions and peppers. You can make them spicier by using a higher ratio of hot Italian sausage, or make them mild by using more mild Italian sausage and less of the hot variety. If you have a mixed group with lots of children, use mostly mild Italian sausage and serve a small bowl of dried red pepper flakes for those who prefer their sandwiches with a bit of fire.
Make sure you pick up some freshly baked crispy Italian buns since soft pillowy ones won’t hold up.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Giuseppes
12 Servings
1 pound mild Italian sausages
1 pound hot Italian Sausages
1 red onion, cut in half then sliced very thin
1 red bell pepper, quartered then cut into thin slices
1 green bell pepper, quartered then cut into thin slices
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water
12 Freshly Baked Italian Buns
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Remove the casing from the sausages and brown them in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up the sausage pieces.
- Meanwhile, cut the red onion in quarters and slice thinly.
- Core the peppers, quarter them, and slice them thin.
- Transfer the vegetables to a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper.
- When the sausage is brown, drain it well and add it to the slow cooker.
- Stir the mixture well and cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
- 15 minutes before serving, skim any residual fat from the top, turn the slow cooker to high, stir in the cornstarch mixture, cover and let cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Split the Italian buns and spoon the sausage mixture over; top each with 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274 Calories from Fat 137
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 50% Protein 22% Carb. 28%
Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 15 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 44 mg
Sodium 901 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 15 g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 34% Calcium 0% Iron 10%
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