Sausage Hero with Spinach and Pesto

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A big hero sandwich isn’t usually a go-to food for me. It can be heavy, cumbersome and messy to eat, and just all around unappealing, especially at the end of the day. But this Sausage Hero with Spinach and Pesto is so not that. A French baguette, smeared with a fresh tasting pesto sauce is topped with baby spinach, crumbled sausage and melted mozzarella and then toasted to perfection.

Hero vs. Hoagie

Let’s start at the beginning and talk about what we call it so you don’t have that awkward fumble over the hero and wonder if people know you’re talking about a warm toasty sandwich. Some people say hero. Some say hoagie. We all know what you mean BUT they actually they aren’t the same thing!

A hero is a type of sandwich often associated with New York City. It is typically made with a long roll of Italian or French bread, split lengthwise and filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. The key difference between a hero and a hoagie is the way it is served – heroes are usually served hot, often toasted or grilled, and may be topped with melted cheese.

Hoagies, typically associated with the city of Philadelphia, are a similar type of sandwich also made with the same basic ingredients. Hoagies, unlike hero’s however, are usually served cold, and often topped with condiments such as mayo, mustard, or oil and vinegar.

So our recipe is definitely a hero. This Sausage Hero may not have your typical sausage and pepper hero ingredients but I promise it’s even better. It’s a little lighter thanks to the less bulky spinach and less greasy thanks to the pesto, which by the way packs a TON of flavor. And if that isn’t enough to sway you, the open-faced way it is served makes it so much easier to eat. Half the amount of bread in each bite and you can even use a fork and knife to cut it up into small bites. I’m telling you that even if you’re not usually a fan of a hero… this Sausage Hero with Spinach and Pesto is one you should try.

About the Ingredients

French Baguette – a long thin baguette loaf with a nice crust on it is perfect for this hero sandwich. The crust will help everything hold together nicely. Baguettes aren’t too doughy and thick where you end up getting more bread than sandwich toppings which is a plus too.

Sweet Italian sausage – the sausage meat will get crumbled so if you have sweet Italian sausage links you’ll want to remove the meat from the casings. Alternatively, you can get the sausage as ground meat.

Sherry vinegar – this is the secret sauce in this recipe. Sherry vinegar adds a great flavor to the sausage. It will really elevate your sausage hero to the dinner worthy status it deserves.

Prepared pesto – not all pestos are created equal. Some are heavier on the garlic than others. Some use a blend of herbs will others are all basil. If you have a favorite that you know and love – great! If not, I recommend Whole Foods Brand Pesto. It’s a little nutty (from the sunflower seed oil) and perfectly earthy and salty.

Mayonnaise – the mayonnaise will get mixed with the pesto to create a creamy rich spread for your baguette.

Baby spinach – no need to cook the spinach first. It will go on the sandwich raw and then wilt down under the high heat of the oven when you toast everything at the end.

Shredded mozzarella – for topping off your hero. You could also used thin sliced fresh mozzarella if you have it.

Ground black pepper

How to Make a Sausage Hero with Spinach and Pesto

Building a sandwich is easy. The best thing to do is get all of the ingredients prepared and ready to go and then assemble your hero in an assembly line method.

The first thing to do is prepare the bread. Slice the baguette lengthwise to cut it in half. You could also cut the individual pieces (about 6 inches each) now or you can leave the baguette halves as they are and slice it when it’s ready to serve. I find it’s easier to work with if you leave it whole. I like to scoop out some of the inside of the bread to make a little boat to hold the meat and veggies. Place the baguettes, crust down, on a baking sheet and toast for 1 to 2 minutes or until they just begin to brown then remove them from the oven.

Now prepare your sausage. Remove the meat from the casings a cook in sauté pan on the stove while stirring the meat to a crumble. Just before the meat finishes cooking, add the sherry vinegar and simmer it off until fully absorbed (this takes about 2 minutes.)

The last ingredient to prepare is your hero spread. Combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl.

Let’s assemble some heroes! Leaving the baguette on the baking sheet, spread half the pesto mixture on each piece of toasted baguette. Layer on the spinach, followed by the sausage and top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle a pinch of black pepper across the top. Return your baking sheet to the hot oven and broil until the sandwiches are hot and bubbly, about 90 seconds.

Slice each side of the baguette into 3 equal portions and serve while still bubbly!

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

Looking for more of an Italian street fair sausage and peppers style sandwich? I got you. Swap out the baby spinach for sautéed green peppers. The best way to do this is after you finish cooking the sausage remove it to a plate and using the same sauté pan, cook a green bell pepper cut into into thin slices. After the pepper slices soften, about 7 minutes, remove them from the heat.

When you assemble your sausage and peppers hero layer the baguette with pesto / mayo spread, then sautéed peppers, sausage, mozzarella cheese and top with a sprinkle of black pepper. Then toast it and enjoy!

Make Ahead Instructions

Assemble the sandwiches right up until broiling them for the final toasting. Place the sausage and spinach stuffed baguettes on a baking sheet covered with foil and place the tray in the refrigerator. When you’re ready, remove the foil and place the sandwiches in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes to warm. Then switch on the broiler and toast until hot and bubbly. Keep a close eye on them here, it should take less than 2 minutes. 

FAQ’s and Recipe Tips

The Recipe for Sausage Hero with Spinach and Pesto

The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing.  If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought and if you refer to it as a hero or a hoagie. Enjoy!

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