Instead of two slices of bread and one patty, this lower-carb patty melt has two patties sandwiching cheese, peppers, and onions. Skip lunch. This one’s a gut-buster!

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling, plus 1 tablespoon (once around the pan)

　　4 Italian hot sausage patties

　　4 Italian sweet sausage patties

　　1 cubanelle pepper (long, light green, fresh Italian pepper), seeded and sliced

　　1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

　　1 medium onion, thinly sliced

　　2 garlic cloves, smashed out of their skin

　　1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

　　Salt

　　8 deli slices provolone cheese

　　

Step 1

Heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan for the patties, another medium skillet for the peppers and onions, over medium-high heat.

　　

Step 2

Drizzle the nonstick pan or grill pan with EVOO and fry the sausage patties in 2 batches, 2 hot and 2 sweet at a time. The patties cook in 5 to 6 minutes per side, so you can make 2 batches in less than 30 minutes.

　　

Step 3

While the sausages cook, add 1 tablespoon EVOO to the second skillet and fry up the peppers, onion, and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes, until tender but still full of color and a little crunch. Season the veggies with the red pepper flakes and salt to taste.

　　

Step 4

To assemble, pile some peppers and onions on a sweet sausage patty. Top with 2 slices of the provolone and a hot sausage patty. Press to set. Hold the patties under a foil tent for 1 minute so the cheese melts and the 2 patties and veggies all stick together.

　　Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals