Piri Piri 'Chorizo' Bake — a plant-based Mediterranean recipe by BOSH!
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Piri Piri 'Chorizo' Bake

This one is a proper weeknight winner and we keep coming back to it every time we want something bold, smoky and a little bit fiery without spending hours in the kitchen. The piri piri heat, the sticky roasted veg, the chorizo-spiced plant-based pieces; it all comes together in one tray and it genuinely tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant. Sweet potato brings this lovely natural sweetness that balances the spice perfectly, and everything gets this gorgeous caramelised edge in the oven. Honestly, once you've made this, you'll have it on rotation.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large roasting tin
  • Large microwaveable bowl
  • Liquidiser/blender
  • Microplane or fine grater

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 300g shop-bought plant-based Chorizo sausages
  • 20g cherry tomatoes
  • 20g fresh coriander
  • 500g basmati rice cooked
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 red onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 red chillies - scotch bonnet, red or bird's-eye
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • fresh basil
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1

First cook the sweet potatoes

  • Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 2cm cubes
  • Put them in a large microwaveable bowl, sprinkle over a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil
  • Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over the juice, catching any pips in your other hand 
  • Toss to coat
  • Cover the bowl with a plate and microwave on high for 6 minutes, until soft
  • Alternatively, cook in the oven at 180°C for 30–35 minutes, until soft 
2

For the peppers

  • Cut the peppers in half, cut out the stems and seeds and cut the flesh into 2cm cubes, then put them in the roasting tin
  • Use the back of a knife to lightly crush the 3 garlic cloves and add them to the tin
  • Drizzle over a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  • Add the sweet potatoes to the peppers and put the tin in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until the peppers have small black patches on the skins
  • Meanwhile, make the Eazy Chorizo sausages following the recipe opposite (or cut up shop-bought sausages into bite-sized pieces and cook following the instructions on the packet)
3

To make the Piri Piri sauce

  • Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic
  • Cut the pepper in half and cut out the stem and seeds
  • Rip the stems from the chillies, cut them in half lengthways and remove the seeds if you prefer a milder sauce
  • Put the onion, garlic, pepper and chillies in the liquidiser with the paprika, oregano, red wine vinegar and basil
4

Make a lemon paste

  • Grate in the zest of the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any pips
  • Add a drop of water and blend to a smooth paste
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary 

Combine

  • Remove the roasting tin from the oven
  • Transfer the sausages and piri piri sauce to the tin and mix everything together
  • Add the cherry tomatoes and put the tin back in the oven for 15 minutes, until the potatoes and peppers are cooked and the sauce is piping hot 
5

Finish to serve

  • Heat the rice or cook it following the instructions on the packet
  • Pluck the leaves from the coriander and dispose of the stems
  • Coarsely chop the leaves and sprinkle them over the vegetables
  • Serve with rice

Tips & Variations

  • Make it your own heat level: We love it properly spicy but if you're cooking for people who don't want the fire, just dial back the piri piri and add a little smoked paprika instead. Still loads of flavour, just without the kick.
  • Don't skip the lemon: It might seem like a small thing but squeezing lemon over the sweet potato before microwaving makes a real difference. It brightens everything up and stops it feeling heavy. Trust us on this one.
  • Serve it right: We love this with a big dollop of dairy-free yoghurt on top and some fresh coriander if you've got it. A simple green salad on the side and you've got a proper meal. Ian sometimes throws in a handful of spinach for the last five minutes in the oven too.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the sweet potato properly soft before it goes into the bake. That's why we microwave it first, so it's tender all the way through and picks up all that piri piri flavour rather than spending the whole oven time just trying to cook through. What really makes this sing is that chorizo-style seasoning: smoky paprika, garlic, a little heat. It transforms simple plant-based ingredients into something that tastes deeply satisfying and a bit special.