Sausage Peppers Greens Skillet (Printable version)
A hearty one-pan meal with juicy sausages, colorful peppers, and fresh greens for easy weeknight dinners.
# Ingredient list:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb Italian sausage links (sweet or hot), cut into 1-inch pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 medium red onion, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 5 oz fresh greens (kale, Swiss chard, or spinach), chopped
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Spices and Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
12 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate and set aside; they do not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
02 - Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the sliced red and yellow bell peppers along with the red onion. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Add the halved cherry tomatoes, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to soften slightly.
05 - Return the browned sausages to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Add the chopped greens, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through and the greens are wilted and tender.
06 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with torn fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means dinner is done and cleanup is almost nothing.
- The combination of juicy sausage, sweet peppers, and wilted greens tastes like you spent far more time than you actually did.
02 -
- The sausage does not need to be fully cooked when you first remove it from the pan because it finishes cooking when you return it during the covered simmering step.
- Do not skip scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan when you add the vegetables because that fond is where so much of the flavor lives.
03 -
- Use a skillet that is wider than you think you need because overcrowding will steam the sausage instead of browning it and you lose all those crispy edges.
- A lid from any pot will work if your skillet does not have one, and covering the pan for those final minutes is what transforms the greens from chewy to silky.