Sausage and Potatoes Skillet
Every time my husband or I made sausage and potatoes skillet for dinner, we’re always so mad there aren’t more leftovers! The thing is – it’s so good and so easy to reheat (seriously a major win in our house).
What I love most about this dinner recipe (ok besides how delicious it is and how easy it is, and how well it reheats) is that you can amend it as needed and/or desired. I’ve added our usual variations, depending on season and life status (just being real as always here). I’m sure there are plenty more ways to change it up though!!
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Sausage and Potatoes Skillet
My mom started cooking sausage and potatoes when 5 of us kids were at home. My oldest brother worked at a local fried chicken shop and always brought home leftovers – yay! My siblings would eat the leftovers, but the leftover baked potatoes would always be hanging out – unloved. So my mom would throw them into a skillet pan with sausage and onions (her go-to for getting veggies in her kids) and we all thought it was a dream come true!
When I first introduced it to my husband, he was skeptical, but he quickly came around. Now, it’s not only one of his favorite dinners at home, it’s one of his go-to dishes to make when he’s in charge of dinners – it’s that good and easy! Ok, let’s get to it.
How do you make Sausage and Potatoes Skillet
The best part about this sausage and potatoes skillet recipe is that it all cooks in one pan – albeit a big pan. I love using this 12″ sauté pan. A cast iron skillet is also fine. Basically you just need a big pan that can handle the volume of ingredients and (safely) get hot and toasted enough to brown those potatoes!
And while my mom used leftover baked russet potatoes, the recipe below shows you how to use ‘raw’ potatoes to cook them in the pan. I also love using red potatoes in this, but any potato will do!
*See my tips for how to clean stainless steel pans.
Sausage and Potatoes Skillet Ingredients
onions & peppers
Our classic sausage and potatoes dinner has onions and bell peppers. I’ve absolutely added in zucchini in the summer, carrots in the winter, and if my husband and son wouldn’t throw a fit, I might add some sautéed kale (but just ignore that for now!).
You could also swap the onions for leeks or something yummy like that. Check out these handy lists of what’s in season around the year so you can easily switch it up!
potatoes
As I mentioned above, my mom always used russet potatoes. They are good! I generally prefer red potatoes and my husband usually like golden or yellow potatoes (thank goodness I can just usually mix and match my potato varieties at the farmers market). So, basically, you should use what you like and/or what you have!
pre-cooked sausage
I originally wrote this recipe with kielbasa sausage since that’s what my mom used growing up. Now we usually use some version of chicken-apple sausage (or some kind of chicken sausage). Smoked sausage would be great! Andouille? I’ll send my husband over (warning – he eats a lot)!
The only thing to note in here is that with this recipe, you should use pre-cooked sausage. Most packaged sausage comes pre-cooked. You can use uncooked sausage (we’ll talk in just a second), but you just need to be aware of cooking the meat properly. With pre-cooked sausage, there’s nothing to worry about on that front. You just want it hot and, likely, browned.
If you get your sausage from a butcher, buy raw sausage, or if you’re fancy enough to make your own sausage (so jealous!!), I’d recommend cooking it separately (before hand or simultaneously). Then follow the recipe as written below.
How to cook Sausage and Potatoes
Cook the potatoes
As I mentioned above, this recipe is written using raw potatoes. Potatoes needs the most time and space, so they need to cook first!
When we’re using leftover baked potatoes, I usually just switch to cooking the veggies first and then adding in the potatoes to heat and brown. There’s really no wrong order on this though.
I will also note that my husbands usually roasts the potatoes in the oven to simplify what he needs to be doing actively on the stove.
Sauté the Vegetables
Once the potatoes are warm and starting to soften, add in the onions and bell peppers. Since there are lots of vegetables, you might add them in parts to get some of them nice and sautéed (I’m a sucked for this but it’s just a preference).
Add in Sausage
Since we’re using pre-cooked sausage, you just need to heat and brown the sausage, os it’ll be the last thing you add in!!
How to Serve Potatoes and Sausage
A few of our favorite toppings with this recipe are shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions or chives, and even avocado.
If we need to bulk up the meal (say you make this for 6 people), an over easy egg on top is always a yummy idea.
And then my husband and I are also quite likely to add a few dashes of hot sauce!
How to Store Sausage and Potatoes
As I mentioned, this is a great dish leftover!! We usually just seal in up in a glass food storage container. That is – whatever bit we have leftover since we usually always all want seconds!!
Can you Make This Recipes Ahead of Time?
Totally. A true make-ahead meal – you can make it as is and then store to reheat. It’s easy to reheat in the microwave (though you won’t get those crispy edges). We don’t have a microwave, so we reheat in a pot with the lid on.
If you’re just trying to save some time, you could absolutely cut everything up ahead of time. Alternatively, you could sauté the veggies (with or without the potatoes) and then cut out that prep and cook time just before serving.
Sausage Recipes for Dinner
Sausage and Potatoes Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds red potatoes sliced or chopped
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 bell pepper cored and chopped
- 14 to 16 ounces pre-cooked sausage sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
optional toppings
- cheddar cheese grated
- sour cream
- avocado
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the potatoes and spread them into an even layer across the bottom of the pan. Let cook undisturbed for 5 minutes so they begin to brown. Stir, then continue cooking for 5 to 7 more minutes until the potatoes start to become tender.
- Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add the sausage to the empty side and press it gently into the bottom of the pan. Let cook for 1 minute, then stir the sausage into the vegetables and continue cooking for 1 to 2 more minutes until the sausage is browned and heated through. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve hot as a simple weeknight dinner or hearty breakfast option.
Notes
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