Sausage is the ultimate shortcut to a fast, satisfying dinner. You can whip up a meal with store-bought links in mere minutes, and there are many dishes out there that require only one pan (dishwasher-less readers, rejoice). Plus, you can swap out pork, turkey or chicken, depending on what you’re craving. It’s far from the *wurst* thing you can put on your dinner table. (See what we did there?) So, read on for 37 sausage recipes that are sure to satisfy and impress.
37 Sausage Recipes That Are as Easy to Make as They Are to Devour
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Published Sep 14, 2022
Katherine Gillen
1. Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, high protein, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Nope, gnocchi does not need to be boiled. Instead, drizzle it in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake until golden and crisp.
Amy Scott/Healthier Southern Cooking
2. Chicken and Chicken Sausage Jambalaya
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pot, high protein, crowd-pleaser
This Creole classic just got healthier *and* easier to prepare, since the recipe calls for brown rice instead of white and chicken sausage instead of pork andouille. (Plus, it doesn’t even need a side dish to be a complete meal.)
Katherine Gillen
3. Crispy Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza with Fennel, Sausage and Garlic
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Store-bought pizza dough FTW. It turns out your trusty skillet can do the job of a pizza stone with a fraction of the fuss.
Leslie Grow/Keto in an Instant
4. Keto Instant Pot Sausage-Kale Soup
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: keto-friendly, low carb, <30 minutes, make ahead, Instant Pot recipe
With the help of a pressure cooker, you can be sipping homemade soup in a flash. Take your pick of kielbasa, chorizo or Italian sausage, and feel free to substitute spinach or Swiss chard for kale.
Colin Price/Dinner Then Dessert
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Sausage has a ton of built-in seasoning, so this pasta dish doesn’t require much help in the flavor department. (That’s why you’ll only need six ingredients to pull it off, including salt and pepper.)
Carina Skrobecki/Simply Real Eating
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
7. Sausage, Corn and Poblano Chowder
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pot, beginner-friendly
Spicy, sweet and ever so adaptable, this chowder can easily be made ahead and frozen for future last-minute dinners. It’ll keep for up to three months in an airtight container.
Teri Lyn Fisher/Eat Like You Give a Fork
8. Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, high protein
Never tried spelt? Allow us to introduce you to this nutritious grain. It’s nutty, chewy, sweet and positively packed with protein and fiber.
Let’s Stay In
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
10. Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Veggies and Sausage
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Nothing beats a low-lift dinner that leaves you with only one dirty dish to clean. Serve it all over rice or pasta to make it more filling.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
11. One-Pan Sausage with Broccoli Rabe and White Beans
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, gluten free, dairy free
Pantry staples + fresh produce + mild Italian sausage = the easiest weeknight dinner of all time. Flip the sausages halfway through to ensure they brown evenly.
David Loftus/Now & Again
12. Julia Turshen’s Sheet Pan Stuffing with Sausage and Spinach
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead, sheet pan recipe
Bye-bye, soggy stuffing. Baking it on a sheet pan ensures that it turns out crispy. If you prefer it softer, bake it in a smaller pan, like a square baking dish.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
13. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy
All the elements of a classic shrimp boil, minus the mess. In case you need more convincing, each skewer is drenched in smoky, spicy, herby Cajun butter.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Budget shoppers with expensive taste, this one’s for you. This soul-soothing soup—made with store-bought tortellini, canned tomatoes and Italian sausage—costs less than $5 per serving.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, high protein, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sunday supper on a weekday—and in 30 minutes flat to boot. Lighten the dish up by swapping in turkey or chicken sausage in place of pork.
Two Peas and Their Pod
17. Butternut Squash, Sausage and Kale Gnocchi
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, high protein
Healthy comfort food is no longer an oxymoron. Whip up this fall pasta to savor seasonal highlights like butternut squash, dried cranberries and fresh rosemary.
Plays Well with Butter
18. Chicken Sausage Quinoa Skillet
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan,gluten
Think baby Portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, tomato sauce and chicken sausage, nestled atop a bed of tender quinoa. We’ll take extra grated Parm on ours, please.
Ambitious Kitchen
19. Apple Cider Maple Sausage Cornmeal Pancakes
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes
These are too tasty to only eat before noon—we’re getting breakfast-for-dinner vibes. The secret to the pancake’s moist, fluffy texture is Greek yogurt in the batter.
Gimme Some Oven
20. 5-Ingredient Italian Sausage and Kale Baked Ziti
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one dish, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Take this edible mic drop to your next potluck and let the compliments roll in. Serve it with plenty of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes.
Dude That Cookz
Gimme Some Oven
22. Creamy Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pot, high protein
If you don’t add this to your Thanksgiving menu, you’re missing out. The soup is packed with tender white beans, seasonal veggies and a drool-worthy paprika-sage broth.
Two Peas & Their Pod
23. Egg Muffins with Sausage, Spinach and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, keto-friendly
Because you should never be without a filling breakfast, even on busy mornings. Make the muffins ahead and keep them in the fridge for up to four days.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
This Spanish staple may seem out of reach on a weeknight, but thanks to our shortcuts, it’s only an hour away. (Our version is cooked in any large oven-safe skillet and the seafood is limited to shrimp and clams for minimal fuss.)
Foodie Crush
25. Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, high protein
Psst, wanna know a secret? You can save on time and effort by starting with pre-spiralized zoodles. The more you know.
The Mom 100
26. Chicken Sausage and Sauteed Greens Sub
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, high protein
The ingredient list is short and sweet, just how we like it. (But we might add a generous slather of aioli to each bun, since it makes everything better.)
Spoon Fork Bacon
27. Baked Turkey Sausage and Mascarpone Stuffed Shells
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Mascarpone cheese stands in for typical ricotta in the filling, which makes the shells sweeter and more buttery than you’re probably used to. We have a feeling picky kids will love it.
Gimme Some Oven
28. Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts, Chicken Sausage and Kale Pesto
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, crowd-pleaser
The homemade pesto just might be the healthiest you’ve ever had, since the basil is supplemented with chopped kale and walnuts. But if you want to save time, use your favorite jarred kind instead.
Two Peas & Their Pod
29. Grilled Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy
This iconic sammy tastes just as good at a backyard barbecue as it does at your local carnival. Did we mention the recipe only calls for nine ingredients?
Dude That Cookz
Foodie Crush
31. Sausage Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Sweet Italian pork sausage and ground beef unite to create a dinner staple that even kids can get down with. (Must be all that melted mozzarella.)
Spoon Fork Bacon
32. Freeze-Ahead Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Eat your heart out, McDonald’s. These breakfast sandwiches are just as tasty as theirs, and they’ll be ready to devour just as fast too, if you prep them ahead.
Well Plated by Erin
33. Italian Sausage and Rice Casserole
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pot, high protein
How does this one-pot stunner cook in just 30 minutes? We’re so glad you asked. It’s all thanks to instant brown rice.
Averie Cooks
34. Eggs in Hell with Italian Sausage
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, dairy free
Shakshuka never disappoints at Sunday brunch. Start with ground sausage or Italian sausage links, either hot or mild. We’ll bring the mimosas.
Half Baked Harvest
35. Spinach and Havarti Phyllo Bake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
There are so many delicious surprises hiding between those flaky layers. We’re talking kalamata olives, spicy chicken sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, yogurt and three types of gooey cheese.
Dude That Cookz
36. Turkey Sausage and Spinach Frittata
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein
Here’s one breakfast that’s guaranteed to keep you full ’til lunchtime. Turkey kielbasa sausage, organic eggs and cheddar jack cheese pack it with protein.
Spoon Fork Bacon
37. Sausage Strata
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
How could you possibly go wrong when bread is the star ingredient? Use a hard, crusty loaf, like sourdough or Italian bread, so it can hold up against the custard overnight.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
