Italian Sausage and Vegetables

Creamy potatoes, flavorful Italian sausage and vegetables make this dish one of our family favorites. The ingredients are very versatile, and you can add more or less of them as you like. 

To get the best flavor out of the sausage and potatoes, you really have to brown them first. Simply add a little olive oil to your pan to cook the Italian sausage in, then cook the potatoes in the sausage drippings for added flavor. 

A word of caution, though: The ingredients call for a hefty amount of vegetables. I have a pretty large 12 inch skillet, and I had to cook the vegetables in two batches because there were too many to fit in the pan.

I love the flavor of Italian ground sausage. It adds that Olive Garden garden-style taste to any meal. I only used one package of meat for this this recipe because I used a can of white beans as a cheap way to add in some extra protein. If you’re not sure about adding beans to a dinner, don’t worry! They’re very light in flavor and practically blend in with the rest of the ingredients. However, you could use a second package of ground sausage instead of beans. 

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (16 ounce) package ground Italian sausage
¼ cup olive oil
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, chopped with ribs and seeds removed
2 green bell peppers, chopped with ribs and seeds removed
1 white onion, diced
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°.
For the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausage in oil until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula. Transfer the sausage to a plate and keep warm. Add the 1/4 olive oil to the pan and cook the potatoes and yams in oil, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove the potatoes and yams and cover to keep warm. Add the bell peppers and onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften (about five minutes). To avoid overcrowding the pan, I suggest cooking the vegetables in two batches. Mix together the potatoes, vegetables, sausage, beans, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. (you actually don’t need very much salt unless you’re using low-sodium chicken broth). Dump the whole mixture into a 9” x 13″ baking dish. Try using a foil-lined dish because the potatoes will stick. Pour the chicken broth over everything. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!