Unique Ways to Add Sausage to a Meal
Sausage is a versatile ingredient you can cook in many ways. However, it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut with the meals you make. If you’re looking to mix it up and try some new dishes, you’re in luck!
We’ll give you the tips and resources needed to use up your leftover sausage, try unique sausage recipes and think creatively about your next dish. With several types of sausage available, there’s no limit to what your family can enjoy. These recipes are simple and fast, so you’ll be enjoying a warm meal in no time.
What Food Tastes Great With Sausage?
Sausage pairs well with many foods. With these ingredients in your pantry or fridge, you have plenty of options to make a delicious sausage meal:
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Onions
- Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Beans
- Bread
These foods are commonly paired with sausage to create unique, flavorful dishes. Sausage is packed with protein, and mixing it with vegetables and carbs can achieve a winning meal. If you’re craving even more protein, consider adding beans, another meat, yogurt or cheese.
What Kind of Sausage Do You Have?
The ideal meal combinations depend on the type of sausage you have available. If you’re cooking with plain sausage, you can add your own spices and create whatever flavor sounds good. However, many sausages already have herbs and spices for additional flavor.
With these options, it’s best to follow the spice palette already present in the sausages for a harmonious meal. For example, Italian sausage with basil and tomatoes blends beautifully in a dish with tomatoes, broccoli and cheese.
Leftover Sausage Recipe Ideas
Are you hungry for some unique sausage recipes? Here are five surprising ways to incorporate sausage into your next meal. With these recipes, you can easily use up leftover sausages or other common ingredients while still feeling like you’ve eaten a complete meal. For each of these recipes, remember to cook the sausage to a minimum of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Try whipping up one or more of the dishes below, then share your favorite in the comments!
1. Italian Sausage Pasta
Sausage and pasta are one of the most popular combinations and a fantastic way to use up leftover sausage. Pasta is a fan favorite on its own, but adding your leftover sausage provides an extra boost of protein and flavor.
To make this meal, cook the sausage, onions and peppers in a skillet. After the sausage is done and the onions are translucent, add olives, squash, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and herbs to the skillet and cook on medium. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Serve the sauce on top with grated cheese and enjoy!
2. Sausage, Potato and Pepper Skillet
Another great way to use up leftovers, skillet meals combine a variety of vegetables with the sausage and sauce of your choice. Serve your chosen mix of ingredients over rice, and you have a meal that’s both delicious and filling. The possibilities for yummy skillet meals are endless!
Here’s a good recipe to get you started. Dice potatoes into small cubes, then cover them with water and cook until done. Break up and brown sausage in a separate skillet. Add onions, peppers, broccoli and the diced potatoes to the skillet, and cook until everything is browned and softened. Add garlic and herbs or sauce of your choice to season. Serve over rice.
3. Chorizo Skillet
To make this skillet meal, start by frying onions and sliced sausage together in olive oil. Add dry rice to the skillet and brown for a few minutes, then add 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is done, then add tomatoes, cilantro and your herbs of choice.
You can easily adapt this meal depending on what’s in your fridge. Experiment with carrots, peppers, mushrooms and other veggies to make this meal your own. You can also serve this dish with cheese and scallions for a garnish.
4. Spicy Sausage Soup
This spicy soup will warm you from head to toe while using up leftovers in your pantry. To make this soup, sauté garlic and break up the sausage in a skillet. Brown the sausage, then add canned tomatoes with juice and cook for two to three minutes while stirring.
Add the tomato soup, spinach and broth and stir. Add six to eight drops of hot sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour to blend the flavors. Enjoy with warm, freshly baked bread!
5. Premio Italian Stew
If spicy meals aren’t your favorite, try this delicious stew recipe instead. It uses traditional Italian flavors and common ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. You can easily sub out some of the ingredients as well, personalizing this recipe based on your pantry’s contents.
Start by browning Premio Mild Italian sausage with olive oil and garlic. Next, add peppers, onion, diced tomatoes, diced potatoes, portabella mushrooms, 1 cup of tomato juice and 1 cup of water. Simmer until the potatoes are done, then add herbs and 2 tablespoons of sugar. You can also serve this dish with grated parmesan and toast.
Unique Ways to Add Sausage to a Meal
Because sausage is a comforting, flavorful food, it’s a great way to warm up a dish like pasta, stir-fry or soup. You can make sausage the star ingredient of a meal or use it to add supplemental flavors to a favorite dish.
The best way to cook sausage depends on how much you have available and what other ingredients are at hand. If you’re working with leftovers, sausage can stretch your meal further and help you avoid wasting the remnants of your last dish.
Unique Things to Do With Sausage
If you’re tired of cooking the same dishes with sausage and want unique sausage recipes, try adding sausage to another dish you already love. For example, you can put sausage on pizza, add it to a kebab or incorporate it into macaroni and cheese.
Sausage is a flavorful addition to quiches, tastes delicious with alfredo and can even complement sweet dishes. Have you ever dipped your sausage in maple syrup when eating pancakes? These surprising things to do with sausage mean you can add more protein and flavor to almost any dish.
Find Premio Sausage Near You
Hungry for sausage? Check out Premio Sausage at a store near you using our store locator. At Premio Foods, we’ve been making high-quality sausages for over 40 years. We offer a variety of flavor combinations and meat options, including pork and chicken sausages.
Whether you enjoy Italian, Chorizo or chicken sausage, our delicious options are readily available in various stores. Our sausages are made with quality ingredients, and we offer many recipes on our online blog for your cooking convenience!
