One Pan Skillet Dinner: Sausage, Kale, + Crouton Saute
It can be hard after a long day of work to be motivated to cook dinner. I personally dread the thought of having to stand in the kitchen for hours preparing a meal. This recipe (also from Smitten Kitchen, see another favorite here) takes care of that problem. Cooked in one pan, this sausage, kale, and crouton saute is super quick and easy… and delicious! Keep reading for the full recipe and process shots below.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 2 cups of 1-inch cubed, study white bread (I used sourdough)
- 1/2 lb of sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (forgot to remove the casings this time, still worked out fine!)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 big handfuls of torn, curly kale leaves
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- Grated Parmesan cheese + slivered almonds for garnish (optional)
Notes:
- The original recipe also calls for 3/4 cup cooked white beans (about half of a 15.5 oz can). I don’t like white beans, so I opted to go without them. It doesn’t affect the recipe at all
- For sturdy white breads, you can also use ciabatta if you prefer
- Prep all your ingredients ahead of time because once this gets cooking, things move fast!
Directions:
Heat two glugs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread cubes and toast, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and starting to crisp (about 4 minutes). Push the croutons to one side of the pan to make room for the next ingredients.
Add another glug of oil to the pan, then add the garlic and sausage meat. Break up the sausage into smaller pieces and cook until browned all over. Add the kale and stir with the rest of the ingredients. Cook until the leaves begin to wilt. (If you’re adding white beans, do it now and heat through.)
Season well with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes – toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add the red wine vinegar to the pan to help scrape any bits stuck to the bottom. Slide the saute into bowls and finish with grated Parm and almonds, if desired. Enjoy while hot!
Let me know in the comments below or on Instagram if you give this quick + easy recipe a try!
