Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. I made it one night with no time and no plan. I opened the fridge and grabbed everything that seemed at least vaguely to go together. I took some sausage from the freezer, some peppers on their last legs, some broccoli rabe, and a couple odds and ends of onions.
Ingredients · Servings 4
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more (optional) for serving
- 8 sweet Italian sausage links (2½ lb/1.1 kg)
- 3 red bell peppers, sliced
- 2 medium red onions, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 bunch broccolini (2 cups/200 g), ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
- 2 bunches spinach (4 oz./115 g total)
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz./794-g can crushed tomatoes
- 1 bunch fresh basil (1½ oz./45 g), leaves picked
- 1 12-oz./355-ml jar mild banana peppers, undrained
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method · 20 min
- In a Dutch oven, heat ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add 8 sweet Italian sausage links (2½ lb./1.1 kg), cover, and cook until browned, 5–6 minutes. Flip and cook the other side.
- Stir in the 3 red bell peppers, sliced, 2 medium red onions, sliced, and 5 garlic cloves, sliced, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 5–6 minutes.
- Add 1 bunch broccolini (2 cups/200 g), ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces, and 2 bunches spinach (4 oz./115 g total), stir, cover, and cook, 3–4 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes and one 28-oz./794-g can crushed tomatoes. Stir in 1 bunch fresh basil (1½ oz./45 g), leaves picked and one 12-oz./355-ml jar mild banana peppers, undrained, with their liquid. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately.
The longer this sits in the fridge, the more delicious it gets. Reheat it and then throw it on a hoagie or on a mound of mashed potatoes or with polenta.