This Sausage Pepper Potato Casserole is a people-friendly and budget-friendly meal that still feels indulgent. Look for any kielbasa on offer and top it off with peppers, potatoes and onions. Don’t skip the sauce – it makes the whole dish!
Like most adults, I struggle with finding the right balance between frugality and indulgence when it comes to meals. Basically, I’m super frugal, but it pisses me off when I can’t buy what I want to eat! Like many people I know, the end of the month tends to reveal itself in my meager pantry.
I actually encourage his infertility and enjoy being resourceful. When we were growing up, we often didn’t have a full pantry. Many nights we ate seasoned canned ham with rice for dinner. These memories help me appreciate the value of a full fridge.
An inexpensive meal
This sausage, pepper, and potato casserole is such a budget-friendly meal that it rotates a lot in my meal plans, especially towards the end of the month.
I am never disappointed when looking for a good value kielbasa sausage. They’re usually on sale at least once a month, if not more often. (I’ve sometimes bought a pack of sausage for less than fifty dollars!)
Pairing it with the sparse potato and onion not only rounds out the dish, but also feeds a family for pennies on the dollar: less than $1.50 per person!
As a mother of tweeners whose appetites never let up, I certainly can’t complain about these savings.
The sauce makes the dish
The complexity of the balsamic vinaigrette dressing and the addition of fresh rosemary elevate the simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality entree. The fact that it’s also a one-pot meal makes it even more appealing.
The vinaigrette dressing can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge. I love storing it in a glass mason jar for easy mixing and pouring.
Shopping for Kielbasa
Kielbasa is the Polish word for sausage; In this case, a mix of pork and beef that is seasoned and brought together in a sausage casing.
If you’re not a fan of pork, use beef kielbasa instead. It is also possible to change the type of sausage, as there are many to choose from: smoked sausage, poultry or turkey sausage and even vegan sausage! While the latter products can add to the overall cost of the dish, neither of them will break the bank.
Unless otherwise stated on the packaging, sausage can be frozen for up to six months, So it’s a good idea to stock up when they’re on sale.
Buy peppers
I use colored bell peppers (red, orange, and yellow) in this recipe because they provide a sweet contrast to the spicy, savory vinaigrette.
You can use one variety of peppers, or all three like I do. Rosemary can also be substituted for thyme, tarragon or parsley. The whole grain mustard gives the dish extra bite. If you can’t find whole grain mustard, Dijon is a great substitute.
How to cut the potatoes
You want the potatoes to be about 1/8 inch thick. If you’re not as proficient with a knife as you would like, one option is to use a mandolin to slice the potatoes extra thin. This will ensure they cook at the same speed as the rest of the ingredients.
Plus, the potatoes go through a par-bake — a self-contained pre-bake — before the rest of the dish is fully assembled. I have found that this method creates a layer of potatoes that is tender but not mushy.
How to assemble the casserole
Other sausage casseroles combine the ingredients and bake. This varies because of the par-bake on the potatoes. Instead, the remaining ingredients are assembled on top of the par-baked potatoes and the vinaigrette is drizzled over them before final baking. I prefer this method with this casserole because it allows them to fully cook without overcooking the sausage and veggies.
Easier casseroles and casseroles
- Bagel breakfast casserole with sausage, egg and cheese
- Chicken Casserole with Salsa Verde
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Baked spaghetti
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
Sausage, pepper and potato casserole
ingredients
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3 tablespoon olive oilCut
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1 1/2 lb Yukon golden potatoes (about 4 medium), washed and unpeeled
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1 teaspoon kosher saltdivided
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1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepperdivided
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5 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
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2 teaspoon DIjon Mustard
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1 tablespoon fresh rosemarychopped
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1 teaspoon full grain Mustard
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1 clove garlicpeeled and crushed
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1/2 Red pepperthinly sliced
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1/2 yellow peppersthinly sliced
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1/2 orange peppersthinly sliced
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1/2 White Onionthinly sliced
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14 ounces Kielbasa (or Polish sausage), cut into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick
method
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Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare the pan.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish and grease the bottom and sides of the dish with your hand or a brush. This oil will help create a crispy crust on the bottom of the baked potatoes.
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Slice the potatoes and start baking:
Thinly slice the potatoes, about 1/8-inch thick; Use a mandolin if necessary. Try to hold the potato slices together as you cut, as this will make them easier to put together in the bowl.
Fan the potatoes slightly in the bowl, overlapping them like a fallen domino set in the pan, forming four rows of potatoes. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes.
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Make the vinaigrette:
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or bowl), combine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, both mustards, rosemary, garlic, and remaining salt and pepper.
Shake the ingredients vigorously together until combined. If making the dressing in a bowl, use a whisk or hand blender to mix. Put this aside.
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Add the peppers, onions and sausages, pour over the vinaigrette:
Carefully remove the potato skins from the oven and evenly distribute the peppers, then the onions, and finally the sausage over the potatoes.
Shake the dressing vigorously again and pour evenly over the casserole.
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Bake:
Place the dish back in the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a potato offers no resistance.
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Cool and serve:
Remove the dish from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 640 | calories |
| 40g | Fat |
| 54g | carbohydrates |
| 18g | protein |
