This post is sponsored by Hillshire Farm**
Up until now, there's been exactly one way we've eaten sausage for dinner: on sandwich rolls with cooked peppers and onions. A little mayo, some mustard. This old link gets me thinking I really need to re-visit some of my early recipes - that picture makes the sausage look...well...unflattering, to say the least. The point is, we have traditions in my family and sausage sandwiches are one of them. Maybe 'tradition' isn't the right word; a tradition implies that there's a reason or a sentiment behind why you've always done it that way, but the fact is, we do it that way because it's quick, easy, and comforting. Calling it a tradition covers up the fact that, when it comes down to it, I didn't have any better alternative dinner recipes for sausage. A darn shame.
Now if you're talking about breakfast, we've got an arsenal of AM sausage recipes. There was a time (long, long ago) when I'd make Lucas breakfast every morning. I'd wake up dreary-eyed, get out my miniature non-stick personal egg pan (Thanks, Aunt Lisa!), whip up some eggs with whatever veggies we had on hand, toss in some sausage, cover, and cook. Pack it up with some bread. We used to eat a lot of bread. Then go back to sleep, as if cooking hadn't interrupted dreamland for 15 minutes. That's love right there. When I could no longer be bothered to wake up way earlier than my grad student alarm, I turned to baking an entire sheet pan of 9 eggs with veggies and sausage on Sundays. I'd freeze sliced squares for him to grab on his way to work. Those habits have since faded. Although, now that he's joined the start-up world where breakfast options and snacks aren't waiting for him at the office, we should really get back in that routine (except with Lucas making it himself;).
Whenever we go to visit, my mom has breakfast sausage on hand; I wonder if she always has it on hand, or just when we're around. Either way, my dad regularly makes potatoes with sausage gravy for breakfast. It's one of his signature dishes. Like, I'm pretty sure Guy Fieri should come visit my dad on Sunday mornings. And once, for his birthday, I made him sausage biscuits. No, not sausage gravy and biscuits - I put the sausage in the biscuits. We have no shortage of unique breakfast sausage recipes.
Why are my creative sausage recipes reserved for breakfast though? Especially when you consider that many dinner sausages are pre-cooked, cutting your prep time down tenfold. And they are pre-seasoned. Boom - two birds, one stone. After Lucas insisted that he was suffering from a meat withdrawal last week, I picked up a package of smoked turkey sausage and got to work designing the new speedy weeknight I-can't-think-of-anything-else recipe for our menu rotation. Rather than our standard sausage sandwich, I bring you smoked sausage sweet potato skillet pasta. Remember when your parents would cut up hot dogs and put it in boxed mac and cheese and call it dinner? (Tyler just informed me that was not a thing). Well, this is like that for fancy adults with developed taste buds. Like adults who crave a more refined comfort food that tastes like hours of prep, but actually only takes 15 minutes.
Say what?! Yes, you can have a savory smoky dinner that's actually good for you in no time at all. Replacing boxed spaghetti with spiraled sweet potatoes makes the whole dish much more flavorful with so many more veggies. Not to fear, if you don't have a spiral noodle cutter, you can have the same quick veggie pasta experience with a julienne peeler or a wide box grater (as shown above). The world is your oyster. World, meet smoked turkey sausage, your new weeknight best friend.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 14-ounce package Hillshire Farm smoked turkey sausage, sliced on the diagonal, ¼-inch thick
- 4 cups kale, ribs discarded, and leaves ripped into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Run the peeled squash through the spiralizer, cutting the noodles every 12-15 inches. Here is a helpful guide to cutting noodles with pictures of the process. If you don't have a spiral cutter, slice the sweet potato with a julienne peeler or a large box grater.
- Toss the spiral noodle, julienned, or grated sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread out on a large baking sheet. Roast for about 6 minutes (4 minutes if using grated sweet potatoes), tossing occasionally. Turn the oven to broil and broil for another 3 minutes, until no longer raw. *Note: if you start eating the noodles and wish you'd cooked the sweet potato noodles for longer, no fear! Just toss the bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to cook it some more.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Add the kale and cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toss the cooked sweet potatoes with the sausage, kale, and ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese.
- Divide the noodles among 4 bowls and top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
diana -
hey i was wondering if i could replace the sausage for a different protein and if so what would be the second best option the sodium content is higher than what i should be consuming but i really want to try it
Sarah Menanix -
I think some salt and pepper chicken would be great chopped up in this pasta!
Robert -
I trie this out. Substituted spinach for kale and because of my Italian roots added onion peppers and garlic. One word. Delicious.
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you so much! Your additions sound great - I'm going to try that too! :)
Amy -
I made this last night for dinner and it was amazing. I'm so glad that I have leftovers to enjoy again today. Thanks for the great recipe! This will definitely be part of the regular rotation for us in the fall.
Sarah Menanix -
I'm so happy to hear you made it and loved it! It's such an easy recipe, but those spiralized veggies really add a layer of flavor, right? Thanks for sharing with me - made my day!
Homemade Hearts -
This looks so yummy and colourful! It is such a great idea to do pasta with sweet potato! I have never tried so will definitely have to give it a try :) Thanks
Erika -
Oh man this is so much prettier + healthier than the way we used to eat sausage for dinner in my house growing up...with penne pasta and LOTS of cheese. I want a spiralizer so baddd!! Gorgeous pics :)
Shundara@SavyNaturalista -
I have a spiralizer but never use it.. Lovely dish by the way! I didn't know Hillshire made turkey sausage they compliment this dish so well.. Hearty but healthy a perfect combination..
Chris @ Shared Appetite -
Okay, love this sweet potato "pasta"! I just bouht a spiralizer over the summer to make this raw zucchini salad, but it never crossed my mind to use it for sweet potatoes! Brilliant!!! Defintely trying this!!
Sarah Menanix -
You can use it for anything from zucchini to apples - it's crazy! I think everyone is getting a spiralizer from me for their birthday from now on- ha!
Angie@Angie's Recipes -
I have to get myself a spiralizer. Smoked sausage and sweet potato..a hearty and heavenly combo of flavours and texture.
Sarah Menanix -
Definitely need to get one - it makes healthy eating so much easier and way more fun:)
Sheri -
And I had the pleasure of sampling this (well more than a sample....) So good and definitely on my to make list...especially now that I have a nice spiralizer!!