When I fire up the smoker, I almost always cook more than one thing. Smoked Italian sausage is one of my favorites to have on hand because it’s easy to turn into a completely different dinner later in the week.
This smoked Italian sausage and garden vegetable skillet is exactly the kind of meal I love making with whatever is coming out of the garden. I used cabbage, peppers, onions, yellow squash and zucchini, then added just a little apple juice and chicken stock to help steam the cabbage and bring all those flavors together.
It’s simple, loaded with vegetables and doesn’t need much seasoning because the smoked Italian sausage does most of the work.
Smoked Italian Sausage and Garden Vegetables
This isn’t a recipe where you need exact amounts. Use what you have. More zucchini? Throw it in. Only half a pepper? That’s fine too. The trick is adding the vegetables in stages so the cabbage gets tender without turning the squash and zucchini to mush.
Ingredients
- 4 smoked Italian sausage links, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 2 to 3 cups chopped cabbage
- 1 small yellow squash, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons apple juice
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- Fresh oregano or basil, optional
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced smoked Italian sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- Add a little olive oil if the skillet is dry. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they begin to soften and brown.
- Add the cabbage and garlic. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the apple juice and chicken stock. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen all the browned bits from the sausage and vegetables.
- Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften.
- Remove the lid and allow any excess liquid to cook down.
- Add the zucchini and yellow squash. Season with Italian seasoning, black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes. You want the squash and zucchini tender with a little color but not soft and mushy.
- Return the smoked sausage to the skillet and toss everything together. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, just until everything is hot.
- Taste before adding salt. Smoked Italian sausage can be fairly salty on its own, so you may not need any.
- Finish with fresh oregano, basil or Parmesan cheese if desired and serve hot.
Why Add Apple Juice and Chicken Stock?
Just a little liquid makes a big difference in this skillet. The chicken stock adds savory flavor while the apple juice adds a touch of sweetness that works especially well with smoked sausage and cabbage.
Covering the skillet for a few minutes allows the cabbage to steam and become tender. Once you remove the lid, let most of that liquid cook away before adding the zucchini and squash.
Don’t Add the Squash Too Early
Zucchini and yellow squash cook much faster than cabbage, onions and peppers. Add them near the end and cook them uncovered. This keeps them from releasing too much water and turning the entire skillet soft.
Use What You Have From the Garden
This is a great clean-out-the-garden recipe. You can easily add or substitute other vegetables depending on what’s growing or what needs to be used.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Hot peppers
- Spinach or other greens
- Fresh basil
- Fresh oregano
If you’re adding cherry tomatoes, I like to toss them in toward the end and cook them just long enough to blister and begin to burst.
What to Serve With Smoked Sausage and Vegetables
We usually eat this straight from the skillet as an easy lower-carb dinner, but you can also serve it over rice, creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.
You can even toss in a small amount of cooked pasta at the end. The sausage drippings, vegetables, apple juice and stock create just enough sauce to coat everything without turning it into a heavy pasta dish.
Make the Most of Smoke Day
If I’m already firing up the smoker, I like to make the most of it. Italian sausage can go on alongside ribs, chicken, pork or whatever else we’re smoking that weekend.
Once it’s cooked, refrigerate the sausage and you’ve already got the hardest part of another dinner finished. A few days later, grab whatever vegetables need to be used and dinner can be on the table in about 20 minutes.
