Pork Sausage with Kale, Carrots, Tomato and Mushrooms

This is a quick recipe to make a day or two ahead of time and reheat for dinner when you’re in a rush. The flavors blend and improve in the fridge and become smooth and delicious. The dish also makes good use of a leftover half-bottle of wine that’s been sitting in the back of the fridge. You can use either red or white wine, but I prefer white.

I buy organic Italian sausage when it’s on sale at my local supermarket. I freeze it and defrost it in the fridge the night before I plan to prepare this dish. Add a package of mini spinach or kale, a carrot, a tomato, a handful of mushrooms, a yellow pepper, a clove of garlic, that half-bottle of wine, and some salt and pepper, and dinner’s practically on the table.

My kids are not big fans of either spinach or kale, so this is a way to sneak either (or both) nutritious greens into dinner. I use the baby greens so there’s no cutting or chopping. If you don’t have any wine, you can substitute chicken broth and this dish will be equally delicious. Serve it in soup bowls with gluten-free bread and a baked sweet potato (see NOTE below), and you’ll have a quick, healthy, satisfying meal.

Print Recipe

Pork Sausage with Kale, Carrots, Tomato and Mushrooms

By Springhouse Turtle – Serves: 5-6

Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

A hearty and delicious cool-weather main course made with sweet Italian pork sausage and a smattering of vegetables. You can make it ahead of time, and it will be even more delicious when you reheat it for dinner the next day.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 4 ounces common white or brown mushrooms
• 4 ounces baby spinach or kale
• 1 1/2 cups of white wine (or use red if you prefer)
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian pork sausage links
• fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1

Heat the oils over medium heat in a large skillet with a lid.

2

Add the carrot, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Saute, stirring, for 3-5 minutes.

3

Add the onion, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, and saute for 5-7 minutes, until starting to brown.

4

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5

Add the yellow pepper, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute for 2 minutes.

6

Add the mushrooms and tomato, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper, and saute for 1 minute.

7

Add the spinach or kale, stirring, until the leaves are wilted.

8

Add the wine and bring to a simmer.

9

Add the sausages, cover, turn down the heat and cook at a low simmer for 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the sausages, which should be firm and juicy.

10

Serve in soup bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

Baked sweet potatoes are the easiest thing in the world to make. Wash a large sweet potato, prick it all over with a fork, plop it on an ovenproof dish and stick it into a 350 degree F oven for an hour or more depending on the size of the potato. Take it out of the oven, let it cool, peel off the skin if you'd like (I feed the skin to my dog), then cut it or mash it, top it with dairy-free butter or juice from the meat you've just cooked, and serve it with dinner.

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