Turkey sausage and potato casserole is a hardy, satisfying, complete meal. It features flavorful turkey sausage and lots of veggies covered with a rich, cheesy sauce.
I grew up eating casseroles, or hot dishes, as they were called, on the regular. They are definitely a Minnesota thing. They were usually noodle-based, like this chicken casserole. I still appreciate the convenience of a one-dish meal.
Casseroles are a great choice any time of day. I used breakfast sausage the last time I made this, and realized it would be good any time of day.
Elements
Potatoes: We always have Russet potatoes available. Any potato you have should work just fine.
Turkey Sausage: I used, as I mentioned, a breakfast sausage. Any mild or hot sausage, if you are feeling spicy, would work. Keep in mind, we are using raw, bulk sausage, not cooked sausage.
Broccoli: We go through a big bag of broccoli every week. This versatile, nutritious, and delicious veggie is a favorite around here. I am always looking for an excuse to add broccoli to our meals.
Butter: Used to sauté the onion and garlic. Butter adds flavor and richness to the dish.
Onion: I used red onions. We love their sharp flavor. They also added some nice color to the top of the casserole.
Garlic: Adds great flavor.
Flour: Used to thicken the sauce.
Milk and Half & Half: Milk is used to make the sauce with half & half for richness and flavor.
Cheddar Cheese: You can use sharp or mild cheddar, whichever you prefer. Cheddar cheese is excellent with sausage and potatoes.
Pepper: Black pepper to taste is sprinkled over the top of the sauce. In my opinion, salt isn’t necessary as the sausage is typically quite salty.
Preparation
Preheat the oven.
Prep your potatoes in the microwave for 3-4 minutes until somewhat tender. Leftover baked potatoes would work great, but I never have leftover baked potatoes. The potatoes are then chopped and placed in a single layer along the bottom of the casserole dish.
Meanwhile, add the sauce and broccoli to a large skillet. Break up the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. In about 10 minutes, the sausage will be cooked and the broccoli will be somewhat tender. We like broccoli slightly crisp. Also, keep in mind that the broccoli will cook further while the casserole is baked. Layer the sausage and broccoli evenly over the potatoes.
Finally, we make the sauce. Add butter to your now-empty skillet. We don’t want to dirty another skillet! Sauté onions, then add garlic and stir for a minute. Stir the flour in until incorporated into the butter. Slowly pour the milk and half & half in, stirring constantly. Stir as the sauce thickens. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
Pull the turkey sausage and potato casserole and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Turkey Sausage and Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes I like Russets
- ½ pound turkey sausage
- 2 cups broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup half & half
- 1 cup cheddar shredded
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prep a casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Microwave potatoes until somewhat tender. Chop into bite sizes pieces. Layer on the bottom of casserole dish.
- Add turkey sausage and broccoli to a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally on medium heat until sausage is cooked through and broccoli is somewhat tender. Layer on top of potatoes.
- In the same skillet, melt butter and add onions. Sauté the onions until soft. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Stir in flour. Add milk and half & half and stir until thickened. Add cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese is completely melted. Stir in black pepper.
- Pour cheese mixture over top of the sausage and broccoli and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered. Then uncover and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes.