This Zucchini and Sausage Skillet recipe is not only easy to make but it is healthy and delicious! It is a great recipe to make when zucchini is in season or when you are trying to eat a low-carb, Keto friendly diet.
However, the best part about this recipe is that it is made entirely in one skillet. Not to mention that it is ready to eat in under 30 minutes!
Cooked sausages are browned in a skillet. Then zucchini, onions and peppers are sautéed with dried Italian seasoning.
Toss everything together at the end and you have a complete dinner ready to eat! Although this dish can be eaten as is, you can make it even more filling by serving it over a bed of rice.
Not only is it a great meal to serve at dinner, I also like to make it for a quick lunch as well. And the leftovers, if there are any, make for a great addition to your breakfast omelet in the morning.
Customize The Meal To Your Preference
Another advantage to making this recipe is that you can customize it however you like. For instance, if you can’t eat pork, or want a healthier alternative, you can make this zucchini and sausage skillet recipe with chicken sausage instead.
Chicken sausage is readily available and can easily be found in the same aisle as pork sausage, kielbasa, or smoked sausage. Just be sure that they are precooked, otherwise, they will need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before adding them to this recipe.
Another way you can customize this recipe is to turn up the spice level. You can easily do this by purchasing Hot Italian sausage instead of plain sausage links.
The added spice in the sausage gives the entire dish another level of flavor. However, if you don’t like a lot of spice, but want to add a bit of heat, sprinkle in few hot pepper flakes instead of using the hot sausage.
Finally, don’t feel like you have to stick to using only zucchini, peppers and onions for this recipe. Feel free to add in sliced yellow squash, mushrooms or even potatoes in this recipe.
Just like with my Sausage & Potato Skillet recipe, be sure to par boil the potatoes before adding them to the skillet. This way you know that they will be cooked through and ready to eat by the time the vegetables are tender.
Zucchini and Sausage Skillet
*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 fully cooked sausages
- 1 medium zucchini cubed
- 1/2 medium onion, cut in chunks
- 1/2 sweet bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt & pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
The first step in making this zucchini and sausage skillet recipe is to brown the sausages. Start by heating one tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high-heat.
If you are using cooked sausages, you can leave them whole or cut each sausage in half lengthwise. Cutting them in half will allow more surface area to brown, creating additional flavor in your dish.
However, if you are starting with uncooked sausage, start by placing them in the skillet whole. Once the the sausages are 75% of the way cooked, remove them from the pan and place them on a cutting board.
Then using a sharp knife, slice the sausage in half lengthwise. Place them back into the skillet and continue to saute until cooked through.
Remove the sausage from the pan and place on a clean plate. Slice the sausage into 1/4 inch slices and set aside. Now it is time to saute the vegetables.
Prepare and Saute The Vegetables
While the sausage is browning in the skillet, prepare the vegetables. Cut the unpeeled zucchini, peppers and onions into 1/2 inch, bite size sections.
Set the zucchini & other vegetables aside until the sausage has been removed from the skillet. When you are ready to cook the vegetables reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining one tablespoon of oil to the skillet.
Then add the chunks of zucchini, onion & bell pepper to the pan and toss to coat them in the oil. Next, add the dried Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste and stir.
Continue to cook until the onion is translucent, and the peppers and zucchini are just tender. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes depending on the size of your cut vegetables.
Once the vegetables are tender, but still firm, add the brown sausage pieces back into the skillet. Then add the minced garlic and stir.
Cover the skillet and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom surface of the skillet.
Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender to your liking. Season with salt, pepper, or hot pepper flakes to taste and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use sweet mini bell peppers?
Every week I purchase a bag of mini sweet bell peppers to use for recipes throughout the week. It is a great way to have sweet peppers on hand whenever you need them.
So the answer is yes, feel free to use mini bell peppers instead of half of a sweet bell pepper. 1/2 of a sweet bell pepper chopped equals 2-3 mini bell peppers.
2. If I want to add potatoes to this zucchini and sausage skillet recipe, when should I add them?
If you would like to add red or yellow new potatoes to this dish, make sure you par boil them first. Then cut them into quarters and add them to the skillet when you brown the sausage.
Then remove them from the skillet with the sausage. When you add the sausage back to the pan, the potatoes go in too!
3. How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftovers in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat add the ingredients back into a skillet with a splash of water.
Heat over medium until the sausage is warmed through. Or reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.
4. What other recipes can I make with zucchini?
Many people are inundated with fresh picked zucchini throughout the summer months. Here are some of my favorite zucchini recipes.
- Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Bread
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Crisp
- Zucchini Brownies
- Chicken and Zucchini Casserole
Enjoy! Mary
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Zucchini & Sausage Skillet
An easy and delicious recipe cooked entirely in one skillet. Zucchini, peppers and onions cooked with sausage slices for a low carb, gluten free meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 fully cooked sausages, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds
- 1 medium zucchini cubed
- 1/2 medium onion, cut in chunks
- 1/2 sweet bell pepper, cut into chunks
- ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high-heat.
- When the oil is hot, add chopped sausage and sautè, on both sides until they become light golden brown in color. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet. Add the zucchini, onion & bell pepper. Then add the dried Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste and stir.
- Continue to cook until the onion is translucent, and the peppers and zucchini are just tender. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes depending on the size of your cut vegetables.
- Add the brown sausage back into the skillet. Then add the minced garlic and stir. Cover the skillet and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender to your liking.
- Add additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Serve as a stand alone, low carb meal or serve over white or brown rice.
Recipe provided by iCookfortwo.com
Nutrition Information
Yield 2Amount Per Serving Calories 366Total Fat 33gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 41mgSodium 715mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 10g
Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.