Description
This Skillet Sausage and Zucchini recipe is your new weeknight hero. It’s a colorful, savory dish that combines smoky sausage, tender-crisp vegetables, and a perfect blend of Italian-inspired herbs. This is one of those “throw it all in a pan” dinners that tastes like you put in way more effort than you did, all in about 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 links Fully Cooked Sausages (like Kielbasa or Chicken Apple), sliced into 1/4-inch circles
- 2 Medium Zucchini, cubed into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 Medium Onion (Yellow or Red), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 Bell Pepper (Any color), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Olive or Avocado Oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon Freshly Minced Garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Optional: Fresh Basil (for garnish)
Instructions
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Brown the Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, flipping often, until nicely browned on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a plate.
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Sauté Vegetables & Seasonings: Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of oil to the same skillet. Add the cubed zucchini, chopped onion, and bell pepper. Sprinkle the dried oregano, garlic powder, basil, onion powder, pepper, and salt over the vegetables. Stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until tender-crisp.
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Combine and Serve: Add the browned sausage back into the skillet. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Cover the skillet, let everything steam together for 1-2 minutes to meld the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh basil (if using) and serve immediately.
Notes
- Flavor Base: Don’t wipe out the pan after browning the sausage! Those browned bits are pure flavor that the vegetables will soak up.
- Tender-Crisp: Cook the vegetables until they are tender-crisp, not mushy, for the best texture.
- Fresh Garlic Last: Adding the fresh minced garlic at the very end, rather than the beginning, prevents it from burning (which makes it bitter) and gives the whole dish a bright, zesty aroma.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner, One-Pan Meal
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American / Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
