The Best Italian Sausage Recipes You'll Want to Eat Again and Again

sausage and fennel
Photo: Greg DuPree

Whether you're tackling cheesy pizza for family night, a quick sandwich for lunch, or a rich broth for a light dinner, Italian sausage makes any meal a little more savory. Italian sausage pairs well with a variety of vegetables including bright peppers, crunchy kale, fennel, and briny olives. If you want to turn up the heat, you can always add a few extra red pepper flakes. Here are our top 9 Italian sausage recipes.

01 of 09

Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives

Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives Recipe
Victor Protasio

Mild Castelvetrano olives add just enough salt to this savory sausage snack. Enjoy with a crisp Martini or a chilled glass of wine.

02 of 09

Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash
Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero

A few tablespoons of spicy harissa brings the heat to this dish. Don't forget to add thinly sliced squash minutes before serving. To achieve wafer-thin slices, use a mandoline.

03 of 09

Sausage, Kale, and Potato Skillet Supper

Sausage, Kale, and Potato Skillet Supper
Jen Causey

When Klancy Miller makes a delicious meal for one, she says it's an exercise of creativity and self-care. She combines small red potatoes, spicy sausage, succulent kale, and thinly sliced red onions to make an easy skillet supper.

04 of 09

Braised Sausage and Fennel with Toasted Spices

Braised Sausage with Fennel and Toasted Spices Recipe
Greg DuPree

Whole pink peppercorns and fennel seeds permeate braised sausage with a rich aroma. This meal pairs well with an earthy Mediterranean red.

05 of 09

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach
© Stephanie Foley

Need a bite to eat but have limited time? These pre-seasoned Italian sausage burgers are just the thing. Don't forget to spread pesto on the ciabatta rolls.

06 of 09

Baked Stuffed Eggplant with Italian Sausage

Baked Stuffed Eggplant with Italian Sausage
Greg Dupree

Bell peppers aren't the only vegetable that can be stuffed with savory and juicy meats. Ripe tomatoes and roasted eggplant come together to yield a hearty filling, made even better with the addition of Italian sausage. Combined with a bright and lemony breadcrumb topping and a quick-fix tomato sauce jazzed up with fresh herbs, this makes a stunning summer main dish.

07 of 09

Roast Chicken with Sausage and Peppers

Roast Chicken with Sausage and Peppers
© John Kernick

What's better than one protein? Two proteins. This dish uses both roast chicken and hot Italian sausage to create classic flavors of an Italian sausage sub.

08 of 09

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers
© Dana Gallagher

A delicious take on classic red-sauce spaghetti, this pasta highlights the classic pairing of Italian sausage and sweet red peppers.

09 of 09

Pasta with Sausage, Basil, and Mustard

Pasta with Sausage, Basil and Mustard.
© Greg DuPree

This recipe is a Food & Wine certified favorite: In 2018, we named this recipe one of our 40 best. Matching spicy sausage with a creamy mustard sauce and fragrant basil, British cookbook author Nigel Slater created a quick pasta supper with warm, mildly spicy flavors.

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