27 Delicious Sausage Dishes to Master

Using sausage in burgers is a smart shortcut, because the meat is already seasoned. Here, the sausage flavor is further heightened by layers of garlicky spinach, sun-dried tomato pesto, and melted provolone.

In Germany's Pfalz region, cooks braise sauerkraut with onions, apples, seasonings, a touch of sugar, and a little of the region's Riesling wine, creating an irresistible accompaniment for juicy weisswurst or bratwurst.

Even though chef Linton Hopkins' stew is full of shrimp and sausage, the best part is the delicate lima beans, a Southern staple.

Chef Michael White uses dandelion greens to give his slightly spicy sausage pasta a bitter edge, but chicory or escarole makes a great stand-in.

Former Food & Wine editor Kay Chun's savory muffins are studded with breakfast sausage and shredded sharp cheddar. Make them ahead and reheat in the morning for a quick breakfast.

The flavor of browned roux is essential to the traditional taste of Louisiana gumbo. Here, the roux is combined with aromatics and broth for a savory base in which to cook the smoked sausage and chicken.

Smoked sausage (such as kielbasa) stars in this quick cassoulet. To save time day-of, prepare the dish through step three the day beforehand, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. Then, all that's left to do is bake and serve.

Use a fresh, spicy sausage here to complement the creamy bean puree and sweet fennel. Pair the finished dish with an earthy Mediterranean red.

Buttery, mild Castelvetrano olives add just enough salt and tang to these fried sausage snacks, which pair beautifully with a crisp Martini or chilled glass of wine. Use a high-quality Italian sausage for the best texture and flavor.

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, lemony breadcrumb topping and a quick-fix tomato sauce jazzed up with fresh herbs, this makes a stunning summer main dish.

Dry white wine helps cut through the richness in the gravy, bringing a balanced acidity to this hearty dish. Homemade sausage is well-seasoned and not overly sweet, so choose a savory or spicy blend if swapping in store-bought sausage.

"The brilliant thing about this recipe is that you can cook it all in one skillet," cookbook author and For the Culture founder/editor Klancy Miller says. "The key is adding each ingredient at the right time so that everything cooks without burning. You start by cooking the potatoes and sausage (I recommend small red potatoes and spicy Italian sausage, but you can use your favorite) and then once those start to brown, you add the sliced onions and then the kale. The bonus to using fresh sausage is that you get some of the delicious rendered fat as it cooks, which flavors the potatoes, onions, and kale."

For this sheet-pan dinner, use Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, which hold their shape better during roasting than other varieties. Bonus: Their gentle sweetness balances the intensely spiced merguez sausage.

Fabada asturiana is a deliciously rich and hearty bean stew from Asturia, Spain, made with fabes (creamy white beans) as well as chorizo and blood sausage.

This crostata layers fennel-spiced sausage, chile, delicata squash, and honey for a dinner that pairs well with a northern Italian Dolcetto.

For each Thanksgiving since he opened his Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, chef Marcus Samuelsson has historically served this savory, sausage-studded bread pudding, which is a favorite among guests.

This Polish "hunter's stew" typically combines at least three different meats, from wild game to pork ribs, sausages, and veal. Chef Andrew Zimmern uses lightly smoked bacon, chicken thighs, and kielbasa in his version.

In 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, perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

In this dish from chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza in San Francisco, baked merguez sausage is served atop a spiced lentil and butternut squash mixture. The recipe is ready in just 45 minutes.

Searing sweet Italian sausage in a dry skillet renders the fat, resulting in a deliciously crispy sausage. Tender bell peppers add a welcome vegetal sweetness to this one-pan dinner while they cook down in a blend of savory chicken broth and tangy vinegar perfect for sopping up with crusty bread.

The combination of the meaty, briny, vegetal flavors in this pizza hits so many satisfying notes that it is sure to be a hit at your table. The olives, peppers, sausage, and ricotta combine to bring sweet, savory, salty, and creamy notes to this pretty pizza.

Smoky, gently spiced andouille sausage and a spoonful of Creole seasoning give deep flavor and mild heat to this jambalaya, while the trinity of onion, green pepper, and celery provide a classic aromatic base to the dish.

At Convivial in Washington, D.C., Cedric Maupillier's foot-long quiche takes this breakfast classic to the next level. This version, prepared in a rimmed baking sheet, makes plenty for the whole family.

Added just minutes before serving, thinly sliced squash melts into the pasta without losing its shape and texture. Use a mandoline to achieve wafer-thin slices. A spicy Southern Italian red wine pairs nicely with the spicy sausage.

The traditional toad in the hole consists of whole sausages cooked in an egg-and-flour batter. This recipe delivers a taste of the British classic but stars tender baby carrots and spring onions for a flavorful, vegetable-forward spring twist. 

This Cataplana from F&W's Culinary Director-at-Large Justin Chapple is his version of a savory feast of shellfish and smoky linguiça hailing from the Algarve in Portugal. Named for the vessel it is traditionally cooked and served in, the stew gets lots of flavor from the Portuguese linguiça included, but you can substitute Spanish-style chorizo or even kielbasa in a pinch.

Littleneck clams are blended with breadcrumbs, jalapeño, celery, arugula, and linguiça­—a Portuguese smoke-cured pork sausage—before they are stuffed back into their shells and baked until piping hot and lightly browned. Portuguese rolls are light and airy with a crisp crust, making them ideal for this stuffing: the crumb readily absorbs flavor. Save time by stuffing the clams in advance and then refrigerating them overnight. Bring the stuffed clams to room temperature before baking.