Description
This Creamy Sausage & Potato Bake is a comforting and hearty casserole featuring layers of tender sliced potatoes, savory Italian sausage, and a rich, cheesy cream sauce. Perfect as a satisfying family dinner, it combines the flavors of browned sausage, aromatic garlic and onions, and melted cheddar and Parmesan cheese, all baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Mixture
- 1 lb sausage (Italian or breakfast sausage), casing removed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Potato Layers & Cream Sauce
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for baking the casserole evenly.
- Cook the sausage: Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Brown the sausage thoroughly to develop flavor.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Sauté together until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Layer the potatoes: Grease a baking dish and arrange half of the thinly sliced potatoes in an even layer at the bottom.
- Add sausage mixture: Spread the cooked sausage, onion, and garlic mixture evenly over the potato layer in the baking dish.
- Top with remaining potatoes: Place the rest of the sliced potatoes on top of the sausage layer to create the second layer.
- Add cream and seasoning: Pour the heavy cream gently over the layered potatoes and sausage. Sprinkle dried thyme, salt, and pepper evenly across the top to season the dish.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, allowing the potatoes to cook through and the flavors to meld.
- Add cheeses and bake uncovered: Remove the foil, then sprinkle shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Rest and garnish: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after baking to set. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Use a mandoline slicer for uniformly thin potato slices to ensure even cooking.
- Feel free to add a pinch of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes to the sausage mixture for extra flavor and heat.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your sausage does not contain any gluten-based fillers.
