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Proteins & Mains
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Sausage
Sausage
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Crumbled / Ground Method
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Cut the casings down the middle lengthwise and peel the meat out.
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Break it up in the pan with the back of a spoon or spatula.
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Cook over medium-high heat until browned.
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The key: don't let it dry out.
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Sausage in this form needs to be in some sort of sauce or have enough cooking fat and liquid around it.
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If you're making a pasta with sausage and vegetables, this is the way.
Whole Links Method
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In a pan over pretty high heat with some oil.
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Turn them and let them char on all sides — you want that deep brown, slightly blackened exterior.
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Cut them after cooking, not before.
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Links are great for breakfast plates, on rolls, sliced into pasta, or cut on the bias over rice.
Season It Even Though It's Seasoned
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This sounds counterintuitive since sausage comes with spices already in it, but it still needs help.
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Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder on the outside before cooking — especially for whole links.
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The built-in seasoning is inside the meat.
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The outside surface needs its own flavor, especially if you want a good crust.
The Pasta Protein
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Sausage is the preferred protein for most pasta dishes.
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Crumbled Italian sausage with a bunch of vegetables in a simple sauce over pasta is one of the easiest, tastiest weeknight meals there is.
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It brings more flavor complexity than ground beef, it's almost as cheap, and it pairs with basically any vegetable and any pasta shape.
Quick Tips
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Italian sausage (sweet or hot) is the most versatile for cooking
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Crumbled for pasta and sauces, whole links for breakfast and grilling
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Don't skip the extra seasoning on the outside — the built-in spices are inside
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Pairs beautifully with peppers, onions, broccoli rabe, and any pasta
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