Description
This Creamy Sausage & Potato Bake is a comforting, hearty dish featuring seasoned sausage layered with tender potatoes and smothered in a rich, cheesy cream sauce. Baked until golden and bubbly, it’s perfect for a family dinner or weekend meal.
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 & 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 (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the dish.
- Cook Sausage: In a skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces, and cook until browned and fully cooked through.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Sauté together until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Layer Potatoes: Grease a baking dish and spread half of the thinly sliced potatoes evenly across the bottom.
- Add Sausage Layer: Evenly distribute the cooked sausage, onion, and garlic mixture over the potato layer.
- Top with Remaining Potatoes: Cover the sausage layer with the remaining sliced potatoes, creating even layers.
- Add Cream & Season: Pour heavy cream evenly over the potato layers then sprinkle dried thyme, salt, and pepper over the top to season the dish.
- Initial Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes allowing the potatoes to cook thoroughly.
- Add Cheese & Final Bake: Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
- Rest & Garnish: Let the bake rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired before serving hot.
Notes
- For easier slicing, use a mandoline to slice potatoes thinly and evenly.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter dish but it may be less creamy.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead, assembled, and refrigerated before baking to save time.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
- Use mild or spicy sausage depending on your preferred heat level.
