Sausage Cacciatore

Tammy Overhoff

This easy one-pot Sausage Cacciatore is packed with bold Italian flavors, tender sausage, and a rich, hearty sauce. Made with simple ingredients like bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic, it’s a comforting dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing meal. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free and great for meal prep—leftovers store, freeze, and reheat beautifully!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Course dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings people

Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

5 ½ - 6 quart Dutch oven or large sauce pot
1 Large spoon or spatula
1 Sharp chef's knife
1 Cutting board

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large green bell peppers seeds and ribs removed, sliced
1 medium to large white onion peeled and sliced
8 oz sliced white mushrooms cleaned if needed
4 medium garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 lbs raw Italian sausage links
24 oz high-quality jarred marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prep the vegetables: Slice the bell peppers and onion, then finely chop the garlic. Clean the mushrooms if necessary.
Sauté the vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large (5-6 quart) pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions, cooking for 4-5 minutes until they soften and the onions turn translucent. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes until softened.
Cook the garlic and spices: Push the vegetables to one side of the pot, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the empty space. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir everything together and mix in the Italian seasoning. Cook for another minute.
Brown the sausage: Add the Italian sausage links to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally. The sausages should be mostly cooked but still slightly pink in the center—don't worry, they'll finish cooking in the sauce.
Simmer in sauce: Pour in the jarred spaghetti sauce and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes.
Rest the sausage: Remove the sausages from the pot and let them rest for about 10 minutes. This helps seal in the juices and prevents them from drying out. Meanwhile, keep the sauce simmering on low.
Slice and return to sauce: After resting, cut the sausage links into thick slices and return them to the pot. Stir in ½ cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Let everything simmer for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts into the sauce.
Serve and enjoy: Optionally, sprinkle with additional grated Romano cheese before serving. Enjoy over your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Notes

* Let the Sausage Rest. Once the sausages are cooked through, remove them from the pot and let them rest for 10 minutes. This step is key! Letting them rest helps seal in the juices, keeping the sausage tender and preventing it from drying out when you slice it.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and calculated without the pasta. Also, the final nutritional information will depend on the type of sausage, sauce, and other ingredients used.

Refrigerating Leftovers

- Store the sauce and pasta separately to prevent the pasta from getting mushy.

- Transfer the leftover cacciatore sauce into glass storage containers and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. If you don’t plan to eat it by then, freeze it for longer storage.

- For easy meals during the week, portion out individual servings in containers. Keep the sauce and pasta separate, then reheat the sauce in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the pasta, and dinner is ready!

Freezing Instructions

There are a few ways to freeze this dish depending on your storage space and meal prep style:

1. Freezer Bag Method
  - - Pour the sauce into a labeled freezer-safe bag, flatten it, and freeze.
  - - Once frozen, you can stack it neatly to save space in the freezer.

1. Silicone Tray Method (Great for Portioning!)
  - - Freeze the sauce in silicone trays in 1 or 2-cup portions.
  - - Once frozen, transfer the sauce portions to a freezer bag for easy grab-and-reheat meals.
  - - To reheat, add the frozen sauce to a pan and warm over low to medium heat until hot.

1. Freezer Meal Method (Pasta & Sauce Together)
  - - In a 2-cup silicone tray, add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom and 1 cup of cooked pasta on top.
  - - Once frozen, remove from the tray and store in a large freezer bag.
  - - When ready to eat, microwave for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway through until heated through. Mix the pasta and sauce, then enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 30gFat: 40gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 900mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9g

Keyword sausage cacciatore, sausage cacciatore recipe

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