This cauliflower and sausage casserole is yet another nothing-in-the-fridge meal I managed to throw together. We’ve been traveling so much that its pointless to go to the grocery store, but I’ve found there’s always a way to mix up a complete meal with whatever randomness is in the freezer/pantry.
I always have a couple of these basil chicken sausages on hand. They make them fresh at the meat counter at my local Sprouts. They’re healthy, inexpensive, and easy to freeze. Before we left for NYC last week, I thawed a few out, combined them with a couple cans of diced tomatoes and a head of cauliflower I had on hand, and called it a casserole. It was actually really tasty, and I’ll probably make it again even when I’m not in a pinch.
Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole
Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower about 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound uncooked chicken sausage casings removed
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves only
- Two 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 T melted butter
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 350°F
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Chop cauliflower into bite-sized florets
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Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside
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Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the sausage. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the sausage is browned breaking up the meat with a spoon as it cooks.
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Turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, and thyme to the pan with the sausage. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Stir in diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in reserved cauliflower. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Spread the mixture into a 9X13 baking dish coated with cooking spray
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In a small skillet heat the melted butter and breadcrumbs together, stirring frequently until the breadcrumbs are browned. Mix in parmesan.
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Top cauliflower mixture evenly with breadcrumbs and bake for 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Now that I’m home for a while, I’d like to apologize for the lack of beautiful and creative recipes this month. Life’s been hectic, but I’m home, and summertime is here which means fresh produce and great lighting for photographs! I’ve got tons of ideas flowing so I hope you’ll come back and see what I’m cooking up in the following weeks. Thanks so much for your patience!
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