Smothered Potatoes and Sausage Recipe

This smothered potatoes and sausage recipe uses real ingredients, is quick to make, and packed with flavor. Here at our farmhouse, I really appreciate having an easy recipe like this one to whip up after a long weekday.

I’ve adapted this smothered potatoes recipe to fit my own family. There are several different ways to make smothered potatoes and sausage from what I’ve found, but this is my version! You can find a printable version of the recipe below so you can easily add it to your arsenal of weeknight dinners.

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What are smothered potatoes?

Basically, smothered potatoes are cut up potatoes cooked with sweet onions until very soft. The soft onions are tossed with well-cooked potatoes, giving that “smothered” texture. The dish originated in Louisiana, and traditionally uses cajun seasonings to add flair.

Cajun dishes like smothered potatoes and sausage reminds me of my dad who passed away almost five years ago. No, we aren’t from Louisiana. But he went through an extended phase where he was kind of hooked on Cajun food. It always makes me smile to think about.

Anyway… I’ve seen some recipes where the smothered potatoes are finished in the oven. Personally, I like to do it all on the stovetop. I find it to be quicker, plus, who doesn’t love completing a delicious dish with one less step?

You can definitely make smothered potatoes without sausage. This would make a great side dish, but the addition of smoked sausage to these lovely potatoes makes for a hearty main dish.

What You Need To Make Smothered Potatoes And Sausage

The best way to fry up this smothered potatoes and sausage recipe is with a cast iron skillet. I am a huge fan of cast iron cooking! Cooking with cast iron is healthy, and the pans are easy to care for once you understand how cast iron works.

This recipe is a great option even if you’re a beginner cast iron user. But guess what, you don’t have to use a cast iron skillet to make this recipe. Stainless steel or an enamel dutch oven will work just as well.

List of Simple Ingredients:

• Potatoes: Russet, red, or yukon golds. I’ll explain more below about what changes different kinds of potatoes make to this recipe.
• Bell pepper: Any color will work! You can certainly use a red or yellow bell pepper, but I like to use green bell pepper for the color it adds. Feel free to try a combination as well.
• Onion: Sweet yellow onions are my favorite to use in this recipe. You can use onion powder in a pinch, but I wouldn’t recommend it since the onions are what I consider the “main sidekick” to this dish.
• Kielbasa or smoked sausage: There are plenty of options to go for here. To take photos for this post, I used organic kielbasa chicken sausage. But we also love traditional beef or pork smoked sausage. Just choose whatever your family likes!
• Broth: Bone broth is my favorite due to its high nutrient content, but any kind will work including vegetable, beef, or chicken broth.
• Avocado oil for sautéing: Avocado oil has a high smoke point and is excellent for frying and sautéing without adding an unwanted flavor. However, you can also use coconut or olive oil if that’s what you have on hand.
• Seasonings: Sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika are the only seasonings I use for this recipe. However, you can add others if it tickles your fancy. If you have a pre-mixed cajun seasoning, that would be great to use as well.

That’s it!

How To Make Smothered Potatoes And Sausage

Start by slicing your sausage, if it isn’t pre-sliced. Then, chop the potatoes into small cubes of about one inch. Next, dice your pepper and onion. I like to dice them pretty small, but you can use your own discretion. One nice thing about chopping the veggies up small is they cook faster. Plus, it seems to help get fewer complaints from the younger eaters in our family.

As you are chopping, begin heating the avocado oil in your skillet over medium heat. First, brown your sliced sausage until it gets that crispy-ish, caramelized exterior you know and love. Move it over to a separate bowl, then begin to cook the potatoes. Feel free to deglaze the pan with a little bit of broth before you begin.

I cook the potatoes for about 5 minutes, then go ahead and add the diced pepper, onion, and seasonings, cooking and stirring until everything is nice and soft. Using a lid helps expedite this process, but when I use my large 14 inch cast iron, I don’t have a lid. In that case, to give everything a “smothered” consistency, I just keep adding little bits of broth which cook down and deglaze the bottom of the pot as I go.

If you do have a lid, it will make cooking faster and you will likely end up using less broth.

What Kind Of Potatoes To Use For Smothered Potatoes

For this smothered potatoes and sausage recipe, you can use any type of potatoes. The downside to using russet potatoes is they can easily get mushy if you cook them too long. I feel like red potatoes are a staple for Louisiana cajun recipes like this one. But Yukon gold potatoes also hold their structure well.

Final Notes

This recipe for smothered potatoes and sausage is very forgiving and customizable. It’s pretty hard to mess up. (But don’t feel bad if you do!)

If you want to add some extra toppings, then cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions make great additions. Either way, it’s a wonderful, one-skillet, complete meal!