Hearty and flavorful, this skillet Italian sausage is great on its own or a wonderful addition to other recipes. Use them to make an Italian sausage sandwich, slice one up and add it to your favorite pasta dish or simply serve them sliced with a dipping sauce like spicy mustard or homemade chimichurri sauce.
In this recipe the Italian sausage is made in a skillet on the stove, but that is not the only way to cook it. When you want to mix it up try baked Italian sausage and potatoes. Baking the sausage is just as easy as pan frying.
Italian sausage is a versatile ingredient that I use all the time. Getting dinner on the table on busy weeknights can be a challenge and this one ingredient makes it happen. Italian sausage brings so much flavor to the party that we can use less ingredients saving time and money. Check out these 14 Italian sausage recipes.
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Ingredients
- Italian sausage – is seasoned ground meat (usually pork but you can find turkey and chicken if you need to) that is stuffed into a casing. Italian sausage is commonly available and comes fresh, so it will be in the supermarket meat section.
- Oil – we only need a little to get the sausage going. Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point – we use canola oil.
- Water – We start by browning the outside then add water and boil/steam them until fully cooked.
Recipe tips
- It is best to use a non-stick skillet to pan fry the sausage. If the skillet you are using is not, then wait for the sausage to “release” before turning it so it does not tear.
- Use a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
- Try not to pierce the sausage during cooking because liquid will be released, and the sausage could dry out. Also, be careful if the sausage is pierced because the hot liquid could squirt quite a distance.
- Use tongs to turn the sausage when browning to avoid piercing.
- The cooking time for this recipe is a range because actual cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage, adjust accordingly.
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the pan-fried Italian sausage is cooked to 160°F. Take the temperature of the largest thickest piece. If it’s not up to temperature continue cooking for a few minutes and check again.
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook them for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
Carefully add the water to the skillet and cover.
Cook the sausages for 10 – 20 minutes until some (or most) of the liquid has cooked out and the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage. Check the temperature after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. If they are not up temperature, then continue cooking and check again.
Remove the sausage from the skillet and serve as desired.
You may also like these recipes featuring Italian sausage:
- Italian Sausage Spaghetti
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and Italian Sausage
- Italian Sausage Parmigiana
- Baked Ziti with Sausage
- Ravioli Bake
Skillet Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point – we use canola oil
- 16-20 ounces Mild or Hot Italian Sausage Links 4-5 links
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook them for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
- Carefully add the water to the skillet and cover. Make sure the liquid is boiling. If it is not, then raise the heat a bit.
- Cook the sausages for 10-20 minutes until some (or most) of the liquid has cooked out and the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
- The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage. Check the temperature after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. If they are not up temperature, then continue cooking and check again.
- Remove the sausage from the skillet and use them to make a sandwich, slice it up and add to your favorite pasta dish or simply serve them sliced with a dipping sauce.
Don
Water – is used to keep the sausage from burning on the outside without cooking on the inside.
Really… without cooking on the inside?
Elizabeth
Hi Don,
That was a mistake, I fixed it. Thank you for letting me know.