Au Gratin Sausage Skillet
Using frozen vegetables and a package of au gratin potatoes, I can get this satisfying stovetop supper on the table in no time. Even our oldest daughter, who can be a picky eater, loves it - and it is an excellent way of getting her to eat her vegetables.
Using frozen vegetables and a package of au gratin potatoes, I can get this satisfying stovetop supper on the table in no time. Even our oldest daughter, who can be a picky eater, loves it - and it is an excellent way of getting her to eat her vegetables.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0.51555 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (269g)
- Sodium 5.9250000050087 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0.0851899999999992 g
- Calories 62 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large skillet, cook sausage in oil until lightly browned; drain.
- Add potatoes with contents of sauce mix and water.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for 18-20 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add vegetables; cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Cheddar cheese does the heaviest lifting in this dish, bridging the gap between the smoky fat rendered from the pork and the starchy earthiness of the dehydrated potato flakes. When shredded cheddar melts into the hot sauce mixture, proteins emulsify with the dairy fats to create a homogeneous coating rather than a separated oil slick. Canola oil provides a neutral high-smoke-point medium to brown the sausage without scorching the fond before the liquid enters the pan. Slicing the kielbasa into half-moons maximizes surface area contact with the skillet base, promoting Maillard reaction browning that infuses savory depth into the surrounding water and sauce packet. Covering the skillet traps steam to soften the dried potato slices and frozen vegetables simultaneously, requiring a medium heat setting to maintain a gentle simmer without boiling away the hydration needed for starch gelatinization. Stirring the mixture occasionally distributes the dairy proteins evenly and prevents the starchy potatoes from sticking to the pan bottom. Letting the covered skillet rest off the heat for two minutes allows residual thermal energy to melt the cheese completely without tightening the dairy proteins into a rubbery mass. This stovetop method yields a cohesive sauce where salt from the cured meat seasons the vegetables as they steam.
