Smoked Sausage, Kale, and Cider Quinoa Skillet
Try this Smoked Sausage, Kale, and Cider Quinoa Skillet recipe.
Try this Smoked Sausage, Kale, and Cider Quinoa Skillet recipe.
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz smoked sausage (i used johnsonville)
- 4 cups chopped lacinato kale
- 1 large shallot chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed very well under cold running water
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
- Carbohydrate 7.846 g
- Cholesterol 230 mg
- Fat 47.8821 g
- Fiber 0.124000001847744 g
- Protein 57.227 g
- Saturated Fat 13.4544773333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (460g)
- Sodium 236.199059895833 mg
- Sugar 7.72199999815226 g
- Trans Fat 4.00955983333333 g
- Calories 706 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat then add sausage, kale, shallot, and sage.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper then saute until sausage begins to turn golden brown and kale is tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add cider and chicken broth then turn heat up to bring to a boil.
- Add rinsed quinoa, place a lid on top, then turn heat down to medium and simmer until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid and is tender, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat then stir in cranberries and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes before serving.
Undercooking quinoa leaves behind an unpleasant, crunchy bitterness that ruins the entire dish, yet checking doneness requires nothing more than a close visual inspection. Rinsing the raw grain thoroughly under cold running water removes bitter saponin coatings before they ever hit the pan. When simmering the mixture, watch the liquid levels drop until distinct tracks appear across the surface when dragged with a spoon.
Reading the Grain Without a Timer
Quinoa grains are finished cooking when the tiny, spiral germ ring separates entirely from the translucent seed body. Pull the skillet off the heat source exactly at the 20-minute mark while a microscopic amount of moisture remains trapped beneath the tightly sealed lid. Allowing the covered pan to rest undisturbed for five minutes lets residual steam finish the softening process uniformly.
Managing Pantry Assets Efficiently
Combining fresh produce with preserved ingredients demands smart management of moisture content and sugar concentrations. Fresh shallots and chopped lacinato kale release water rapidly when sautéed in extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat, which helps brown the sliced smoked sausage without scorching. Dried cranberries add concentrated tartness at the very end of cooking, contrasting sharply against the savory broth and reducing the need for excess sodium.
