Sausage Bake with Potato-Cheese Puree: Flavor Explosion on Your Plate!

This casserole turned an ordinary Polish sausage into an absolute star at my family dinner. Sausage, potatoes, and onions represent typical, very Polish (yes, I’m from Poland 😉 ) flavors, but in this dish, they almost become exquisite tastes. Well, maybe I exaggerated a bit with the sophistication ;), but you’ll agree yourselves, after making this dish, that properly sautéed sausage and caramelized onions in a thick, flavorful sauce, hidden beneath the potato-cheese “duvet,” make it a truly exceptional dish.

This dish is very filling and incredibly tasty, but unfortunately, it doesn’t fall into the category of ‘quick dinners,’ like most chicken dishes, for example. I would recommend this sausage casserole for a larger family dinner or if you’re hosting friends or acquaintances who, of course, enjoy these flavors. The recipe may not be difficult, but preparing the potato-cheese puree does require a bit more time. A big advantage of this casserole is that despite all the flavors being essentially familiar—because what can surprise you about sausage, onions, and potatoes?—it gives the impression of dealing with an entirely new type of dish 🙂

FIRST, WATCH THIS VIDEO WITH THE RECIPE FOR SAUSAGE, POTATO, AND ONION CASSEROLE AND SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO MAKE.

INGREDIENTS:

SAUSAGE – The best sausage will be the one that you like the most. Personally, I recommend some smoked sausage because it not only tastes good but also has a nice, distinctive aroma. Of course, I recommend Polish sausage to you 😉

SAUCE INGREDIENTS: Onions (you’ll need up to four large onions that we’ll caramelize), olive oil or vegetable oil, butter, flour for thickening, white or red wine, broth (your choice: chicken, beef, or vegetable), soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, marjoram or Italian herbs, thyme, salt, and pepper – each of these ingredients makes the sauce truly delicious 🙂

INGREDIENTS FOR POTATO CHEESE PUREE: Potatoes, milk or cream, butter, Dijon mustard, cheese (preferably Cheddar for a sharper flavor, but Mozzarella or Gouda will work too), and salt and pepper.

Casserole with Sausage, Potatoes, and Onions. Step-by-Step Preparation.

STEP 1.

Cut the potatoes into small pieces/cubes. Pour water into a pot, add a pinch of salt, and when the water boils, put the potatoes into the pot and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If you can easily pierce them with a fork, they’re done. Drain the potatoes and wait for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a larger bowl and add room temperature butter and pour in milk. Using a potato masher, mash everything well to create a smooth potato puree. (Meanwhile, while you ‘wait for the potatoes,’ start preparing the sauce).

STEP 2.

Grate some Cheddar cheese using a fine grater and add it to mashed potatoes. Also, add Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to taste. I added about 3/4 teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper, but add as much as you like. Mix everything well and set aside the potato and cheese mash aside.

STEP 3.

Slice your favorite selected sausage into thin rounds. Meanwhile, finely chop large onions into thin strips. Heat some oil in a pan and add the sausage. Sauté it for about 6-7 minutes over low/medium heat until it browns nicely. After this time, set the sausage aside on a separate plate. If necessary, add a bit more oil to the same pan and toss in the chopped onions. Mix the onions well with those dark, brown “leftovers” from frying the sausage. We’ll lightly caramelize the onions. Start by sautéing them over medium heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat and continue sautéing for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Towards the end of cooking, season the onions with salt and pepper.

STEP 4.

Afterward, add two tablespoons of butter to the onions and mix. When the butter melts, sprinkle the onions with plain flour, stir it, and sauté the onion-flour mixture for about half a minute. Then pour white wine into the pan – while pouring the wine, keep stirring the onions to prevent flour lumps from forming; this will create a kind of thick paste. Next, pour in the broth, also stirring constantly to ensure no flour lumps form. Add soy sauce, thyme, marjoram, or Italian Herbs, and mix everything well. Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After this time, the sauce should have thickened significantly.

STEP 5.

Once the sauce is ready, add the previously set aside sausage to it and mix. Then transfer the sauce to a baking dish, spreading it evenly. Top it with the previously prepared mashed potatoes. The entire sauce should be covered by the mashed potatoes. Do not press the mashed potatoes too hard into the sauce – a gentle pressing with a spoon is sufficient. Now, using a fork, create small “rough peaks” that will lightly and nicely brown in the oven.

STEP 6.

Place the casserole in a preheated oven set to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for 20–25 minutes. After taking it out of the oven, wait a few minutes before you start eating 🙂 It’s worth serving with your favorite salad or coleslaw, for example, made from white cabbage. Enjoy! ♥

STORAGE AND REHEATING

Storage:

Refrigerator:

1. After preparation, let the dish cool completely before storing.
2. Place the casserole in a tightly sealed container or cover it with plastic wrap.
3. Store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2-3 days.

Freezer:

1. If you don’t plan to consume the casserole within a few days, you can freeze it for later use.
2. Place the casserole in a plastic container or dish that will be tightly sealed with aluminum foil, then freeze.
3. Mark the freezing date to remember how long the dish has been stored in the freezer. Casseroles can be stored in the freezer for about 1-2 months.

Reheating:

From the refrigerator:

1. Take the casserole out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the kitchen counter for a few minutes to reach room temperature.
2. Then, you can reheat it in the oven at a temperature of about 180°C (356°F) (top and bottom heat) for approximately 20-30 minutes or until it’s hot in the middle.

From the freezer:

1. Transfer the casserole from the freezer to the refrigerator for thawing overnight.
2. Then, follow the steps described above to reheat it in the oven.

Microwave:

You can also use the microwave, but keep in mind that the potato puree may lose its consistency and won’t be as “springy” as before.

Looking for another sausage recipe? Be sure to try:

Sausage and potato stew. Savor Now! – Pasta Mama Cooks

Sausage Bake with Potato-Cheese Puree. Printable Recipe.