Green Bean Casserole with Sausage

This hearty, wholesome Sausage and Green Bean Casserole turns your favorite side dish into dinner! This recipe also works great as a side dish for a potluck dinner or as a variation on the Thanksgiving classic.

Why add sausage to your grean bean casserole?

Green bean casserole is a classic side dish and a staple for many Thanksgiving dinners. The combination of cream of mushroom soup and green beans is both comforting and familiar. However, sometimes I want all those delicious comforting flavors plus a little more. The addition of sausage adds both protein and flavor. Sausage is one of the most flavorful meats you can add to a dish, after bacon, and cna be used to completely transform the recipe.

What type of sausage should you use in casseroles?

The best part of using sausage in casserole is that it adds so much flavor. Because there are so many different types of sausage made from different meats with different seasonings the options are endless. Here are some of my favorite sausages to use in casseroles along with some other spices and seasonings that go well with them.

• Sweet Italian Sausage is typically made with pork and seasoned with fennel, garlic and oregano. It is a very versatile and neutral sausage that will work in almost any recipe. There are also chicken versions available. This sausage pairs great with most Italian and American seasonings and can be enhanced by adding additional fennel, garlic, onion and oregano.
• Spicy Italian Sausage is typically made with pork and crushed red pepper flakes along with other aromatics such as garlic, fennel, oregano, onion, paprika. Because it is spicy it can add another layer of flavor to a dish. Like sweet italian sausage it works great in many American or Mediterranean inspired dishes and especially with onions, garlic and peppers.
• Breakfast Sausage often has very mild seasoning and a slight sweetness to it. Some even have maple syrup in them. Sage is often used for seasoning. The sweetness can make breakfast sausage harder to cook with so always check to see if the breakfast sausage has sugar or syrup in the ingredients. If the sausage is sweetened I recommend only using them in breakfast casseroles. If it is not sweetened and is just a mild sausage then it can be used in almost any dish from any cuisine. The mild or neutral seasoning of the sausage will allow the other ingredients in the dish to standout.
• Chorizo Sausage is a Spanish pork sausage seasoned with chili, garlic and paprika that is also used in a lot of Mexican cuisine. Chorizo does add a more distinct flavor and tends to work great in dishes with Spanish, Mexican and Southwest or Tex-Mex flavors. You can always add some cilantro, cumin, garlic, and onion to enhance the chorizo flavors.
• Andouille Sausage is a staple in cajun and creole cuisines. Andouille has some spice to it like chorizo but it is also a smoked sausage giving it extra flavor. Andouille works great with Southern, Creole and Cajun cuisines, but also can work well as a substitute for Spicy Italian and Chorizo sausages.
• Other Specialty Sausages can also be great options. They often have more distinct seasonings and flavor and can be harder to use outside of the recipe they are recommended for.

A Thanksgiving side that can be eaten all year round

I love this recipe because it takes all the flavors of the classic Thanksgiving side dish and adds to it so that it can be eaten as a complete dinner casserole. It is also a great way to get some extra veggies. The addition of cooked brown rice and low fat chicken breakfast sausage ensure this dinner is healthier than the classic side and also more filling. The rice absorbs some of the cream. of mushroom soup and liquid from the green beans ensuring the casserole is moist and flavorful. I recommend giving this recipe a try when you are craving green bean casserole but do not want to make an entire Thanksgiving feast to go with it.

Green Bean Casserole with Sausage

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This hearty, wholesome casserole is a perfect dinner for busy weeknights!

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion cut into ¼” slices
• 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
• 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
• 1 lb. frozen French cut green beans
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1/4 c. cream cheese
• 10 oz. can reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
• 2 c. cooked brown rice
• 1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese or substitute swiss or provolone
• 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and sausage, and saute until sausage is cooked through and onions are tender. Stir in green beans (thawed or frozen), and cook until beans are heated through.
3. Stir in sour cream, cream cheese, soup, and rice. Turn off heat, and transfer to prepared baking dish, and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Remove foil, and sprinkle cheese then bread crumbs over the top. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes longer until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are brown.

Notes

Save time by using frozen, fully-cooked brown rice. Follow the microwave heating instructions, and you have perfect rice in about three minutes!

Use pork sausage for more flavor and chicken sausage for a leaner, lower-fat option.

• Author: Andi Gleeson
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 60
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: American

Hello! I have missed you the past few days, but I’ll have you know that I have been quite a ways from home all week. We traveled home to Mississippi to see heaps of relatives and eat more food than should be allowed in such a short time. Now we’re homeward bound, and while I will miss all that family and fried okra, I’m ready to get home and back to my routine. This casserole is a little bit Southern and a little bit Thanksgiving and a lot good. I actually made this a couple months ago, and I’m excited to finally show it to you. I love green bean casserole for the holidays, but I don’t think it should be reserved for once or twice a year. I thought if I could turn it into a main dish, this hearty casserole would be welcome on your dinner table any old time, especially busy weeknights!