Smoked Sausage, Kale and Cider Quinoa Skillet is simple, full of hearty fall flavors, and made in just one skillet.
We’ve been doing all the fall things lately, and its with a recent trip to the orchard in mind that I developed the recipe for Smoked Sausage, Kale and Cider Quinoa Skillet!
This hearty, one skillet dish combines smoked sausage, fresh kale, apple cider, sage, and dried cranberries with fluffy quinoa in a hearty, all-fall meal. No side dish required!
The ingredients include some of my all-time favorites and the dish is bursting with flavor from the inside out. Smoked sausage, fresh sage, kale, and dried cranberries are all quintessential fall comfort foods. Plus quinoa cooked in chicken broth AND apple cider? Such a game changer!
Now, don’t think that since this dish is made with apple cider that it’s sweet. I promise it’s not. The apple cider, when combined with chicken broth, gives the quinoa just a hint of savory apple flavor.
Even better than the flavor is the fact that this dish is seriously simple and made in just one skillet. Easy, easy!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by sauteing 12oz smoked sausage that’s been sliced in half then into half moons with 4 cups chopped lacinato kale, 1 large shallot, and 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until the sausage starts to turn golden brown and the kale is tender, 5-7 minutes.
Next add 1 cup each apple cider and chicken broth then turn the heat up to bring the liquid to a boil.
Make sure you’re using apple cider vs apple juice, by the way. Juice will make the dish taste sweet since it’s almost always loaded with extra sugar. Pure, unfiltered apple cider is what we’re looking for.
Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa to the skillet then turn the heat down to medium-low and place a lid on top. Simmer until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid and is tender, 20-25 minutes.
Finally, stir in 1/4 cup dried cranberries then take the skillet off the heat but leave the lid on for 5 minutes to heat the dried cranberries through.
Scoop onto plates then dig in!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz smoked sausage, Johnsonville recommended
- 4 cups chopped lacinato kale
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened apple cider, not apple juice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, optional
Directions
- 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 quinoa, place a lid on top, then turn heat down to medium-low 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I saw this recipe a while back, remembered it, and just made it tonight using half sausage and half chicken thighs. It was delicious–and my kids agree! Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I didn’t have any scallions so I substituted with 1/4 of an onion and some garlic powder. It was a hit, thanks for posting!
Has anyone tried this with hard cider? I’m thinking it’d be okay as long as it’s a true cider, not a sweetened malt (aka like Sam Smith). Thoughts?
I made this tonight and followed the directions but my quinoa burned on the bottom but yet wasn’t fully cooked;( I still saved the sausages pieces though. Not sure what I did wrong but I can tell this is an awesome recipe so I want to try it again. So you think one could cook the kale/sausage/sage/shallots in one pan and cook the quinoa in a saucepan and then combine? Would you still use 2 cups liquid for the quinoa? Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Hey Meredith! It sounds like maybe your heat was too high when cooking the quinoa. Was it on medium or high? If it was on medium and it still burned you could definitely cook the quinoa separately. I’d use 3/4 cup apple cider and 1 cup chicken broth in that case. )
I used brussels sprouts and spinach instead of sausage and kale. No broth. Added craisins. So good!
Made it. Ate it. LOVED it. Thanks!!
I’m a vegetarian and made this last night (using veggie sausage and vegetable broth) and it was divine! Thanks for the recipe.
Just made this for lunch and to bring to work tomorrow, and I completely disregarded the “Serves 4″… It’s amazing! I’ll admit that I had my reservations when it was a little soupy at first, before it simmered down and the quinoa cooked, but it definitely went above and beyond expectations; I’m definitely going to have to be a little more adventurous with quinoa from now on! :D
This was really delicious, made it tonight. Kids were not impressed with the first look, but are it very well. I wonder if the kale could be added with the quinoa to make it not so colorless when it’s all complete. That’s my only observation, it is very good otherwise. I’d be careful with the salt in the beginning, too, I hardly added any and it was plenty (and I don’t mind salt).
My husband said this was the best meal he’d ever had!
This was great! My husband loved it! We will definitely be making this again.
I was so excited to try this all week! I made it tonight and my husband declared it one of the best things I’ve ever made!! And then he proceeded to eat it out of the skillet with the serving spoon! This was so good!
I made this the other night and we thought it was delicious. The only apple cider I could find was in a gallon jug so I used unsweetened apple juice and it worked very well. I also was able to find dried cranberries that only have half the amount of sugar. Another favorite that we really enjoy is you Thai Chicken quinoa bowl. Keep those quinoa bowl recipes coming.It’s our new favorite way to eat.