Italian Sausages with Roasted Cauliflower and Greens
This easy-going recipe, adapted from Kate Leahy’s 2021 cookbook Wine Style, is meant to be made in a sheet pan or 7-quart Dutch oven. We tested it on a sheet pan, and fell in love — it’ll definitely be going into our weeknight rotation. The basic ingredients — Italian sausages, baby spinach and a head of cauliflower, are easy to come by; capers and sliced red onion elevate the dish.
Leahy’s wine suggestions for this dish are just as easygoing as the recipe; just about any dry red will work, but, she adds “those with sunny dispositions,” like Malbec from Argentina or the Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM) blends of the Southern Rhône “have a juicy quality that matches well with the sweetness of the caramelized cauliflower and sausages.”
[Read: Kate Leahy’s ‘Wine Style’ is a delicious solo debut from a seasoned (and fascinating) cookbook pro]
Be sure to use sausages that aren’t too huge — the recipe calls for 1 pound or about 4 links, and that 4 links is key. We also tried it with larger sausages, and that threw the cooking times off (the cauliflower was getting overdone by the time the sausages were cooked through). Leahy notes that if you want to change up the greens, you can use a bunch of chard or 5 cups of mixed braising greens in place of the spinach. We haven’t tried that yet, but we certainly will. For the spinach, the recipe calls for 5 cups, about 4 or 5 ounces. Cello bags of baby spinach are usually 5 or 6 ounces; go ahead and use a whole one, if you like; 6 ounces will not be too much.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4 cups), large pieces halved or quartered
1⁄2 medium red onion, sliced into 1⁄4 to 1⁄2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet fresh Italian sausages (about 4 links)
5 cups packed baby spinach (4 to 5 ounces)
1 lemon
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the cauliflower, onion, capers, red pepper flakes and salt. Add the oil and mix to coat the vegetables well. Heat a half-sheet pan or 7-quart Dutch oven in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan and add the cauliflower mixture. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the florets just start to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and add the sausages, arranging them so they touch the base of the pan and aren’t on top of the cauliflower pieces. Return the pan to the oven and roast, turning the sausages over once, until the cauliflower has caramelized and the sausages feel firm and are cooked through (the juices should run clear when the sausages are pierced with a fork), about 25 minutes or a little longer.
3. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and let them rest. Add the spinach to the pan and stir into the cauliflower to wilt. If the spinach isn’t wilting quickly, return the pan to the oven for another minute or two. Remove from the oven and stir.
4. Zest half of the lemon over the vegetables and taste, seasoning with a pinch of salt if desired. Serve the sausages on top of the vegetables. Cut a wedge out of the lemon and squeeze it over the top.
Italian Sausages with Roasted Cauliflower and Greens
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4 cups), large pieces halved or quartered
- 1⁄2 medium red onion, sliced into 1⁄4 to 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sweet fresh Italian sausages (about 4 links)
- 5 cups packed baby spinach (4 to 5 ounces)
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the cauliflower, onion, capers, red pepper flakes and salt. Add the oil and mix to coat the vegetables well. Heat a half-sheet pan or 7-quart Dutch oven in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan and add the cauliflower mixture. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the florets just start to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the sausages, arranging them so they touch the base of the pan and aren’t on top of the cauliflower pieces. Return the pan to the oven and roast, turning the sausages over once, until the cauliflower has caramelized and the sausages feel firm and are cooked through (the juices should run clear when the sausages are pierced with a fork), about 25 minutes or a little longer.
- Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and let them rest. Add the spinach to the pan and stir into the cauliflower to wilt. If the spinach isn’t wilting quickly, return the pan to the oven for another minute or two. Remove from the oven and stir.
- Zest half of the lemon over the vegetables and taste, seasoning with a pinch of salt if desired. Serve the sausages on top of the vegetables. Cut a wedge out of the lemon and squeeze it over the top.
