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Easy 30-Minute Sausage and Apple Skillet Dinner

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A quick and easy one-pan dinner featuring savory smoked sausage and sweet caramelized apples, ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this comforting dish is made with simple ingredients and delivers big flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12–14 oz smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille), sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 2 medium firm apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith), cored and sliced into ¼-inch wedges
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Slice sausage into ½-inch rounds, core and slice apples into ¼-inch wedges, dice onion. Measure out olive oil, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, thyme, and rosemary.
  2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and let it get shimmering hot.
  3. Add sliced sausage in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until deeply browned, then flip and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the skillet with rendered sausage fat. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
  5. Add sliced apples to the skillet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender and starting to caramelize.
  6. Return sausage to the skillet. Sprinkle with thyme and rosemary. Pour in apple cider vinegar. Stir everything together and cook 1-2 minutes until vinegar reduces slightly.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, don’t skip searing the sausage—it adds smoky, crispy texture. Watch apples closely as different varieties cook at different rates; Granny Smith holds up better than softer apples. Use rendered sausage fat to cook onions and apples for extra flavor. Deglazing with apple cider vinegar lifts browned bits and adds brightness. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: sausage and apple skillet, one-pan dinner, 30-minute meal, easy weeknight dinner, smoked sausage recipe, apple skillet dinner, fall dinner recipe

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