This hearty sausage and potato casserole recipe is packed with feel-good rustic flavors thanks to the potatoes, peppers, garlic, and cheese. A quick and easy weeknight casserole that’ll warm your bones!

Why this recipe works
This sausage and potato casserole recipe has been in my arsenal since 2012. And boy, is it everything it promises to be. Hearty, comforting, and filling, all while keeping the base nice and simple. There are leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic as well as sausage, bell peppers, and potatoes for body and tons of flavor.
Think of classic sausage and peppers, with some potatoes and a few extra goodies added in. It’s one of those family-friendly casseroles you’ll come back to again and again that’s really easy to customize based on what’s in your fridge at the moment.

Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
SAUSAGE – We are using sweet Italian sausage, but you could easily substitute any variety of uncooked Italian sausage. Spicy sausage would add a nice kick! Or, opt for a mixture of mild and hot for a subtle hint of heat.
PEPPERS – Depending on your preference, you can use whatever color bell pepper you like. I tend to grab the sweeter varieties which are red, yellow, and orange. Green peppers work great, though!
POTATOES – While we are using red potatoes in this casserole, any waxy variety will work. Russets can be used if you have nothing else, they are simply starchier than waxy potatoes.
ADDITIONS – Not a fan of leeks or mushrooms? Feel free to omit or swap them with other vegetables you have on hand. Carrots or celery would make a nice addition.
TOMATOES – Diced fire roasted tomatoes help add lots of flavor to this casserole. You can use regular diced tomatoes if preferred. I would suggest draining your can of tomatoes before adding it to the casserole to avoid excess liquid.
How to Make Sausage and Potato Casserole
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix the sausage with the mushrooms until well combined. Brown sausage mixture in a skillet over medium heat until nicely browned. Drain and set aside. Wipe out skillet.
- Add parsley to the chicken broth and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook, about 6-8 minutes, creating a nice light brown crust. Add the yellow and red bell peppers and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes, until peppers are tender crisp. Remove potato and pepper mixture from skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and saute the leeks until tender, about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and saute another minute or so.
- Add the tomatoes to the skillet and stir everything together.
- Add broth and parsley mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Season with freshly ground pepper and a couple pinches of Kosher salt.
- Combine all ingredients except for the cheese and place in a 2-quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake another 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
This is a very adaptable casserole recipe, so you certainly could use ground beef instead of Italian sausage. In fact, any ground meat will work.
Yes you can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned. A 14-ounce can of tomatoes is roughly 1 3/4 cups – so that amount of fresh tomatoes should work.
We love the flavor of garlic cheese, but if you can’t find it, Mozzarella is a great substitution.
This casserole has almost a stew-type consistency. I highly recommend draining your tomatoes before beginning which will help with the excess liquid. If you prefer it to be even less liquidy, you can cut the broth down to 3/4 cup.
Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven for around 15 minutes or until heated through. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Serving Suggestions
Serve your sausage and potato casserole with warm rolls, biscuits, or crusty bread. A leafy dinner salad on the side is always a welcome addition too. Enjoy!
More Casserole Recipes
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Sausage and Potato Casserole
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage bulk, or 5 links, casings removed
- 1 cup mushrooms minced
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley (flat leaf), minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 3 cups cubed red potatoes
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium red bell pepper cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1 leek white part cleaned and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic smashed and coarsely chopped
- 14 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes drained
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¾ cup shredded garlic cheese or mozzarella
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- This is a very adaptable casserole recipe, so you certainly could use ground beef instead of Italian sausage. In fact, any ground meat will work.
- This casserole has almost a stew-type consistency. I highly recommend draining your tomatoes before beginning which will help with the excess liquid. If you prefer it to be even less liquidy, you can cut the broth down to 3/4 cup.
- We love the flavor of garlic cheese, but if you can’t find it, Mozzarella is a great substitution.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix the sausage with the mushrooms until well combined. Brown sausage mixture in a skillet over medium heat until nicely browned. Drain and set aside. Wipe out skillet.1 pound Italian sausage, 1 cup mushrooms
- Add parsley to the chicken broth and set aside.1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook, about 6-8 minutes, creating a nice light brown crust. Add the yellow and red bell peppers and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes, until peppers are tender crisp. Remove potato and pepper mixture from skillet and set aside.3 cups cubed red potatoes, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium yellow bell pepper
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and saute the leeks until tender, about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and saute another minute or so.1 leek, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the drained tomatoes to the skillet and stir everything together.14 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes
- Add broth and parsley mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Season with freshly ground pepper and a couple pinches of Kosher salt.
- Combine all ingredients except for the cheese and place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake another 10 minutes.3/4 cup shredded garlic cheese
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven for around 15 minutes or until heated through. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on May 5, 2012 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.
Amanda Davis
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T donohue says
Can this be assembled ahead of time and baked later.
Amanda Formaro says
I believe this should be fine
Serena says
What’s garlic cheese? Is it a mozzarella blend?
Amanda Formaro says
It’s a soft white cheese that is garlic flavored, so mozzarella will work.
Chuck says
As others have mentioned this was very soupy but the flavor was excellent. I will make this again but cut the chicken broth in half. I want the tomato sauce, not so much the chicken broth. I used a 2 1/2 quart casserole and it was good I did. A 2 quart would not have held it all. Also, I could not find garlic shredded cheese in DFW area. I googled and the only thing I could find was Philadelphia or other creamy offerings. I used Mozzarella.
Susan Sims says
When you use fresh tomamtoes how many cups of chopped tomatoes do you use?
Amanda Formaro says
A 14-ounce can of tomatoes is roughly 1 3/4 cups – so that amount of fresh tomatoes should work.
Jill says
Looks delicious. Going to try it soon
janice says
I made this and wad very liquidy. Was it supposed to be??
Amanda Formaro says
Mine was a bit liquidy too.
Carol says
I drained the can of tomato’s and mine wasn’t liquidity it was just right. I made it again using mild rotel for a tad of spice but not to hot and my family eat every bite of it! Definitely a new favorite!
Amanda Formaro says
Yay that is awesome! And thanks so much for letting me know about the drained tomatoes!
Lorraine Elfering says
This was a wonderful recipe! It tasted it great and is a keeper in my book!
Thank you for creating and sharing this with us!
Amanda says
So glad you liked it Lorraine!
Patti says
Just what I was looking for – can’t wait to cook it later today.
Amanda says
Hope you enjoyed it Patti!
Bree says
Sounds fabulous!
Calogero says
Yes, fabulous. It should be “pasta al forno”, baked pasta!
MaryBeth says
I love using Johnsonville, they are simply the best. This dish sounds and looks divine.
Daniel says
If you want to reduce the fat for this, get Pederson Farms Mild Italian Chicken Sausage: 14g of protein with only 3g of fat per link. Its by far the healthiest yet most flavorful sausage I’ve had.
http://pedersonsfarms.com/product/mild-italian-chicken-sausage/
Suzanne says
Wow! Just WOW! This is right up my family’s ally. In fact, I can see this in my oven now when the whole family is over next time. Outstanding!
Lynna says
this looks SO INCREDIBLY GOOD!