Turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet

Turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet is an easy, all-in-one dinner that cooks together in just one pan. It’s hearty, warm and cozy and has amazing depth of flavor!

You guys might already know that farro is my favorite grain. I love that chewy texture and it’s just a really satisfying flavor and mouth feel.

Now that we’re almost to fall (even if it’s still pretty hot here in the South), I’m already looking forward to my harvest farro salad. It’s got all the great colors, textures and flavors of autumn.

Today though, we’re using farro in a new way. And we’re pairing it with some turkey sausage, which is one of my favorite proteins to keep on hand.

(I always have some in the freezer because it stores so great there and it’s nice to have some back-up options if I haven’t gotten to the grocery store. So I’m always looking for new easy turkey sausage recipes to make.)

This turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet is such a delicious combination of flavors and textures.

It’s also a really easy, all-in-one meal that all cooks together in just one skillet. (Yay for easy clean-up!)

We build layer upon layer of flavor and the end result is a hearty, warm, cozy and so crazy yummy and satisfying dinner.

(Bonus: After you get everything in the pan, it’s really hands-off. Perfect for helping with homework, checking email, grabbing a drink or just kicking your feet up.)

You’ll be able to get a bit of everything on your fork for each bite (I just love that) and diving into your bowl head-first.

My daughter, who’s my more selective eater, went back for seconds of this. That never happens!

And this turkey sausage recipe comes from the stunning new cookbook of my friend and fellow food blogger Erin of Well Plated. The Well Plated Cookbook came out last week and it’s a must buy!

This book is loaded with 130 easy, delicious, healthy recipes for the every day and for get togethers with family and friends. She’s got breakfast, appetizers, salads, main dishes, soups, sides and desserts.

And every recipe has a beautiful photo and tons of tips on things you can add or change, which is so helpful.

I can’t wait to try her sheet pan tandoori chicken, Thai peanut chicken stir fry, Instant Pot jambalaya and Moroccan lemon chicken. YUM!

You really are going to just adore this cookbook. I can already tell it’s one I’ll be cooking from regularly. ❤️

OK, back to the recipe at hand.

Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make this one pot turkey sausage skillet. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet:

• You can use mild or hot Italian turkey sausage, whichever you prefer. (I used hot this time and my kids didn’t find it too spicy - yay!) Either ground sausage or sausage links in casings are fine here. You’ll remove the casings if that’s the kind you are using.
• I used a regular onion but Erin actually calls for a red onion, so I think either one is fine.
• The recipe calls for regular pearled farro (and that’s what I used). You could probably substitute a quick-cooking farro but you may need to adjust the water ratio and the cook time.
• Cannellini beans are great here because they get so creamy and soft. However, you could substitute great Northern beans or even chickpeas if you prefer.
• The kale adds a great heft to the recipe, but I bet you could stir in some spinach at the end instead.

Also, Erin notes in the cookbook that you can substitute feta cheese for the Parmesan cheese in this recipe. That sounds good too!

So many ways you can make this work for you!

Also, while I doubt you’ll have leftovers because this is SO scrumptious, if you do end up with extras, this stores and reheats great.

(I know because I made it at lunchtime to photograph and then we had it for dinner later that night.)

Here’s a few pointers.

Tips on leftovers of turkey sausage and farro skillet:

- Leftovers, once cooled, can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

- You can also freeze leftovers. Place in a freezer-safe bag or container that’s been labeled and dated and freeze for up to 3 months.

- Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

- To reheat, add the sausage and farro mixture to a microwave-safe container and cook until heated through, about 1 ½ minutes, stirring after a minute.

- Or you can reheat on the stove. Add to a non-stick pan and reheat over medium-low, stirring regularly, until warmed through.

- It helps to add a few splashes of water as you reheat so the food doesn’t dry out.

I absolutely cannot wait to make this again. And I definitely can’t wait to keep trying some of the other amazing recipes in this cookbook.

Here’s the Amazon cookbook link again so you can get your copy, too.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. If you love this recipe, you might also like my wild rice, turkey sausage and kale bowls. Just 3 main ingredients needed!

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Turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet

Turkey sausage, farro and kale skillet is an easy, all-in-one dinner that cooks together in just one skillet. It’s hearty, warm and cozy and has amazing depth of flavor!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

1x2x3x

Cook Mode

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. Italian turkey sausage (see notes)
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
• 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (or sub great Northern beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 1 cup uncooked pearled farro, rinsed and drained
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage (remove any casings) and cook, breaking apart the meat with a spatula, until the sausage is browned and cooked through, 6-7 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they’re beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the kale a few handfuls at a time and stir in so it begins to wilt, adding more kale as you have space in the pan.
• Add the beans, tomatoes, farro, water, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir well to combine.
• Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to about medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the farro is tender (but still a little chewy), about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a few splashes of water if your pan starts to dry out before the farro is ready.
• Once ready, turn off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve hot!

Notes

You can use mild or hot Italian turkey sausage, whichever you prefer. Either ground sausage or sausage links in casings are fine here. You’ll remove the casings if that’s the kind you have.

I used a regular onion but the cookbook actually calls for a red onion, so I think either one is fine.

The recipe calls for regular pearled farro (and that’s what I used). You could probably substitute a quick-cooking kind but you may need to adjust the water ratio and the cook time.

Cannellini beans are great here because they get so creamy and soft. However, you could substitute great Northern beans or even chickpeas if you prefer.

The kale adds a great heft to the recipe, but I bet you could stir in some spinach at the end instead.

Also, the cookbook notes that you can substitute feta cheese for the Parmesan cheese in this recipe if you'd like.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe comes from The Well Plated Cookbook.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1317mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g

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