I found a one-pan Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and smoked sausage recipe that hides a clever twist in the cheese sauce.

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I love tossing together Cheesy Ranch Potatoes when I need a no-fuss meal that still feels like I tried. Using baby potatoes and smoked sausage, this one-pan dinner somehow gets crisp edges and pockets of gooeyness that make you stop, taste, and wonder how simple food can hit so hard.

If you like Smoked Sausage Recipes, this one sneaks up on you, not obvious at first but totally addictive after the first bite. I’ll say it plain, there’s a little trick I do with timing that turns ordinary into something you’ll tell others about, and then forget to write down.

Ingredients

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Baby potatoes add fiber and vitamin C, starchy, make the dish hearty
Smoked sausage brings protein but lots of fat and sodium, very smoky
Cream cheese gives rich, creamy texture, mostly fat and comforting mouthfeel
Sharp cheddar adds protein and calcium, salty, melty, bold cheesy flavor
Ranch seasoning adds tangy herb spice, lots of sodium, big flavor boost
Onion caramelizes to sweet, adds fiber and savory depth, smells amazing
Garlic brings punchy bite, cooks mellow to sweet, has healthful compounds
Olive oil and butter add cooking fat, browning, and rich buttery flavor

Ingredient Quantities

2 pounds baby potatoes, halved (or small red potatoes)

1 pound smoked sausage (kielbasa) sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cream cheese softened

1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream for a richer sauce)

1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning mix

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the 2 pounds halved baby potatoes in a pot, cover with salted water and parboil 8 to 10 minutes until just fork tender but not falling apart, then drain and pat dry.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 pound sliced smoked sausage and brown both sides about 4 to 5 minutes, then remove sausage to a plate.

3. In the same skillet add 1 diced yellow onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add the parboiled potatoes to the skillet, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and let them brown, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes so edges get golden.

5. Return the browned sausage to the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Add 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream), and 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning. Stir and melt everything together, scraping up browned bits so a creamy ranch sauce forms. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese until melted and everything is well coated. Reserve about 1/2 cup cheese for the top.

7. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the dish. If your skillet is not oven safe transfer mixture to a baking dish now.

8. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

9. Let it rest 5 minutes, then garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for parboiling the potatoes
2. Colander to drain and pat the potatoes dry
3. Large oven safe skillet, cast iron works great if you got one
4. Cutting board and chef knife for halving potatoes, slicing sausage and dicing onion
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for milk, oil, butter and the ranch packet
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for stirring and scraping the cream cheese
7. Slotted spoon or tongs plus a small plate to hold the browned sausage
8. Oven mitts and a baking dish if your skillet isnt oven safe

FAQ

Q: Can I use different potatoes besides baby reds? A: Yes you can. Yukon Golds or russets work fine, just cut them so pieces are about the same size so they cook evenly. If they are bigger expect the roast time to be longer, usually 25 to 35 minutes at a high temp until fork tender.

Q: How do I get the potatoes nice and crispy? A: Don't overcrowd the pan, toss the potatoes in oil and salt, and roast on a hot sheet at 400 to 425 F until golden. Parboiling 8 to 10 minutes then roughing up the edges helps too, it creates more surface for browning. Also dont stir them too often, let them sear.

Q: Can I make this ahead and reheat? A: Yes. You can cook it fully then refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350 F oven 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through and cheese is melty. Microwaving works in a pinch but it can make the potatoes a bit soggy and the cheese rubbery.

Q: Is this recipe freezable? A: Kind of. Cooked potatoes and sausage freeze okay but the creamy sauce can separate and get grainy. For best texture freeze components separately, or freeze the cooked dish up to 2 months, thaw overnight and reheat slowly in the oven, then stir and add a splash of milk if needed to revive the sauce.

Q: What can I substitute for cream cheese or the ranch packet? A: For creaminess use 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk, or use heavy cream for richer sauce. To replace a ranch packet mix 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or just stir in 2 tablespoons bottled ranch dressing.

Q: Can I make this without smoked sausage or make it vegetarian? A: Yes swap in turkey kielbasa, diced ham, or plant based smoked sausage, or use smoked tofu or mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Just boost the seasoning a bit so you dont lose that smoky savory punch.

Cheesy Ranch Potatoes And Smoked Sausage Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Baby potatoes: swap with fingerling or small Yukon Gold potatoes, or use sweet potatoes cut to similar size. Sweet potatoes get softer faster so watch your cook time.
Smoked sausage (kielbasa): try andouille, smoked turkey sausage, or thick cut ham. For a meatless version use firm plant based sausage, it wont be the same but it works.
Cream cheese: replace with sour cream, plain full fat Greek yogurt, or blended ricotta for a lighter, tangy sauce. Warm and whisk a bit if it looks lumpy.
Ranch seasoning packet: make your own with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Or use 2 tsp all purpose seasoning in a pinch.

Pro Tips

1) Dry the potatoes really well after parboiling. Dont skip this — any extra moisture will steam them and you’ll lose crisp edges. Give the cut sides a little rough shake in the colander or toss them gently on the cutting board to scuff the surface, then oil and brown in a screaming hot skillet for better crust.

2) Taste before you salt. The kielbasa and the ranch packet add a lot of salt already, so hold off and adjust at the end. If youre worried about salt use a low sodium ranch mix or cut the packet in half first.

3) Soften the cream cheese right and the sauce will be silky. Cube it, warm the milk or cream a bit, then whisk the cubes into the warm milk off the high heat until smooth before adding back to the pan. Keep the heat medium low when melting so it doesnt separate and scrape up the browned bits for extra flavor.

4) For a great finish let it rest and/or broil briefly. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top and bake, then if you want a bubbly brown top hit it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes but dont walk away or it will burn. Let it sit 4 to 5 minutes after baking so the sauce sets, makes serving easier.

Cheesy Ranch Potatoes And Smoked Sausage Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I found a one-pan Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and smoked sausage recipe that hides a clever twist in the cheese sauce.

Servings

servings

Calories

719

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large pot for parboiling the potatoes
2. Colander to drain and pat the potatoes dry
3. Large oven safe skillet, cast iron works great if you got one
4. Cutting board and chef knife for halving potatoes, slicing sausage and dicing onion
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for milk, oil, butter and the ranch packet
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for stirring and scraping the cream cheese
7. Slotted spoon or tongs plus a small plate to hold the browned sausage
8. Oven mitts and a baking dish if your skillet isnt oven safe

Ingredients

2 pounds baby potatoes, halved (or small red potatoes)
1 pound smoked sausage (kielbasa) sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream for a richer sauce)
1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning mix
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the 2 pounds halved baby potatoes in a pot, cover with salted water and parboil 8 to 10 minutes until just fork tender but not falling apart, then drain and pat dry.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 pound sliced smoked sausage and brown both sides about 4 to 5 minutes, then remove sausage to a plate.
In the same skillet add 1 diced yellow onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the parboiled potatoes to the skillet, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and let them brown, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes so edges get golden.
Return the browned sausage to the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Add 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream), and 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning. Stir and melt everything together, scraping up browned bits so a creamy ranch sauce forms. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese until melted and everything is well coated. Reserve about 1/2 cup cheese for the top.
Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the dish. If your skillet is not oven safe transfer mixture to a baking dish now.
Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
Let it rest 5 minutes, then garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve hot.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.