Everyone needs a few one-pot dishes for busy weeknights. This simple hash is perfect! Don’t let the sausage put you off if you are not a meat-eater. I’m including a vegetarian variation, and you can easily make this vegan. For omnivores, try a spicy or sweet Italian sausage. I picked this up at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market from Autumn’s Harvest Farm. I started with the whole pound, but decided that half a pound would work for us. The crew just started digging the potato harvest out of the ground, right in time for the beginning of fall.
The sweetness of the red pepper and the red onion are a great compliment to the kale and potatoes. Add cayenne (just a pinch will give a nice flavor without making it too spicy) and thyme. For vegetarians, thinly slice your favorite sausage substitute and add to the pan with a pat of butter. If you’d prefer simply omit the sausage/sausage substitute. Diced tempeh or tofu can also be added instead of the sausage with a splash more oil for a vegan dish.
Cutting everything into small uniform chunks helps keep the cooking time low. The hash will roast for about an hour, with the kale going in at the halfway point. While the potatoes, onions, pepper, and sausage are roasting wash the greens and chop them into small bite size pieces. Lay them on top of the pan, cook for 15 minutes and then toss them into the hash. Cook about another 15 minutes until everything is softened.
Red Pepper & Potato Hash with Kale
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 red or yellow onion, diced
1/2 pound or more sausage, vegetarian sausage, or diced tempeh/tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon or more cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 bunch of kale, washed, dried, and chopped into small pieces
Preheat oven to 425F. Toss all ingredients except the kale in a large cast iron skillet or on a rimmed baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, stir potatoes, then add kale to the top without stirring. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until kale is wilted, remove pan from oven, stir kale into potato mixture. Keep an eye on the kale while it’s wilting. If it the edges start to char, add a little bit of vegetable stock or water to keep it moist. Return pan to oven for 5 – 15 minutes or until all of the vegetables are softened and sausage or vegetarian substitute are baked through.
