Stir Fry: Italian Sausage, Egg Noodles, and Mixed Vegetables

My husband and I developed a preferred method for cooking Italian sausage and then made this recipe around it. You can change the type of Italian sausage if you want a spicier stir fry. You can also experiment with different vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, squash, and green beans would all be excellent substitutes. Enjoy!

Currently I don't have a picture of this recipe, but I will take and post one the next time I make this.

Total prep/cooking time: 45 minutes

Stir Fry: Italian Sausage, Egg Noodles, and Mixed Vegetables
Ingredients:
1 lb. mild Italian sausage links (we use Johnsonville)
9 oz. egg noodles, uncooked
1 medium-large onion, chopped
1 green (or other sweet pepper, chopped
1 8 oz. package mushrooms, chopped (I usually use white or baby portabellos)
Salt (for the noodles)
Extra virgin olive oil (for cooking the meat and vegetables)

Note: It is essential to boil the sausages before frying them. It does take extra time but it will make it much easier to slice and evenly cook the sausage at the end. Don't skip this step!

Fill a large pot with water. Add the Italian sausage links. They can be frozen or thawed. Turn the heat up to high, cover the pot, and heat to boiling. While the sausages are heating up, chop the vegetables. When the sausages start boiling, turn the heat to low and crack the lid so the pot is still mostly covered. Cook unattended on low heat for 15 minutes.

Start boiling the water for the noodles. When the water is ready, add a little salt and cook and drain the noodles. Transfer to a medium sized serving bowl and cover. Put the chopped vegetables to a large frying pan. Add a little oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are clear and the peppers and mushrooms are cooked through (they should be soft). Transfer to a second medium sized serving bowl and cover.

Move the sausages to a cutting board. (Normally I use a fork to get them out of the pot.) Slice into 1/2" thick slices. Typically I use the same frying pan that I used for the vegetables for the final cooking stage with the sausages. Add a little more oil if needed. Cook the sausages for 3-4 minutes or until they are sizzling on both sides. They cook pretty quickly so be careful not to burn them. Transfer to a third medium sized serving bowl and cover.

We always have the different stir fry components in different bowls so people can take as much or as little as they want of each one. You can put everything in one big bowl as it's ready or at the end and mix before serving.

This is a balanced dish and doesn't need much else with it. Fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad makes a perfect side dish to complete the meal.