Cheese Stuffed Italian Sausages – Frugal Hausfrau

Cheese Stuffed Italian Sausages have been all over the internet. I’ve seen them made with a number of variations, but all had one thing in common – the Italian Sausages were stuffed with string cheese – ooey, gooey mozzarella – and then baked.

 

That’s a winning combo in my book. Mild or spicy (your choice) Italian sausage oozing with hot, melty cheese is classic, for sure. They are excellent stuffed into buns for sandwiches!

About Cheese Stuffed Italian Sausages:

The best thing about this method of cooking Italian Sausage is it’s a no brainer, hands off method! No fussing at the stovetop, turning and spattering – the sausage is stuffed with a mozzarella stick, placed in a casserole and doused with marinara sauce.

From there, it’s a simple matter to toss the casserole in the oven. What comes out is nothing short of kitchen alchemy. The sausages are cooked to perfection, the cheese is melty, and the sauce! It’s gonna pick up the flavors of the cheese and sausage and you’ll never guess it comes from a jar!

Serving:

Make sure to use hearty buns! Don’t settle for anything too soft; you want a bun that can handle the sausage goodness without falling apart. Personally, I take those buns, split ’em open, slather on a mix of butter, garlic, and parsley, then pop ’em under the broiler for a quick toast. It’s a quick step that’s a game-changer!

When it comes to sausages, they usually come in packs of five, and buns? Well, you’ll find ’em in bigger sizes. For those leftovers, think garlic toast! Use your fave or check out my family’s crunchy Parmesan Garlic Toast to bring any leftover buns back to life. (Make a little extra of the garlicky butter when you toast the buns for sandwiches to use for garlic toast, later!)

I adore serving these sandwiches with sautéed onions and peppers for a bit of contrast. Slice ’em into strips, toss ’em in a bit of oil, season with salt, maybe sprinkle some dried oregano and garlic powder for extra oomph. Sizzle ’em until they’re slightly charred and smoky and absolutely fabulous!

For a touch of flair, top your finished sandwiches with some Peperoncini, Giardiniera, or indulge in my current crush: Sweet Salad Peppers. They’ll elevate these sausage sandwiches to a whole new level of deliciousness. And btw, no one’s paying me to say that!

And once those sausages are devoured, don’t let that extra sauce go to waste! It’s the perfect excuse to whip up a quick pasta side dish to go with dinner or to save and serve another night. Double the yum without breaking the bank — now that’s what I call a fab meal!

Who says a sandwich can’t be dinner? Keep things simple with a big green salad, maybe Caesar? Or try either Tortellini Antipasto Salad  or our Favorite Antipasto Salad for heartier options.

Tips for Success:

This is a super-easy recipe, but it’s a trust-the-process one!

• It does take some time for the sausage to heat through enough so the cheese gets good and melty, and the marinara needs a bit of time to thicken up just a bit.
• You’ll want to leave this in the oven longer than you might think it needs. The sausage only needs to cook to 165 degrees F, but wait until you see that cheese getting all melty!
• And when ready, hold back for a few minutes before serving – those sausages are molten hot just out of the oven.

Change it Up:

My recipe is a take-off on several variations I saw floating around. Consider some of the ideas below:

• Add strips of bell pepper and onion to the bottom of your casserole to make this a one pan dinner. Proceed with the recipe as posted.
• Mozzarella is the classic string cheese, but now Colby Jack and Pepper Jack is available, too. You might want to forgo the String Cheese and cut 1 ounce rectangular strips from a block of cheese, either Mozz or another fave.
• The Marinara can be skipped. Add the stuffed sausages to an oiled casserole with enough water to cover the bottom of the casserole by about 1/4 of an inch. Cover and bake until the sausages are cooked through. Uncover and let the water evaporate, and the sausages brown a little. Watch for burning and add more water if needed. A little Italian Seasoning is good sprinkled over the cheese before baking, and of course, I have one you can mix up fresh!.

Leftover Cheese Stuffed Italian Sausages:

• Store the sauce and sausages together or separately for three to four days in the fridge.
• Reheat the sausages, lightly covered, in the microwave for best results. Sauce can be heated in the microwave or oven.

Consider repurposing the leftovers, using the sauce over pasta. Even better, any sausages can be diced or sliced and added to that sauce. This is an easy-peasy makeover that will ensure nothing goes to waste!

Saving Money on Groceries:

These days, it pays to shop around and compare prices. Buyer’s clubs are great if you have a membership. Discount groceries like Aldi or Lidl are even better if available.

Wherever you shop, remember that when you shop is important, too. The biggest sales are before holidays, so check out my post Win at the Grocers with links to what you might find on sale before any given holiday.

Italian Sausage:

• Watch for sales, especially through the summer when sausages go on sale in response to grilling season and in early to late fall after the hogs go to market.
• Take advantage of great sales by buying and freezing. Sausage can develop an off taste in the freezer; to prevent add extra wrapping and freeze for up to six months in a fridge/freezer or up to a year in a stand-alone.

String Cheese:

• String cheese can be super pricey or incredibly cheap, and it is often sold in “off sizes,” making it difficult to compare pricing. Most stores give a price per ounce; just multiply by 16 to get the price per pound.
• Shop around and watch for sales. Look for off-brands. Consider your Buyer’s Club and know that Aldi or Lidl are great places to find at a low.
• Since string cheese is mozzarella, consider buying blocks of sale priced mozzarella and cutting into 1 ounce sticks for this recipe.

Marinara Sauce:

• The choices in jarred pasta sauces are many! Buy on sale and consider quality. Aldi Specially Selected Premium Marinara is often compared to Rao’s and is what I’ve used here, although there are many cheaper options from other brands.
• It’s dirt cheap to make your own Marinara with sales-priced canned tomatoes. For comparison, a standard jar of Marinara is 24 ounces. Two quick homemade versions to explore are  Cook’s Illustrated Quick Marinara, which makes 32 ounces, or Simple Quick Italian Tomato Sauce, which makes 20 ounces. For the first recipe, you’ll have an extra cup of sauce, but the second is close enough to use in this recipe as is.

Buns:

• You’ll need a good, heart bun to hold the Cheese Stuffed Italian Sausage or the bun will simply disintegrate.
• Check out the bakery section at your grocery store. The buns will be toasted, so day-old is fine. Lidl’s bakery has great options and fabulous pricing.

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