One-Pot Quinoa with Sweet Potato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage
There’s nothing better than an easy one-pot meal for a mid-week dinner, or for a meal prep! This recipe is full of creamy fall flavors, and is super easy to modify based on what you have in the fridge. Omit the goat cheese for a dairy-free option, or sub for a dairy-free soft cheese, I personally love the creaminess the cheese adds. Try this one out for your next cozy meal prep!
One-Pot Quinoa with Sweet Potato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage Ingredient Notes
Sweet Potatoes:
Diced sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness and hearty texture to the dish. They soften as they cook, creating a creamy contrast to the quinoa. Plus, they’re loaded with fiber and vitamin A for a nutritious boost.
Chicken Sausage:
Pre-cooked chicken sausage brings a savory, smoky flavor to the skillet with minimal prep. Browning the slices adds depth and a touch of crispness. Apple chicken sausage adds a subtle sweetness, but you can swap it for a plant-based option to make it vegetarian.
Quinoa:
This protein-rich grain soaks up the broth and seasonings, becoming tender and fluffy. It’s the hearty base that ties all the ingredients together in one pot. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free and packed with nutrients.
Kale:
Shredded kale adds a pop of color and a dose of leafy greens to this cozy dish. It wilts into the mixture at the end, blending seamlessly with the other flavors. Kale holds up well in reheating, making it great for meal prep.
One-Pot Quinoa with Sweet Potato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage
4
servings15
minutes35
minutesThere’s nothing better than an easy one-pot meal for a mid-week dinner, or for a meal prep! This recipe is full of creamy fall flavors, and is super easy to modify based on what you have in the fridge. Omit the goat cheese for a dairy-free option, or sub for a dairy-free soft cheese, I personally love the creaminess the cheese adds. Try this one out for your next cozy meal prep!
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, divided
12 ounces pre-cooked chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used apple chicken sausage, can sub for plant-based sausage)
2 cups peeled sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup dry quinoa
up to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or low-sodium vegetable broth)
3 packed cups shredded curly kale
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (omit for dairy-free)
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, lidded deep skillet or dutch oven. Add the sliced chicken sausage and cook to brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and add the diced sweet potato in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are slightly crisp on the outsides, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of water, then cover and let steam until the sweet potatoes are just about fork tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Note: if needed you can repeat and add another 1/4 cup of water to steam, then cover: see note*
- Remove the lid and stir in the garlic, paprika, thyme, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix the dry quinoa into the sweet potato and spice mixture, then cover everything in 3 cups of the broth. Cover and simmer until the quinoa is cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid, stirring halfway through to prevent sticking, 18 to 22 minutes. If the liquid is absorbed but quinoa needs more cook time, add up to 1 cup additional broth as needed.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the kale, goat cheese, and chicken sausage. Continue cooking and stirring until the kale has wilted down. Remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: The potatoes should not be very soft after Step 3, a fork should just be able to go through with a bit of force. If the potatoes get too soft, they may turn into a mash vs. a sweet potato cube.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: From refrigerator, microwave until warm, about 2 minutes or heat in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, about 10 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight, then heat as instructed.
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Tried this and came out delicious! But I think it was too much chicken broth as it ended up soupy at the end, maybe half would have been enough?
If you find there’s leftover liquid, sometimes it can be resolved by allowing the dish to sit, covered, for 10 minutes or so after cooking to allow the quinoa to fully absorb the liquid!
This was amazing! I used feta because I’m not a fan of goat cheese, and it turned out great. Definitely having this on repeat, and I’m about to make it for a big pot luck. Thank you thank you!
I made this recipe tonight and loved it! Really simple to make, and nothing is better than only one pot to clean! I used garlic flakes as I did not have cloves on hand and I probably could have used more to amp up the flavor. I substituted the goat cheese for Parmesan cheese as I don’t like goat cheese, and it was great!
Do you know how many servings this makes? And macros?
This was SO GOOD that I ended up eating it for breakfast too. I also had an issue with it being a little soupy so I just took it off the heat and let it sit and that fixed it. Really great for meal prep!
Can I substitute the quinoa for white rice?
Super easy and delicious!! I did let the quinoa cook a little longer to soak up some of the extra liquid. It’s possible my simmering wasn’t up to standard. I’m not a cheese fan but I did top it with some fresh apple for crunch! I will be making this again!!
Just tried this tonight! I followed the recipe almost to the tee. I added a sprig of rosemary instead (because my family isn’t a Thyme fan), and it came out SO delicious! Everyone asked to put it the dinner rotation! Thank you!!!
Easy and delicious! I used jalapeno cheese sausage and was worried the flavors would clash but it turned out fantastic. I cooked the sausage slices at 425 in a cast iron in the oven so they would get extra crispy while the sweet potatoes and quinoa cooked. My quinoa didn’t soak up as much of the liquid as expected (I used tri colored) but I just served with a slotted spoon and the leftovers have already set up just fine with no extra liquid. I will absolutely make again!
So easy and delicious. Followed the recipe as it and turned out perfect. Lots of good flavor and definitely will make again throughout the fall.
Made this the other night and it was very mushy. Good flavor, though! Am I reading correctly that the sweet potoatoes stay in the mixture as the quinoa cooks in the broth? I think that lead to mushy sweet potatoes, but I guess I can pull them out before cooking the quinoa next time!
Made this tonight with Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains instead of just quinoa and it was great!
Flavors are great. I swapped the apple
Chicken sausage for Italian to add a little heat.
Only 4/5 cuz mine was a little too mushy. I didn’t fill 23 min but I still had a lot of liquid left over. I’ll have to mess around with that bit.
Otherwise super yum.
**i did the full 23 min**
I enjoyed the flavor of this recipe. I used a garlic herb goat cheese. While I agree the sweet potatoes get a little mushy I didn’t find it unappetizing. I think adding some chopped toasted walnuts or something else crunchy at the end would be really nice!
Could you substitute squash for the sweet potatoes? How do you think that would change cooking time, etc.
So tasty!! Part of my lineup for Thanksgiving week and it was a hit. I used kale chicken sausage and had to cook that up first. I let my sweet potatoes get a little too soft even after reading the warning..still was a hit and everyone went back for seconds. The goat cheese is my favorite.
my sweet potatoes did turn into a mash, and my quinoa was slightly underdone, but both of those were my error. the flavors in this were good though! not my favorite jenn recipe but a solid one that’s great for work lunches.
added as pinch of nutmeg and cumin
I made this twice! I forgot I made it a couple of weeks ago but here I am making it again. I used spinach instead of kale and feta instead of goat cheese. I also used the Italian chicken sausage instead of the apple one. Either way, it’s delicious!
Very tasty dish. Like others mentioned, the potatoes do get mushy, which I did not mind. To prevent this, I would make my diced sweet potato separately – possibly in the air fryer with the sausage. Then boil the quinoa, and when that it done, add the kale to that. Then top with cooked sausage and sweet potatoes. Top with goat cheese! So delicious.
Have made this dish multiple times and absolutely love it! Today I am making it with spinach since the supermarkets were barren after the blizzard and had no kale. Let’s hope it still taste as good!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now because I love it! I kind of combined it with Jenn’s other recipe for “Tomato Basil Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Rice” – I cook the quinoa with some coconut milk and sauteed onion/garlic/tomato paste, which makes it super flavorful. It’s been easier for me to roast the sweet potato separately and just mix them in at the end with the kale and sausage. Corn and black beans are also great additions. Will keep this one in the rotation for sure!