Spicy Sausage, Potato and Kale Pizza

I have a popular post on my blog that catches me by surprise every time I see it. It’s a simple soup that I made in dedication to a really bad restaurant chain, a couple years ago. Never did I think that it would go on to become one of two of the most popular posts on this site. (The other one being a Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich that is as crazy and delicious as it sounds). This other post though, the one in question, is a Spicy Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup. It’s a soup I make on a regular basis, and I actually love it a lot. Apparently, a lot of you really like it a lot as well! So in honor of our mutual love for this simple soup, I decided to turn it into a simple pizza. Pizza with browned spicy sausage, sautéed kale and potatoes just sounds like a great decision to me, and the only way that recipe could get better if I’m being honest. The kale makes it healthy so don’t worry about a thing. Not one thing. Go ahead and eat that second helping. No one is watching.

I’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese to talk to you about a new site, a new cheese blend and a nifty giveaway. Let’s first talk about the new site. Wisconsin Cheese is debuting a new site called Friday Night Pizza Night! It’s a site dedicated to those who love making pizza at home with family and friends, or for those who want to be the kind of people who like making pizza at home with family and friends. It also happens to be National Pizza Month, so if you’re in need of pizza night recipes and tips to help you celebrate all month long, you’ll definitely want to check the site out for yourself. Let’ talk about the new cheese blend now. Roth Cheese has developed three different cheese blends that are perfect for flatbreads and pizzas (among other dishes). They’re a great way to add restaurant-quality flavor to home cooked dishes. The blends are unique, flavorful and give you the flavor of three specialty cheeses, without having to buy them individually. The flavors are Ultimate Firehouse, Ultimate Mac and Cheese and Ultimate Flatbread. I used the Ultimate Flatbread blend which is made up Grand Cru, Mild Provolone, and Fontiago. Aka, the best cheeses for pizza. 

Now let’s talk about the giveaway! The best part. Remember how last time I told you that there would be more giveaways on the site because you deserve it and because you’re amazing, well I meant it. You do deserve it and you are amazing, so Wisconsin Cheese is giving away a pizza making kit to one lucky winner. Everything you need to become a pizza pro at home! You’ll get:

1. Pizza stone and pizza cutter
2. Microplane grater
3. Wisconsin Cheese trivet
4. Wisconsin Cheese!

You’ll be making delicious pizza at home in no time. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below telling my mom (as always she’ll be picking the winner at random) and I what your favorite pizza topping is! One entry per person please, and you have until Sunday to enter. The winner will be notified Monday via email! Good luck! 

Phew, okay now that I’ve talked about all of the official stuff, let’s get to making some pizza. We’re going to start by browning the sausage. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go, in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Once browned, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften. 

**Note: I’m using a hot Italian sausage for this recipe, that I removed from the casings. About 2 to 3 sausage links will be enough for 2 pizzas. If you can find Italian sausage by the bulk, half a pound is great!**

Add the kale, by the handful, and season with a bit salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Just a hint. Sauté until wilted and still bright green.

**Tip: Nutmeg really brings out the flavors of most greens as it cooks. Just a little bit though go a long way. Don’t go overboard because nutmeg tends to be quite strong when over used.**

**Note: You don’t want to overcook your kale because it’ll lose that bright color. As soon as it begins to wilt and the color is vibrant bright green, you can remove the skillet from the heat.**

Allow the mixture to cool down slightly before adding to your pizza. Speaking of pizza, let’s assemble this thing. I’m not always a fan of pizzas with lots of heavy sauce. Sometimes I’m really happy with a sauceless pizza. I know that sounds a bit crazy but work with me here. This pizza doesn’t have a sauce BUT we are brushing the dough with a bit of infused olive oil because of flavor and because it adds a “sauce” element to the pizza that you’ll want to try. 

Warm the olive oil in a sauce pan over low heat and throw in the garlic, rosemary, dried oregano and chili flakes. Cook on low for about 10 minutes to infuse. Let cool slightly. 

Roll out the dough (one at a time, because this makes two pizzas) and place it on a baking sheet, pizza pan or pizza stone. I’m all about the stone life because it makes the crust super crisp and delicious.

**Tip: You can use store-bought crust if you’re not up for making your own. Just in case you do want to make your own dough though, you can check out this old post from the vault.**

Brush the rolled dough liberally with the herb garlic oil, saving half for the second pizza. 

Make it rain down shredded cheese. Just completely cover the top of both pizzas with cheese. 

**Note: If you can’t get a hold of the Roth cheese blend that I used, feel free to use shredded mozzarella instead!**

Top the pizza with the browned sausage, sautéed kale, and thinly sliced potatoes. Top with a sprinkling of ground black pepper for color and for taste. 

Bake in a preheated 475ºF oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

**Note: I know it’s a very hot oven, but that’s crucial for a crispy crust. You want the pizza to cook fast, so a hot oven will ensure that.**

Remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool slightly before you cut into it. It’s a super hot pizza, so be careful, especially if you’re working with a pizza stone. They get super duper mega hot. 

 

Even if you don’t need two pizzas, I suggest making both. Allowing one to cool down and then keeping it in the fridge for leftovers later in the week. This pizza gets better and better the next day. It’s especially great in the morning, cold. I’m all about cold pizza for breakfast. Talk about breakfast of champions. 

I’m not sure if you know but there are quite a few pizzas on the site and if you want to check them all out, you can click here. And if that isn’t enough pizza inspiration, and let’s be honest, there is no such thing as too much pizza inspiration, be sure to check out Friday Night Pizza Night. 

To get the recipe for this delicious pizza, click here! Don’t forget to enter below for a chance to win that swanky pizza making tools and Wisconsin cheese giveaway! Leave a comment telling me what your favorite pizza topping is! You have until Sunday to submit (one entry per person). The lucky winner will be picked at random and notified on Monday! Good luck, I’m rooting for you! Also, show us your pizza making skills on social media by tagging @wisconsincheesetalk and @jonjon33, using the hashtag #fridaynightpizzanight. We can’t wait to see!

Thank you for supporting these sponsored posts that help keep my site going strong! All opinions expressed are my own (Wisconsin Cheese is da bomb). 

UPDATE: Congratulations to Julia Amstutz for winning the Pizza Making Kit!! I’m so jealous!