Meat & Pork Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew
A hearty, brothy stew of Italian sausage, zucchini, and tomatoes finished with cheese.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Brown the sliced sausage in a large, deep saucepan over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- 2
Add the sliced celery and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain off the excess fat.
- 3
Add the fresh tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, zucchini, salt, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the chopped green pepper and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add more tomato juice if you prefer a brothier stew.
- 5
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the grated Parmesan and Romano cheese. Serve hot with crusty French bread.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
70/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving345
Calories
20 g
Protein
11 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
This stew leans on mild Italian sausage, seasoned with fennel and herbs, as its backbone, simmered with tomato and zucchini into a rustic, home-style dish rather than anything tied to a single regional recipe. The combination reflects a common Italian-American pattern of building a quick stew around a well-seasoned sausage rather than a plain cut of meat that needs its own seasoning built up from scratch.
Listahan note
This version browns the sausage first and builds the tomato base in the same pot, since skipping that browning step leaves the stew without the rendered fat and fond that carry most of the dish's flavor.
Technique cues
- Browning the sausage in its casing or crumbled, depending on preference, before removing it renders fat that becomes the base for cooking the vegetables.
- Sauteing zucchini just until it starts to soften, rather than until fully tender, keeps it from turning mushy by the time the stew finishes simmering.
- Simmering the tomato base for a stretch of time before returning the sausage lets the flavors concentrate rather than tasting like separately cooked components.
- Returning sliced or crumbled sausage to the pot only in the last stretch of cooking keeps it from drying out over a long simmer.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew finishes with the mild Italian sausage — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
- Make-ahead
- Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which tends to toughen the mild Italian sausage on a fast reheat. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 1/4 lb mild Italian sausage, sliced
Main protein or body
Purpose: 1/4 lb mild Italian sausage, sliced gives Mild Italian Sausage, Tomato & Zucchini Stew its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 1/2 cups sliced celery
Aromatic base
Purpose: 1/2 cups sliced celery creates the savory foundation before stronger ingredients are added.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Acid and brightness
Purpose: fresh tomatoes, chopped balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
Acid and brightness
Purpose: 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
Acid and brightness
Purpose: 1/2 cups tomato juice balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
Technique notes
- Serve with crusty bread or over polenta, both of which are built to soak up the tomato-based broth.
- A finish of fresh basil or parsley stirred in off the heat keeps its color and aroma intact.
- The stew reheats well, with the flavors often more settled and cohesive the next day.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Wherever dairy shows up here, a neutral dairy-free butter or oil and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut work best for body) is the straightforward stand-in. This one leans on the mild Italian sausage.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Cut the salt by about a third and taste before adding more — most of the dish's flavor comes from the other ingredients, not the salt itself. This one leans on the mild Italian sausage.
- Weeknight shortcut
- For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the mild Italian sausage.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Pickled vegetables
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with citrus
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
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