Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Hash Browns with Sausage and Feta

This side recipe, Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Hash Browns with Sausage and Feta, leans on frozen Southern-style, Italian sausage and diced yellow or white onion. It makes 6 servings as a side dish and takes about 45 minutes.

• Yield 6 servings as a side dish
• Ready in 45 minutes
• Prep 15 minutes
• Cook 30 minutes

Ingredients

Hash Browns

• 1 pound frozen Southern-style , cubed hash browns
• ½ pound Italian sausage
• ½ cup diced yellow or white onion
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Pesto Red Pepper Sauce

• 1 (8-ounce) jar roasted red peppers , drained
• ¼ cup basil pesto
• ½ cup sour cream
• Pinch salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the hash browns in a colander and rinse with cool water so they thaw just a bit (this also helps wash away some of the preservatives depending on the brand you use - see note above).
2. Brown the sausage in a skillet until cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
3. In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, sausage, onions, seasoning salt and melted butter. Toss to combine.
4. Spread the mixture evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and sizzling, flipping the mixture with a thin metal spatula (or other type of spatula that won't break the potatoes apart) about halfway through. Add minutes to the cooking time if needed.
5. While the hash browns cook, in a blender or food processor, combine the roasted red peppers, basil pesto, sour cream, and salt. Process until smooth.
6. Scrape the hash brown mixture onto a serving platter or into a bowl, sprinkle with feta and chopped basil and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with the pesto sauce alongside for drizzling or dipping.

Give it a minute off the heat, then serve it while it is still hot.