Italian Sausage Impossible Pie
This Italian Sausage Impossible Pie is the savory, weeknight-dinner cousin of the classic Bisquick Impossible Pie. Browned Italian sausage, onion, green pepper, and two cups of Italian cheese go in the pie plate, a simple egg-and-Bisquick batter gets poured right over the top, and the oven does the rest — no crust to roll, one skillet, and about 40 minutes start to finish. Finish it with a drizzle of warm marinara and you’ve got a hearty, cheesy dinner the whole family will ask for again.
A Mission for My Husband
Hi, I’m Mary Katherine, and welcome to my table. This time, though, I wasn’t the one at the stove.
We’ve made two Impossible Pies on the channel now. The first was the original — that old Bisquick coconut custard pie that makes its own crust — and it turned into one of the most loved recipes we’ve ever shared. Then we made the Impossible Cheeseburger Pie for dinner. So when I got the idea for an Italian version with sausage and Italian seasonings, I decided to put my husband on a mission to make it while I stood right there in the kitchen and told him what to do. Mission: Impossible Pie, Italian Edition.
I’ll be honest — I fully endorsed this one. He’s been working on his knife skills, so he diced the onion and the green pepper, browned the sausage, and mixed up the batter while I gave him the measurements. There was a bad chicken joke somewhere in the middle, and he tried to call oregano “origami,” but the pie turned out beautifully. It came out of the oven a little browner than the custard version, which I think is the sausage and the seasonings, and it cut into the prettiest clean slice with all that cheese pulling out of it.
He got the first bite since he made it, and then I dug in. Good and cheesy, that Italian sausage flavor all the way through, and the marinara on top just made it. So which Impossible Pie is my favorite? The original custard one with the coconut will always be my favorite dessert. But as far as a main dish goes, this one has been my favorite so far. I think your family will love it too.
Italian Sausage Impossible Pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Rest Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
For the Batter:
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup Bisquick
- 1⅓ cups evaporated milk
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
For Serving:
- Marinara sauce, warmed
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. We were out of cooking spray, so my husband put a little olive oil in the pan and wiped it all around with a paper towel. That works just fine.
- Brown the sausage with the vegetables. Put the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat and start breaking it up. Add the diced onion and green pepper and keep cooking and crumbling until most of the pink is gone. You don’t have to overcook it — it’s going to bake in the oven — but you want it browned. Add the garlic in the last minute or so. The onion and pepper won’t be fully translucent yet, and that’s okay. They’ll finish in the oven.
- Drain the grease. Turn off the heat and take the skillet off the eye. If there’s grease in the pan, tilt it and dab it up with a paper towel, or drain it if there’s a lot. Italian sausage usually doesn’t give off too much.
- Add the cheese. Stir all 2 cups of the Italian blend cheese right into the warm sausage mixture. Then spoon it into your greased pie plate and spread it out. It’s going to look like a lot — this is a hearty pie.
- Mix the batter. In a bowl or a pitcher, whisk the 3 eggs. Add the Bisquick and the evaporated milk (it’s just about a whole 12-ounce can) and whisk until smooth. Then add the parsley, oregano, and basil and stir them in. This is a forgiving recipe — it doesn’t have to be super exact.
- Pour the batter over the sausage. Pour it slowly right over the top of the meat and cheese. It will settle down into the filling on its own. If your pie plate gets full before all the batter is in, stop — don’t overflow it. We had just a little left over. Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, give or take, until the top is golden brown and the center is set. It’ll come out a little darker than the sweet Impossible Pie because of the sausage and seasonings, and your kitchen is going to smell amazing.
- Let it rest 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and slice. Drizzle each piece with warm marinara and sprinkle on some chopped parsley. Let’s give it a taste.
Tips for the Best Italian Impossible Pie
- Use any Italian cheese you like. We used a shredded Italian blend, but mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, or Asiago all work. I would just use whatever I had.
- Don’t skip the marinara. The pie is good on its own, but a spoonful of warm sauce on top is what really made it taste Italian to me.
- Mild or hot sausage both work — go with what your family likes.
- A deep-dish pie plate matters. This is a full pie. If yours is on the smaller side, leave a little batter behind rather than overfilling.
- Make it ahead. Bake it, cool it, cover it, and refrigerate. Reheat slices in the oven or microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Impossible Pie?
It’s an old Bisquick recipe where a thin batter of eggs, milk, and baking mix is poured over the filling. As it bakes, the batter sinks and forms its own crust on the bottom. No rolling, no separate pie crust.
Can I use self-rising flour instead of Bisquick?
Yes. Use the same amount of self-rising flour and add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the batter to make up for the shortening in Bisquick. Don’t use all-purpose flour — it won’t rise the same way.
Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?
You can. Evaporated milk makes it a little richer and creamier, but if I didn’t have it, I would just use whole milk in the same amount.
Can I use ground beef or ground turkey instead of Italian sausage?
Yes, but the sausage is where most of the Italian flavor comes from. If you swap it, add a little extra Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the meat while it browns.
Does this need salt and pepper?
We didn’t add any because Italian sausage and the cheese are already well seasoned. If you’re using a milder meat, season it to taste.
What size pie plate do I need?
A 9-inch deep-dish pie plate — that is what we used and it was full to the brim. A standard shallow 9-inch plate will overflow. Put it on a baking sheet either way.
How do I know when it’s done?
The top will be golden brown and the center will be set — it shouldn’t jiggle when you nudge the pan. A knife in the center should come out clean. Start checking at 25 minutes.
Can I make this in a casserole dish instead?
Yes. An 8×8 or a 2-quart baking dish works. It may bake a few minutes faster since it’s spread out more.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or in the microwave. It reheats really well.
Can I freeze Impossible Pie?
Yes. Cool it completely, wrap slices tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven.
Want More Impossible Pies?
I hope you’ll give this Italian Sausage Impossible Pie a try — and if you have a family recipe you’d like to see me make, send it to me through the From Your Kitchen to Ours recipe submission form.
Remember to go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness and give them some of yours.
Italian Sausage Impossible Pie
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
Batter
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup Bisquick
- 1 1/3 cups evaporated milk
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
For Serving
- marinara sauce warmed
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (a little olive oil wiped around with a paper towel works if you’re out of cooking spray).
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage with the diced onion and green pepper, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until most of the pink is gone. Stir in the garlic during the last minute. The vegetables don’t need to be fully soft — they’ll finish in the oven.
- Turn off the heat. Blot or drain any excess grease.
- Stir the shredded Italian cheese into the warm sausage mixture. Spoon it into the greased pie plate and spread it out evenly.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the Bisquick and evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the parsley, oregano, and basil.
- Pour the batter slowly over the sausage mixture. It will settle in on its own. Do not overfill the pie plate — leave a little batter behind if needed. Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set (a knife inserted in the center comes out clean).
- Let the pie rest 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge, and slice. Serve with warm marinara drizzled over each piece and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- Cheese: Any Italian cheese works — mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, or Asiago. Use what you have.
- No Bisquick? Use the same amount of self-rising flour plus about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Do not substitute all-purpose flour.
- Milk: Whole milk can replace the evaporated milk in the same amount; evaporated makes it a little richer.
- Pie plate: This is a full pie. A standard shallow 9-inch plate will overflow — use a 9-inch deep-dish plate and bake on a sheet pan.
- Seasoning: We didn’t add salt or pepper since the sausage and cheese are already seasoned. Season to taste if using a milder meat.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven about 10 minutes. Freezes well for up to 2 months.
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