Garlic & Brown Sugar Skillet Sausage and Onions Over Buttered Egg Noodles

Classic Comfort Food In A Single Skillet

This Garlic & Brown Sugar Skillet Sausage and Onions Over Buttered Egg Noodles is a one pot wonder. Sticky caramelized sausage and sweet onions are simmered in a tangy brown sugar glaze and served over buttery egg noodles for an easy skillet dinner, perfect for two with a little leftover for lunch the next day.

My followers have been asking me for more recipes-for-two for quite some time now. After my Pork Chops for Two with Creamy Dill Sauce became such a hit, I knew I wanted to keep the series going.

Here is another easy comfort food dinner. Mr. Tipsy is the number one fan of egg noodles in this house.

Anytime I make them I practically have to guard the pot because he will happily eat half the noodles before they even make it into the recipe.

This Garlic & Brown Sugar Skillet Sausage and Onions Over Buttered Egg Noodles is one of those quick weeknight meals that feels hearty and cozy. It doesn’t take a ton of effort.

The sweet sticky sauce, caramelized onions, and browned sausage are perfect over the buttery egg noodles and if you keep reading below, I also included simple instructions for doubling the recipe for a family dinner.

Choose Your Sausage Wisely

The sausages I used for this recipe came from a local Chicago favorite called Ogden’s Foods and they call them their grilling sausages. They are very similar to a simple smoked pork sausage.

They do not have a lot of extra seasoning or overpowering flavors. That works perfectly in this recipe because the sticky sauce is really the star of the show.

While you can absolutely use any fully cooked sausage you enjoy, I would recommend sticking with something on the milder side. This is so the sweet, tangy glaze and caramelized onions can really stand out.

No Sausage, No Problem

If you are not a sausage person, this sauce also works wonderfully with chicken. Simply cut chicken breasts or chicken thighs into bite sized pieces.

You will sauté them with the onions until the chicken is fully cooked and lightly golden before adding the sauce. Let everything simmer together until thick and sticky, then serve it over rice or buttered noodles for another easy and comforting weeknight dinner option.

The Liquid Is Versatile

The recipe calls for beer, broth, or apple cider for the liquid in the sauce. This is also one of those recipes that is very forgiving and easy to work with using what you already have at home.

Believe it or not, I have also used a can of Coca-Cola and even a can of 7-Up in a pinch and both added a really delicious flavor to the sauce. The soda helps create that sticky, glossy texture while adding a little sweetness and depth that works surprisingly well with the sausage and onions.

Sub A Pantry Staple If Needed

I kept the garlic simple in this recipe and used garlic powder in the sauce. This gives great flavor and blends right into the glaze.

If you prefer fresh garlic, you can absolutely use it instead. I would start with about 4 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed or roughly chopped, depending on your preference.

Add the garlic to the skillet after the onions have caramelized so the garlic does not burn or become bitter while the onions are cooking down.

For Those Watching Sugar

If you do not want to use brown sugar in this recipe, you can absolutely substitute your favorite honey instead. If you are trying to reduce sugar, you can also experiment with a sugar substitute.

Keep in mind many sugar substitutes can have a much stronger flavor than regular sugar. I would recommend starting with a very small amount and adjusting to taste rather than doing a direct one to one substitution right away.

Feeling Noodley?

Once the egg noodles were finished boiling, I tossed them with a little butter and olive oil. This helps keep them silky and flavorful while they wait for the sausage and sauce.

You can also dress the noodles up even more by adding fresh herbs like parsley or dill. A little Parmesan cheese stirred into the warm noodles would be absolutely delicious with the sticky sausage and onions.

Other Toppers

You can also top this recipe with crispy fried onions for a little extra crunch and flavor. Other delicious toppings would be shredded Swiss cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, green onions, a dollop of sour cream, or even a few pickled onions for a little tang to balance the sweet sticky sauce.

Feeding Four Or More?

If you would like to make this recipe for a family of four, simply double the sausage and sauce ingredients while still using one standard bag of egg noodles. Use 8 fully cooked sausage links, 2 large onions, 4 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.

For the sauce, use 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, black pepper to taste, and 2/3 cup beer, broth, or apple juice. Cook everything the same way, allowing the onions and sausage to deeply caramelize before adding the sauce and simmering until thick and glossy.

One bag of egg noodles is usually enough for a family of four, although in my house I usually end up making extra because Mr. Tipsy treats egg noodles like an all-you-can-eat buffet.