Okay, Let’s Talk Easy Dinners
Right, confession time. Some nights, the thought of cooking anything more complicated than toast makes me want to crawl straight into bed. You know those days? That’s precisely when this sheet pan sausage and veggies recipe swoops in like a superhero. I swear, I probably make some version of this at least once every couple of weeks. It started years ago when I had a random assortment of veggies threatening to go bad in the fridge and some sausages nearing their use-by date. Threw it all on a pan, hoped for the best, and boom! Dinner magic. Minimal effort, maximum flavour, and (the best part) hardly any washing up. It’s become a total lifesaver.
Why This is Basically My Go-To Meal
- It’s ridiculously easy: Seriously, chopping is the hardest part. If you can wield a knife (even slightly clumsily, like me sometimes!), you can make this.
- Cleanup is a breeze: Line your pan with parchment paper (honestly, DO THIS) and cleanup is practically non-existent. I hate washing up more than anything.
- Super flexible: Got different veggies? Use ’em! Different sausage? Go for it! It’s hard to mess this up, truly.
- My family actually eats it: Even the picky eaters seem to find something they like on the pan. Probably the sausage, let’s be real. But hey, they eat the veggies *next* to the sausage, and that’s a win in my book!
- It just *feels* kinda healthy-ish: Loads of veggies, protein form the sausage… balances out the fact that I might have eaten cookies for lunch, right? Right?!
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
- Sausages: About 1 lb (around 450g) of good quality smoked sausage. I usually go for Kielbasa or a nice Italian sausage – like the kind with fennel seeds, they’re brill. But honestly, chicken sausage, turkey sausage, even pre-cooked bratwurst works. Slice ’em into about 1/2-inch thick coins.
- Bell Peppers: 2 medium ones, any colour you like. I tend to use red and yellow for prettiness. Just chop into bite-sized chunks.
- Broccoli: 1 medium head, cut into florets. Don’t make them too tiny or they might burn. (Learned that the hard way).
- Red Onion: 1 medium, cut into wedges. It gets nice and sweet when roasted.
- Potatoes: Maybe 1 lb (450g) of small potatoes? Like baby potatoes or fingerlings. Halved or quartered if they’re bigger. Sometimes I use sweet potatoes instead, just chop ’em a bit smaller ’cause they can take longer to cook.
- Olive Oil: A good glug, maybe 3-4 tablespoons? Don’t be shy.
- Seasoning: This is where you can have fun! I usually use:
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil (or Italian seasoning blend if I’m lazy)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or a couple of fresh cloves, minced)
- 1/2 tsp paprika (smoked paprika is lovely too!)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – taste as you go! Don’t overdo the salt initially, the sausage is often salty already.
- Optional Goodies: Sometimes I throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes towards the end, or maybe some Brussels sprouts (halved) if I have them.
How to Throw it All Together
- Get that oven hot: Crank your oven up to 400°F (200°C). Grab your biggest sheet pan – seriously, don’t crowd the pan or things will steam instead of roast. Line it with parchment paper. Trust me on this one. Makes life so much easier.
- Prep the veg: While the oven’s heating, chop up all your veggies and the potatoes. Try and get them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Chuck them all into a big bowl. If you don’t have a massive bowl, you can totally just dump them straight onto the sheet pan, less washing up that way too!
- Seasoning time: Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies in the bowl (or on the pan). Sprinkle over all your herbs and spices – oregano, basil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Give it a really good toss to coat everything. Use your hands! It’s more effective.
- Spread ’em out: Tip the seasoned veggies onto your prepared baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer. This is important! Don’t let them pile up.
- Roast #1: Pop the pan into the hot oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes. The potatoes should start to get a little tender.
- Add the sausage: Pull the pan out (careful, it’s hot!). Add the sliced sausage to the pan. Give everything a quick stir or shake to redistribute. This is where I usually sneak a roasted potato piece. You know, for quality control.
- Roast #2: Put it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it. You want the veggies to be tender and slightly caramelized at the edges, and the sausage should be heated through and maybe a little browned. It should smell amazing by now! Does your kitchen smell amazing? It better!
- Check for doneness: Poke a potato and a piece of broccoli with a fork. If they’re tender, you’re golden. If not, give it another 5 minutes. Don’t worry if it looks a bit messy on the pan – it always does!
- Serve it up! Dish it out straight from the pan. Easy peasy.
Little Notes I’ve Made Along the Way
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! I know I said it before, but it bears repeating. Use two pans if you need to. Steamed veggies are sad veggies.
- If you *really* hate washing up, you can skip the parchment paper, but make sure you oil the pan well. Cleanup will just be a bit more of a chore.
- Feel free to cut the veggies chunkier if you like them with a bit more bite, or smaller if you want them softer/more caramelized. You do you.
- Sometimes I add a squeeze of lemon juice right at the end just to brighten things up. It’s quite nice.
Some Variations I’ve Tried (and One Fail)
You can really play around with this! I’ve tried:
- Spicy version: Used andouille sausage and added a pinch of red pepper flakes to the seasoning. Go easy though!
- Autumn vibes: Swapped potatoes for butternut squash chunks and added Brussels sprouts and dried cranberries (add the cranberries in the last 10 mins). So good!
- Mediterranean twist: Used chicken sausage, added zucchini chunks, bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and sprinkled feta cheese over the top after cooking. Used oregano and lemon. Delish.
- The Fail: Okay, so once I tried adding fish alongside the sausage. Thinking like a surf ‘n’ turf sheet pan? Bad idea. The fish cooked way too fast and kinda disintegrated, plus the flavours just didn’t mesh well *at all*. Stick to sausage, folks. Lesson learned. Haha.
Oh, speaking of sausage, sometimes finding *really* good quality local sausage makes such a difference. There’s a butcher near me… anyway, I digress. Back to the recipe!
Gear You’ll Probably Need
- A Large Baking Sheet: The bigger the better, honestly. Sometimes called a sheet pan or jelly roll pan. These heavy-duty ones are great ’cause they don’t warp easily.
- Parchment Paper: Your best friend for easy cleanup. If you don’t have any, foil works too, just grease it lightly. Or just grease the pan well, but prepare for scrubbing.
- A Big Bowl: For tossing the veggies. Or, as I said, just use the pan itself.
- A Sharp Knife & Cutting Board: For all that chopping.
Storing the Leftovers (If Any!)
Just pop any leftovers into an airtight container and stick it in the fridge. It keeps well for about 2-3 days. I actually think the flavours meld together nicely and it’s pretty great cold or quickly reheated the next day for lunch. Though honestly, in my house, it rarely lasts more than a day! It reheats okay in the microwave, but for best results, I’d spread it back on a sheet pan and warm it in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp things up again.
How We Like to Eat It
Honestly? Usually just straight out of a bowl as is! It’s a complete meal. But sometimes, if we’re feeling fancy (or extra hungry), we serve it over a bit of quinoa or some crusty bread to mop up any pan juices. My husband likes a dollop of grainy mustard on the side with his sausage. Me? I’m usually too busy eating it to add anything else.
Pro Tips (Learned From My Mistakes!)
- Don’t rush the preheating! I once chucked everything into a not-quite-hot oven because I was impatient. The veggies ended up soggy and sad. Let it get to full temperature for proper roasting.
- Cut veggies consistently: Okay, I know I said ‘roughly’, but try to keep things *relatively* similar in size. If your potatoes are huge and your broccoli is tiny, the broccoli will be charcoal before the potatoes are cooked. Ask me how I know…
- Taste your sausage first (if possible): Some sausages are WAY saltier than others. Cook a tiny piece first if you’re unsure, or just go easy on the added salt until you taste the finished dish. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away!
Your Questions Answered (Probably!)
- Can I use frozen vegetables?
- Hmm, I wouldn’t recommend it for all of them. Frozen veggies release a lot of water, which leads to steaming, not roasting. Maybe frozen broccoli florets *might* work okay if you add them partially through cooking, but fresh is definitely better for texture here.
- What other vegetables work well?
- Oh gosh, loads! Zucchini, yellow squash, carrots (cut ’em smaller or thinner), mushrooms, cauliflower florets, green beans… basically any sturdy vegetable that roasts well. Just adjust cooking times if needed!
- My potatoes aren’t getting crispy? Help!
- Make sure they’re coated well in oil, aren’t overcrowded on the pan, and the oven is hot enough! You could also try parboiling the potatoes for 5 minutes before adding them to the pan, that sometimes helps get them extra crispy. But usually, 400F does the trick if you give them enough space.
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- You can definitely chop all the veggies and slice the sausage a day or two in advance and keep them in airtight containers in the fridge. Then just toss with oil/spices and roast when ready! Makes weeknight prep even faster. Winner winner, sausage dinner!
simo
Med