Harvest Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies
This Harvest Sheet Pan Dinner is packed with apple chicken sausage, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and cauliflower, all tossed in rosemary and thyme and roasted together for a savory dinner with minimal effort. Finish with fresh herbs and Parmesan for an easy, satisfying fall meal in 30 minutes.
The best of fall on one pan:
It’s no secret that I love a good sheet pan meal, as it’s one of the few methods to seem manageable even on a busy weeknight and with kids running amok. This harvest-inspired combination is a particular favorite to make in autumn. It has all the simplicity of a typical sheet pan meal yet packs in seasonal flavors and veggies to help you feel cozy and nutritious at the same time.
For best results in this recipe, choose an apple chicken sausage or if that’s not your thing, another sweet or mild variety. In the veggie department, you’ll toss together Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and butternut squash. These can all roast nicely in the same amount of time as long as they’re prepped appropriately: sprouts cut in half, florets not too big, and squash cut into small cubes. Take the time up front to get the veggies sized correctly and you’ll be rewarded with an easy oven-to-table meal on the back end. Serve with your favorite grain — we like brown rice or wild rice, couscous, or quinoa — and dig in!
Ingredients & substitution notes:
- Chicken sausage. I like Aidell’s apple chicken sausage or the smoked apple and chardonnay version sold at Trader Joe’s. Just be sure to use a pre-cooked sausage in this recipe for ease and correct cooking times.
- Veggies: Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and cauliflower florets. This is a great combination that just screams “it’s autumn!” and also conveniently roasts in a reasonable time frame. Feel free to use more of one, less of another, or leave it one veggie entirely if it’s not your thing. You can also substitute petite cut baby carrots or another type of squash if you like.
- Herbs: rosemary and thyme. Substitute or add sage, marjoram, or any blend that you like.
- Staples: olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Bacon. A couple of slices crisped and sprinkled on at the end adds so, so much. Pancetta or crisped prosciutto is another good option to elevate things a bit more.
- For serving: rice, couscous, quinoa, or another grain, plus Parmesan and/or extra fresh herbs.
Want to add a quick sauce at the end? Try using mustard or honey mustard as a dipping sauce, or drizzling the whole pan with balsamic glaze. Yum!
Variation!
Craving more of a sweet flavor profile? Toss the veggies in 1-2 Tablespoons of maple syrup in addition to the olive oil and herbs. (If doing this, be extra sure to line the sheet pan with parchment paper to avoid a sticky mess at clean-up time!) You can also experiment with adding 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon or your other favorite mustard for a maple-mustard glaze effect on the veggies, sausage, or both.
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
How to make a harvest-inspired sheet pan dinner:
Choose the Right Pan: You want to grab a large sheet pan for this recipe, so you can spread out the ingredients as best you can, ensuring that they roast well. Tightly-packed or stacked ingredients will steam, not roast, which does not yield the crispy edges that make this appealing. Line it with parchment paper to simplify clean-up.
Prep and Season the Veggies: Trim the stems off the Brussels sprouts and slice all but the smallest ones in half. Chop cauliflower into small florets, and cube the squash into small pieces, not more than 3/4″ square. The day I made this recipe to take photos, I could only find Trader Joe’s crinkle cut squash, which worked well. Toss veggies with olive oil, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
Start Roasting: Spread veggies out on the pan and give them about a 5 minute start in the oven at 425 degrees F.
Prep the Sausage: Slice the sausage links into coins roughly 1″ thick. I like to slice them on the bias — meaning with a diagonal, 45-degree cut rather than a straight 90-degrees — to maximize surface area for browning. Add these to the same bowl you used to toss the veggies and add another drizzle of olive oil to help the sausages crisp.
Finish Roasting & Make Bacon: Remove the pan, mix the sliced sausages into the veggies, and roast for another 18-20 minutes. You’re looking for the veggies to be very tender with crisp edges and the sausage to be crisp and browned. Crisp up some bacon while this is happening.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with the crisp, chopped bacon, freshly grated Parmesan, and fresh herbs as desired. Serve in bowls over rice or another grain that you love. Enjoy!
Get ahead!
For some make-ahead magic, prep all the veggies, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Season and roast when ready!
Storage & reheating tips:
In addition to requiring so little active work, this recipe is also totally meal prep and make-ahead friendly. So by all means make extra or make it ahead for a healthy weekday lunch at the ready!
- Storage: Stash any extra portions in any airtight container in the fridge. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes!) They’ll keep well for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: For convenience you’ll probably want to just warm portions in the microwave, where they should just take 2 minutes or so, but if you have an air fryer or toaster oven and want to toss your portion in there very quickly, that will help to re-crisp the veggies a bit for a nice texture on day two or more.
Related recipes:
Love the simplicity of one-and-done sheet pan meals? Our other favorites include sheet pan chicken gyros, rosemary garlic salmon, chipotle lime shrimp fajitas, chicken sausage and peppers, and this ever-popular everyday chicken sausage with broccoli, peppers, and potatoes.
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Harvest Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounces Brussels sprouts trimmed and cut in half
- 10-12 ounces butternut squash cut into small cubes
- 6-8 ounces cauliflower florets cut small
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 4 links apple chicken sausage
- 3-4 slices bacon
- rice, couscous, or quinoa for serving
- Parmesan, fresh parsley or other herbs optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Brussels sprouts, squash, and cauliflower in a large bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil, all of the rosemary and thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of pepper.
- Toss to coat, then spread the veggies in a single layer on the baking sheet, leaving space between them if possible. Place in the oven to roast for about 5 minutes.
- While the veggies start roasting, slice the sausages into 1” coins. Place in the same bowl you used for the veggies and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss well.
- Take the pan out of the oven, add the sausage and any remaining seasonings from the bowl, and toss to combine everything on the pan. Spread everything back out into an even single layer. Flip the Brussels sprouts to get most of the flat, cut sides facing down on the pan.
- Return to the oven and roast for another 18-20 minutes, until the sausage is crisp and the veggies are tender.
- While the pan is in the oven, crisp bacon, then chop up into small pieces and set aside. Prepare grains as desired.
- When the sheet pan is done, sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Serve over grains with Parmesan and/or chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, or other herbs as desired. Enjoy!
