Harvest Sheet Pan Veggies and Chicken Sausages

I was lamenting to a friend I’m lacking serious motivation when it comes to making dinner. The kids are running in a dozen different directions from night to night and the effort to plan, shop, cook and clean up a meal we all eat at different times (if at all) feels like a waste of time and energy some nights.

She suggested I go back to the basics, making a few of my family’s favorite meals but put a little twist on the recipe I usually make. I thought that was a great idea, and as I sifted through old recipes from years past, I noticed I have several iterations of a sheet pan meal that includes veggies and sausages.

I love a good sheet pan meal for its ease of prep and clean up and often I can get my family to eat roasted vegetables, especially if they’re good and crispy on the edges and have a dusting of some kind of cheese to really entice them.

This harvest sheet pan dinner was fun to put together. I basically cleaned out all the veggies I had on hand and tried to think of the coziest, warmest fall flavor profile to make them special and surprising in a new way.

The combination of a little dijon mustard, maple syrup, a tiny dash of cayenne pepper and dried herbs poured over Brussel sprouts, delicata squash, baby red potatoes and onion roasted with salty savory chicken sausages made for the coziest perfectly fall-inspired dish. The balsamic glaze drizzle when the pan comes out of the oven, really takes it over the top.

You can have free reign to make this recipe your own, swapping for vegetables you prefer Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, leeks and bell peppers would all be lovely swaps or additions to this recipe. Depending what combination of vegetables you choose may alter the roasting time, so just stay relatively close to your oven, checking every so often that the veggies roast to a golden brown crispy edge and fork tender at the center.

Harvest Sheet Pan Veggies and Chicken Sausages

• 1 package (4-5) chicken sausages, sliced into bite-size pieces

• 2 cups brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 2 cups baby red potatoes, washed and halved

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped into bite-size pieces

• 1 delicata squash, cut in half length wise, deseeded and cut into half inch slices

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (tiny pinch)

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze

• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta OR parmesan cheese

• Cooked rice (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (maybe two if you plan to double the recipe or add extra veggies.)

Wash, trim, de-seed, and chop your vegetables. Cut the chicken sausages in bite size pieces. Combine the vegetables and protein on the baking sheet, spreading the ingredients into an even layer.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning and dried parsley. Whisk to combine and then pour over the prepared veggies and sausages. Sprinkle the sheet pan liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Using clean hands, gently toss until well-combined.

Roast in the oven, on the middle rack, for about 30 to 35 minutes, making sure to flip the vegetables and sausage at least once, halfway through the cooking time. The dish is ready when the vegetables are fork tender and crispy on the edges.

If you notice your sheet pan is very crowded, split between two pans. The vegetables will end up steaming instead of roasting if they are over-crowded.

Once the pan comes out of the oven, drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with crumbled feta cheese or parmesan cheese. If you plan to serve over rice, make your rice according to package instructions while your sheet pan dinner roasts in the oven.