This sheet pan dinner is everything a weeknight meal should be: colorful, nutritious, delicious, and endlessly customizable.
Who doesn’t love a meal that feels like a low lift but tastes like it took real effort?
This is one of my family’s favorites for exactly that reason. Sweet potatoes (or regular, if you prefer), sausage, and broccoli roast together on a single pan—no fussy prep, no extra pots to wash—and the result is genuinely delicious. A finishing sprinkle of nuts, seeds, cheese, and/or dried cranberries takes this dinner from simple to something you would happily serve guests.
What I love most, though, is how adaptable this recipe is. Some nights, we eat it straight off the pan; other nights, I add wild rice and slivered kale to the mix and turn it into a hearty harvest bowl, finished with a good balsamic vinaigrette.
Both versions disappear quickly at my house, and one of my sons recently suggested the harvest bowl would be a restaurant best-seller. (I’d buy it!)
A Few Ways to Make It Your Own
The recipe is great as written, although a few extras can take it even further:
- The potatoes: I think sweet potatoes are a star here, but I realize not everyone agrees! Fingerling or new potatoes are great alternatives—or use a mix to please various palates.
- Sautéed mushrooms: I recently stirred some leftover sautéed mushrooms into the wild rice and kale for the harvest bowl version (roasted mushrooms would work too), and they were a wonderful addition, adding another layer of savory flavor.
- A quick Dijonnaise: For anyone who loves a good sauce, a simple Dijonnaise (see the recipe notes of this turkey burger post) pairs beautifully with both the sheet pan and harvest bowl variations.
- Quick pickled onions: This small-batch recipe comes together fast and adds a bright, tangy contrast that plays especially well against the flavor of the roasted sweet potatoes.
- The sausage: This recipe calls for precooked sausage, such as a basic chicken sausage, apple chicken sausage, or kielbasa, so there’s no need to cook it through separately. Simply slice it and add it to the pan along with the vegetables. The roasting time is enough to lightly brown the outside and heat it through. (Wegmans shoppers: The last time I made this meal, I used Wegmans Italian chicken sausage, and it was outstanding. Trader Joe’s “Just Like Your Grandma’s Stuffing Chicken Sausage” is a seasonal pick that’s excellent too.)
The beauty of this recipe is that the veggies, protein, and seasonings can all be tossed together and cooked on a single sheet pan. The final step is up to you: sprinkle with toppings of choice or create a grain bowl. You could even serve the mixture over polenta or pasta. The options are many.
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Harvest Sheet Pan Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 to 1¼ pounds sweet potatoes, chopped (about 4 cups; no need to peel; could sub fingerling or new potatoes—or use a mix)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
- 1 (12-ounce) package precooked sausage such as Italian chicken, apple chicken, or kielbasa, sliced
- 4 rounded cups bite-size broccoli florets (about 10 ounces)
- ½ a medium red onion, sliced or diced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of thyme, oregano, basil, and sage)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: ½ cup toasted pecans, walnuts, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds (or a mix); ⅓ cup dried cranberries; ½ cup diced sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda, crumbled feta, or Parmesan. (See recipe notes for harvest bowl option)
Instructions
- Place one rack in the middle of the oven and one at the top, about 4 inches from the upper element. Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a mound on a large, greased, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Spread into an even layer, turning the pieces cut side down, and roast on the middle rack for 12 minutes.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and add the sausage, broccoli florets, and red onion. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the dried herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss again to evenly distribute the seasonings, and then spread in a single layer over the pan. Return to the oven, this time on the top rack, and roast for about 15 minutes more, checking after 12 minutes and allowing a few more minutes as needed, until the veggies are tender and golden brown in spots. If there is sufficient browning at 12 minutes but the veggies are still not tender enough for your liking, finish cooking on the middle rack.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the optional nuts/seeds, cranberries, and/or cheese. Serve as is, or see the recipe notes for a hearty harvest bowl option.
Notes
- Recently, I stirred some leftover sautéed mushrooms into the kale and wild rice mixture described above. They complemented the dish beautifully and enhanced the savory flavor.
- You could also spoon the sheet pan dinner over creamy polenta or pasta for an entirely different dinner.
- For those who enjoy sauces, the quick Dijonnaise in the recipe notes of this post is another great complement to the sheet pan meal and the bowl option.
- Pickled onions are another nice extra. This small-batch recipe is quick and easy.
- Finally, for those who like to go heavy on the veggies, simply use an extra large sheet pan or two of the standard size pans along with a bit more olive oil and seasonings. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!
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