Italian Sausage Bake

A twist on an Italian classic: Italian Sausage Bake. This recipe has fresh ingredients that are baked in the oven ideal for a delicious Sunday dinner. This gluten free / dairy free dinner comes together in about an hour and a half.

I’ve been making this Italian Sausage Bake recipe for years now. Because of that I can make it with my eyes closed. It’s one of my go-to monthly recipes because not only is it easy-to-make, but my family loves it!

Over the years I’ve found that it is best to let the sausage cook on top over the vegetables. The juices from the sausage permeates into the veggies creating the most flavorful and simple dish. Since you have your starch, veggies, and proteins all in one–this is all you have to make. For my husband and I, I place the sausage bake on a bed of fresh spinach. The spinach will wilt as the hot Italian sausage and potatoes sit. I always pair this dinner crusty Italian bread and a side salad.

Ingredients

• Italian Sausage – I prefer to use mild sausage, but you can use hot, too!
• Baby Potatoes – For this recipe I like to use baby potatoes, that I quarter. This helps to keep the consistency of the size. If you don’t have baby potatoes just make sure the potatoes are about 1-inch and even in size.
• Grape tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes work. Any sort of small round tomato is what is meant for this recipe. I find diced tomatoes just turn to mush. Where using the smaller whole variety of tomato stays mostly in tack.
• Bell pepper – I prefer red, orange, and yellow bell peppers as they aren’t as pungent and tend to be on the sweeter side. You can use green, but it will change the flavor of this recipe.
• Red Onion – I like to use red onions as they are sweeter and give a nice color to this recipe. White onions work fine, too!
• Garlic – For this recipe I like to smash a few cloves of garlic and toss them in the vegetable mixture. No need to chop them up. Since this dish cooks for a long time the garlic will soften over time.
• Olive Oil – I like to toss the vegetables in a little olive oil. The sausage will produce additional oil and flavor, but this gets the dish started.
• Seasonings – The standard salt and pepper are a must for this recipe. I also like to add dried Italian seasoning. If you have fresh herbs you can substitute them for the dried herbs. In past, I’ve used a few sprigs of fresh thyme throughout the dish.
• Aluminum Foil – Although, not an ingredient you will need a large sheet of aluminum foil to cover the bake so the vegetables and sausage can steam in the oven.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large baking dish, toss grape tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and red onion with one tablespoon olive oil and chopped garlic. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix well.

Place the sausage links on top of the vegetables. Place sprigs of thyme throughout the dish (if desired). Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes.

Remove tinfoil from baking dish, mix vegetables around, and bake for an additional 30 minutes until sausage is golden brown. (*You may need to turn the sausage to prevent from burning). Serve immediately.

FAQs

Tips & Tricks

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when making this recipe.

• Prep Veggies – You can prep the bell peppers, onions, smashed garlic, and tomatoes ahead of time. Just store in a Ziploc baggy. Then once you are ready to make the dinner, all you need to do is quarter the potatoes. Then drizzle on the olive oil and season!
• Sausage – You can use just about any sausage for this recipe. I’ve always used Italian pork mild or hot sausage. I have had other readers use Bratwurst and even chicken sausage. I have never tested either of those varieties so just make sure to monitor how the sausage is doing. You might have to alter the cooking times. Just know the internal temperature of the sausage should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add more veggies – As if this recipe doesn’t have enough veggies already in it, I love to serve this meal on top of a bed of fresh spinach. I typically only do this for the adults since the kids don’t care for the fresh spinach. Since the baked sausage and peppers and potatoes are hot they instantly start to wilt the spinach. I also like to use a little bit of the oil and juices from the pan and drizzle over the sausage and potato bake!
• Cooking Times – As always, cooking times may vary depending on your oven. This recipe cooks for so long because of all the vegetables piled under the sausage. After the sausage bake is uncovered and cooking in the oven. You can check the vegetables at the 15 minutes point. The goal is for the potatoes to be soft and fork-tender. The Italian sausage will be cooked at this point.
• Herbs – Over the years I have used fresh thyme sprigs and as recently noted Italian Seasoning. You can get creative as to what spices you put in this recipe. Just know, as always your flavor profile will change if you change the spices suggested.
• Cheese – My kids love when I sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese on top of their sausage and potatoes. If you like Italian grated cheese you can add this on top once you serve!
• Recipe Substitutions – You can always substitute some of these ingredients for other vegetables. Of course the recipe will turn out a little different. Here is what I have used and others who have made this recipe have used.
  • Mushrooms
  • Green Beans
  • Fennel
  • Cauliflower

Sausage Recipes

If you love sausage you will love these other sausage recipes!

• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• One Pot Italian Sausage and Potato Skillet
• Instant Pot Italian Sausage
• Sausage Lentil Soup
• Chicken Sausage and Peppers Soup
• Grilled Sausage and Peppers
• Instant Pot Sausage Rigatoni with Goat Cheese

If you make this Italian sausage and potatoes, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

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