Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies Dinner

Five Keys to Great Sheet Pan Recipes

1. Invest in a heavy duty aluminum or aluminized steel rimmed baking sheet. They are thick enough to stay flat when cooking and will eventually grow a nice, dark seasoned look the longer you cook with them. I also love my $5 enamel pan because it allows the food to achieve perfect caramelization.
2. This is a BIG one. Pair veggies and proteins that have a similar baking time. For example quick cooking shrimp goes well with green beans or asparagus. Chicken thighs go well with sweet potatoes that have a longer cooking time, etc. You can also add ingredients in stages, if needed.
3. Use an oven safe cooling rack to add layers. For example, cook crispy breaded chicken thighs on the rack above the veggies. This ensures proper air circulation around the chicken, allowing it to remain crispy. Alternatively, placing a steak or chicken above the veggies allows the delicious dripping to flavour the vegetables.
4. Cut veggies with similar cooking times into similar sizes and those with longer cooking times, smaller sizes.
5. Ensure every component is well oiled and seasoned.

Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies Ingredients

This gorgeous sheet pan dinner is a reflection of the vibrant colours and flavours of Spain. Spanish style dry chorizo is salty and smoky, as is the Spanish style smoked paprika. For an added touch of warmth and sweetness, I’ve layered in some Hungarian style sweet paprika.

• Chorizo
• Sweet Potato
• Red Pepper
• Red Onion
• Little Potatoes
• Spanish Smoked Paprika
• Hungarian Sweet Paprika
• Salt
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Chicken Thighs (optional)

There are so many types of chorizo out there! Spanish (and Portuguese) style chorizo is fermented, cured, and smoked pork sausage which contains a good deal of pimenton (dried smoked red peppers).

Other versions of this sausage include the spicier Mexican style chorizo which is a fresh sausage made with local peppers and ground instead of chopped meat. You can use either dry or fresh chorizo in this recipe.

Chorizo sausage is spicy, but in a warm way…not melt your face spicy. However, if you’d like to substitute spicy or regular Italian sausage, or fresh chicken sausage they will work just fine.

People often use the terms ‘yam’ and ‘sweet potato’ interchangeably. However, a yam is a starchy root vegetable with a rough, often hairy outer skin. Sweet potatoes are smoother, with a sweeter starchy and often colourful interior. Please use orange fleshed sweet potatoes for this recipe.

Red Bell Peppers are sweet and do not add any heat to this dish. The recipe calls for one, however you can increase that amount, if you wish.

You may think it’s a little strange to double up on the starches but the little potatoes are an absolute MUST in this sheet pan dinner. Potatoes and paprika are practically meant for each other, just ask any Spaniard!

Note that the sausage will release a lot of oil as it cooks. I have included a very small portion of olive oil so that the veggies have a very thin coat to get things going. Be mindful about how much oil you add to the pan.

The Spicy World of Paprika

I’m part Hungarian so paprika is near and dear to my heart…you might say it runs through my veins! If you think paprika is just paprika, I’m here to open your mind to new and spicier possibilities.

Paprika, in its simplest form is made of ground dried sweet peppers. What’s interesting is that all peppers (capsicum) varieties are descended from wild ancestors in North America. The Spanish brought peppers from the New World (in particular central Mexico) to the Old World (Spain) in the 16th century. From there, the vegetable and spice spread throughout Europe through trade.

It’s interesting to note that while paprika is beloved to every Hungarian, it did not arrive in that country until later in the 19th century. I guess my ancestors were just waiting around to add a bit of spice to their lives. They love it so much there are up to 8 different grades according to flavour and spice level.

Spanish paprika (or pimentón) is available in three different spice levels (depending on how many seeds are included during grinding) and the unique smoked pimentón de la Vera.

How to Make Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the chorizo links into one inch rounds and roughly chop the onion, pepper, sweet potato into similar sized pieces. Mince the garlic.

Halve the potatoes then add all the chopped veggies (and chorizo) together in a rimmed half sheet pan. Sprinkle the spices over the veggies, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil (as the chorizo cooks, it will release a lot of oil so just use enough olive oil to lightly coat the pieces).

Next, mix the veggies and chorizo well so they are all coated in the spices. If you want to add chicken to this dish, season it, then place it in the bottom of the baking pan and cover it with the rest of the ingredients.

Bake in a 375 F oven for half an hour, then remove and give the ingredients a stir, if you can. If the ingredients are browning too quickly, loosely cover pan with foil.

Continue baking the sausage and veggies for another 15 minutes to half an hour until all of the pieces are fully cooked. The dish is extra delicious when you let it get a bit caramelized!