Sausage and Apple Sheet Pan Dinner

I've always been a little skeptical of sheet pan dinners — when someone tells me that different ingredients can be cooked at the same temperature for the same amount of time, and taste good...I'm not buying it. That said, there's something very tempting about only having to wash one tray at the end of the night. So, here, instead of throwing everything on one pan and hoping for the best, the heartier ingredients get roasted first, followed by the less hearty ones. This allows the sausages, apples and brussels sprouts to get beautifully golden brown and delicious without being slowed down by the added moisture from lentils and kale.

I also love that while the first stage of roasting is going down you get to prep the rest of the components — chopped kale, rinsed lentils and a yummy honey-mustard vinaigrette — it's what I call good kitchen timing, that also happens to be quite relaxing. And if that wasn't enough to convince you, I'll add that sausage, apples and lentils are a nice combination of fall flavours that make me (a smidge!) more grateful for the colder months. I would say it'll have the same effect on you, but that's hard to promise.

Equipment

Everything you need to make this sausage and apple sheet pan dinner at home:

• 1 large (½) sheet pan
• chef's knife
• cutting board
• strainer
• jar or small bowl and whisk for mixing dressing

Find the full instructions and ingredients list below! 

Sausage and Apple Sheet Pan Dinner

5 from 1 vote

With warmed lentils and kale tossed in a honey-mustard vinaigrette and topped with gruyère and chopped almonds

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 450 g hot Italian sausages (about 4 sausages)
• 1 medium honey crisp apple
• 350 g brussels sprouts (about 15-20 pieces)
• 10 large Tuscan (or Dino) kale leaves about 4 cups, chopped
• 1 540 mL can brown lentils
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt I’m using Diamond Crystal Kosher
• optional: grated gruyére and chopped roasted almonds for serving

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• ½ tablespoon honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• cracked black pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Slice 1 honey crisp apple and set aside. Next, trim the ends of 350g brussels sprouts and cut each one in half length-wise. Finally, cut each sausage link in half width-wise. Transfer the brussels sprouts and apple slices to a sheet pan and cover with 2 tablespoon olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat and spread out evenly on the sheet pan, taking an extra minute to ensure all of the sprouts are open-side down on the pan. Without being fussy, make a little space between each piece to promote browning. Nestle the sausage halves on top and bake at 425°F for 35 minutes, or until the sprouts are golden brown.
3. While that's cooking wash and dry 10 large kale leaves. Remove the stems then tear, or cut, each leaf into bite-sized pieces and set aside (you should have about 4 cups of torn kale). Next, drain 1 540 mL can brown lentils into a colander, or strainer, and rinse with cold water. Shake the colander vigorously to remove extra water and set aside in the sink to dry while you make the dressing.
4. Make the dressing by mixing 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon grainy dijon mustard and ½ tablespoon honey in a jar or small bowl. Mix until emulsified, then add salt and cracked black pepper to taste. It should be bright and very mustard-forward.
5. When the brussels sprouts are golden brown, add your washed and dried lentils to the pan. Place torn kale on top, and cover in honey-mustard vinaigrette. Take a moment to massage the vinaigrette into the kale before mixing it through the rest of the pan. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and starting to brown and the lentils are warmed-through. Serve with grated gruyére and chopped roasted almonds. Enjoy!