This easy oven baked sausage and apples recipe is made with just five ingredients in one pan, and it's ready in about an hour. Just slice a few things, then let the amazing flavors come together in the oven.
This oven baked Italian sausage and apples recipe is so easy, it seems too good to be true. Barely any slicing or prepping, and hardly any effort. Can't be good. Oh, but it is!
All you have to do is coarsely chop 2 apples and 2 onions, and use a vegetable peeler for the parsnips. It really is almost no prep work. And if this combination isn't the definition of cozy fall flavors, I don't know what is.
The true beauty of this recipe lies in the way the parsnips are presented. We're going to use a peeler to slice them into ribbons, leaving the core behind. A genius idea that takes no time at all. They soften and sweeten, but also get crispy and brown around the edges.
I love this sausage and apple bake for a Saturday night in, watching movies on the couch. It's an easy one-pan dinner that's full of sweet, roasty, toasty flavors, and I really don't know how you can say no. So don't.
And since I know you have more apples hanging around, try my Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake, or my Gluten Free Apple Cake for dessert!
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Ingredients for baked sausage and apples
You only need 5 ingredients to make this cozy, one pan baked sausage and apples recipe! You'll be amazed that 5 ingredients have so much flavor.
- Parsnips: They are one of my favorite veggies, and I cook them all the time. But here's the rub - they can vary WILDLY in size, and sometimes in shape, as you can see from this photo. So when you're shopping, look for 4 parsnips that are about the size of large carrots. That should do you.
- Apples: Choose a sweet apple like Fuji or Gala to complement the sweetness of the onions. Granny Smith apples are too tart for this recipe.
- Italian sausage: I went for mild, sweet Italian sausage here, to let the apples and the sweetness of the other ingredients shine. But you can use a spicy one if you prefer or substitute other types of sausage like bratwurst.
- Red onions: We need red onions for their sweetness, and we'll cut them into big chunks, so they are the same size as the apple slices.
- Apple cider vinegar: We need just a bit of apple cider vinegar to add a touch of brightness and acidity to set off the sweetness of the veggies.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: These are the only other seasonings you need!
How to make baked sausage and apples
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Sausage Bake recipe. Makes 2 - 3 servings.
Step 1: Sear the onions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a 12" oven-proof skillet over medium high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil.
Using a good chef's knife, slice the onions into wedges and separate the petals.
Once the oil is hot, add the onions to the pan and stir occasionally until they begin to caramelize, 10-15 minutes.
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Step 2: Prep the apples and parsnips and add to the pan
While the onions cook, chop the apples into wedges.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin away from the parsnips. Then use the peeler to slice them into ribbons. Stop once you get to the woody core of the parsnip.
Once the onions have caramelized, add the apples and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the pan and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add the parsnips and sausage to the apples and bake!
Pile the parsnip strips on top of the apple mixture, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Place Italian sausages on top and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the sausages over and bake for 20 minutes more.
Expert tips
- A 12-inch skillet is the best sized pan for this dish. Any smaller and your veggies won't brown properly. I love a cast iron skillet for this, but any oven proof skillet will work.
- Don't overcrowd the pan with parsnip strips. I've suggested four parsnips placed in an even, but fairly thin, layer. If you have too many, they'll just get mushy.
- Depending upon the size of the sausages, your cook time might be a little less or a little more. When you check them at 20 minutes, you should be able to gauge how much more time you'll need.
Best sausage to use
You can use sweet or spicy Italian pork sausage, you could also try chicken sausage or bratwurst.
Just make sure that the sausage has about the same cooking time as the apples and parsnips, about 30-40 minutes total. You don't want to use small breakfast sausages because they would overcook.
Storage instructions
- To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Reheat in a 350 degree oven in an ovenproof dish covered with foil.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The apples and parsnips will not hold up once thawed.
More Italian sausage recipes
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies are another great idea for an easy meal.
- For heartier fare, try Italian Sausage with Creamy Polenta and Cannellini Beans. It makes a Sunday dinner grandma would be proud of.
- Try Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers for that classic Italian flavor that can be served in so many ways!
- You're definitely going to want Italian Sausage Stuffing for Thanksgiving!
Baked sausage and apples is an easy one pan meal for fall and winter!
- Very little prep, just slicing a few things!
- Made in one cast iron pan for easy serving and cleanup.
- The savory sausage and the sweet apples are a perfect combination.
- Uses seasonal ingredients.
- Gluten free and dairy free!
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Recipe
Oven Baked Sausage and Apples with Parsnips and Onions
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Ingredients
- 16 oz Italian sausage
- 4 parsnips
- 2 sweet red apples such as fuji or gala
- 2 red onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set an oven-proof skillet over medium high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Slice the onions into wedges and separate the petals. When the oil is hot, add the onions to the pan and stir occasionally until they begin to caramelize, 10-15 minutes.
- While the onions cook, chop the apples into wedges, leaving the core behind.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin away from the parsnips. Then use the peeler to slice them into ribbons. Stop once you get to the woody core of the parsnip.
- When the onions have caramelized, add the apples and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the pan and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
- Pile the parsnip strips on top of the apple mixture, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Place sausages on top and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the sausages over and bake for 20 minutes more.
Notes
- Use a 12" ovenproof skillet for this recipe, I used my Lodge cast iron skillet. Any smaller and you'll overcrowd the parsnips and they won't brown, any bigger and you might overcook/burn the parsnips and onions.
- Parsnips vary wildly in size and shape, so look for some that are the size of large carrots. You don't want a super-thick layer of parsnips or they'll just get mushy, not roasted and browned. This is really a perfectly proportioned recipe. (Believe me, I tried. I wanted more parsnips and tried it with 6, but it just didn't work.)
- Depending on the size of your sausages, your cooking time might vary slightly. Just check them at 20 minutes and you should be able to tell.
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