chicken sausage Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Get ready for a week's worth of delicious sheet pan dinners (or lunches!) with this one pan healthy sausage and veggies recipe. We have sausage, red potatoes, bell pepper, broccoli, and zucchini - seasoned and roasted in the oven, served with quinoa so you’ve got a healthy, flavorful, and delicious sausage sheet pan dinner that is great for meal prep. This post is sponsored by al fresco. I think everybody knows by now how much I love meal prep AND that easy meal prep is my favorite type of cooking. There are just so many meal prep recipes I love. And so does my family. Another thing we really love is sheet pan meals. They are quick, versatile, and full of flavors. Easy meal prep and easy cleanup is always a big plus, if you ask me, and sheet pan meals are easy to prep and easy to cook. Also, easy to clean up. I’d say those are pretty good reasons to love sheet pan meals, don’t you think? But if those reasons are not enough, I have another one for you – sheet pan meals are great for meal prep. Easy make-ahead meals? Yes, please! Who’s with me? Glad you’re just as excited as I am about this because I have this delicious one pan chicken sausage and veggies dinner recipe that I cannot wait to share with you. It involves tons of veggies combined with sausage, mixed with olive oil and herbs, and roasted to perfection in the oven. Sound too easy and simple to be good? Well, it might sound that way but I can guarantee that’s not the case! This sausage and veggies recipe makes a dinner that everybody loves. And it’s practically effortless! Pair the oven roasted sausage, potatoes and vegetables with quinoa for a filling and satisfying meal -- even better - if you have your quinoa already made, you'll be ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!. Eat it straight out of the oven and store the leftovers in meal prep containers and you’ll have a delicious dinner to enjoy during busy weeknights. Sheet pan meal prep is so incredibly amazing, effortless, stress-free, and a great way to save time while making healthy dishes for the entire family. HOW TO MAKE SHEET PAN SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES Before answering some of the questions you might have about this roasted veggies and sausage meal, let’s discuss how to meal prep it. I’m really excited to share with you how easy it is to make this sheet pan sausage and veggies because I think it’s hard to believe that healthy dishes can be this easy. To make roasted veggies and sausage: Prep the veggies and the al fresco Chicken Sausage; Transfer them to the baking sheet; Drizzle with olive oil; Add seasoning and herbs; Toss to coat; Place in the oven and roast. Aren’t these the easiest recipe steps ever? IS CHICKEN SAUSAGE HEALTHY? I’m pretty sure the first question you have about this one pan Italian sausage and veggies meal is - is sausage healthy? Let’s answer this one and then move to other possible questions. In general, sausages are classed as processed meat. Processed meat and clean eating are not friends, I know. And there are other problems with sausages – they are usually made of pork and are high in saturated fat and sodium. However, not all sausages are the same. Chicken and turkey sausages can be healthy. For this recipe, I used al fresco Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage which is gluten-free, nitrites and nitrates free, and contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Healthy sausage? Healthy sausage, yes! Not only that but chicken sausage is leaner than pork sausage, which means less saturated fat. Let’s do a happy dance together! ROASTING SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES IN THE OVEN Ok, now that we celebrated the good news that healthy sausage exists, let’s move on to another chapter. The roasted sausage and vegetables chapter. I already told you how to make this sheet pan sausage and veggies but I have a few more tricks for you. To cook the sausage and vegetables evenly - roast for 15 minutes in the oven then remove the pan and flip the sausage and vegetables. I already suggested quinoa as a side for this sausage and veggies meal but I have one more yummy idea for you – if you serve this straight out of the oven, add some parmesan on top. It will add an extra layer of deliciousness. HOW TO MEAL PREP WITH SHEET PAN DINNERS I always get this question. I don’t know why, but meal prep seems complicated until you try it. So let’s debunk this myth once and for all. How do you meal prep? Start by prepping the ingredients. In this case the chicken sausage and veggies. Wash, dice, slice, and cut the sausage and veggies. To make the cleanup process even easier, line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Then place the baking sheet in the oven. While the sausage and vegetables are in the oven, prep the side dish. I chose quinoa as a side dish for this one pan sausage and veggies dinner but you can opt for other healthy sides if you don't like quinoa. Once everything is cooked, let everything cool, divide into portions and store. More about storing in just a minute. I have to share these general tips for how to meal prep sheet pan meals first: When making sheet pan meal prep, you need 3 main things – protein, veggies, and a healthy side. For protein, you can opt for lean meats, eggs or vegan proteins. For veggies, you can always use what you have in the fridge or opt for your favorite veggies instead of the ones recommended in a recipe. And always think about how you can repurpose the leftovers if you’re not the type of person who likes to have the same meal every night for one week. For example, the veggies in this recipe can be paired with other proteins for variations. Or you can combine the sheet pan meal prep with another side if you want. Or with a side salad. Sheet pan dinners are versatile so they can be different every night. Keep meals interesting by mixing up the sides, proteins, and repurposing ingredients and boredom will never become a thing. STORING YOUR SHEET PAN MEAL PREP Don't waste your meal prep effort. Store the dishes you prep properly to maintain freshness and flavor. How to store meal prep? To store the sheet pan veggies and sausage, you’ll need meal prep containers or any other type of airtight container; Divide the one pan sausage and veggies into appropriate servings; Start filling the meal prep containers with quinoa; Then transfer the veggies and sausage portions to meal prep containers; Store in the fridge and you are set! Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or in the oven and enjoy a delicious, stress-free dinner! HOW LONG IS SHEET PAN SAUSAGE GOOD FOR? Other questions you might have is how long is sausage good for and how long does this one pan Italian sausage and veggies is good for. The answer to both these questions is up to 5 days. Which means dinners for every weeknight. I’d say that’s a good deal, right? 3 HEALTHY ONE PAN MEAL IDEAS I hope this one pan sausage and veggies made you curious about other easy and healthy one pan meal ideas. Because one-pan meals are just the best. And I have 3 more recipes that will prove to you that my claim is correct. HEALTHY SHEET PAN BREAKFAST NACHOS Have you ever tried nachos for breakfast? I did! These Healthy Sheet Pan Breakfast Nachos. So yum! These Healthy Sheet Pan Breakfast Nachos are not only easy to make but they are totes delicious too. And so fun and perfect for breakfast or brunch. Get the recipe. BAKED SEA BASS AND ZUCCHINI SHEET PAN RECIPE Another sheet pan meal recommendation I have for you is this Baked Sea Bass And Zucchini Sheet Pan Recipe. In only 20 minutes you can have a yummy meal on the table! To make this flavorful dish, all you need is sea bass, zucchini, lemon juice, shallot, and low sodium sauce. But it’s so, so, so good! You really have to try it out! Get the recipe. ONE PAN CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA Healthy, fresh, and flavorful, this One Pan Chicken Bruschetta will satisfy your bruschetta cravings guilt-free. This dish is clean, healthy, high in protein and ready in 25 minutes. Get the recipe. Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies - Perfect for Meal Prep! Get ready for a week-worth of delicious sheet pan dinners with this one pan healthy sausage and veggies recipe. We have sausage, red potatoes, bell pepper, broccoli, and zucchini - seasoned and roasted in the oven. Serve with quinoa and you’ve got a healthy, flavorful, and delicious sausage sheet pan dinner that is great for meal prep. 12 oz al fresco Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage (sliced)1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes, (diced)1 red bell pepper, (diced)1 green bell pepper, (diced)1 yellow bell pepper, (diced)12 oz broccoli, (broken into florets)3 med. zucchini, (sliced)2 tbsp olive oil1 tsp dried basil1 teaspoons dried thyme1 teaspoon dried oregano1 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon ground pepper1/2 teaspoon garlic powderFor the quinoa1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa3 cups low sodium chicken broth1/2 teaspoon sea salt Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.Combine the quinoa, broth, and salt in a sauce pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa absorbs all of the water and is tender about 15 to 20 minutes. Then, turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate the grainsAdd the veggies and sausage to the baking sheet.Drizzle the olive oil and evenly spread out the seasonings over the veggies and sausage, and then toss to coat.Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Gently remove the pan from the oven, flipping the veggies after 15 minutes, and then baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the meat is heated through. Serve with quinoa. Clean Eating, Easy Weeknight Dinner, Meal Prep, One PanEasy This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend. This post is sponsored by al fresco.