Sheet Pan Sausage & Fall Veggies with Apple Cider Dijon Sauce

This sheet pan sausage and fall veggies dinner is fall on a tray: smoky sausage rounds, charred Brussels sprouts and caramelized butternut squash, all roasted together and drizzled with a tangy apple cider Dijon sauce.

One pan, about 45 minutes, almost no washing up — and the sauce is the kind you will want to put on everything. It is the easiest cozy dinner of the season. For more cozy fall dinners, try our sausage & herb bread stuffing and our slow cooker beef chili next.

Why This Recipe Works

• High heat plus sprouts placed cut-side down gives you those deep, crispy, charred edges.
• The sausage bastes the vegetables with its own smoky fat as everything roasts — free flavor, no extra oil needed.
• The sauce goes on AFTER roasting, so the apple cider and Dijon stay bright instead of baking off.
• One single layer on one pan means everything roasts and caramelizes rather than steaming.

Ingredients

One pan of fall staples. US measurements with metric in brackets.

• 14 oz (400 g) smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 lb (450 g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 3 cups (400 g) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the apple cider Dijon sauce:

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) apple cider (not vinegar)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of salt

How to Make Sheet Pan Sausage & Fall Veggies

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Add the sausage, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and red onion to the pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt and pepper, and toss until everything is coated.
3. Spread into a single layer with the Brussels sprouts cut-side down — this is how they get deeply charred.
4. Roast 25-30 minutes, flipping everything once halfway, until the sprouts are crisp at the edges and the squash is tender and caramelized.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the apple cider, Dijon, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and salt in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until the sauce looks creamy and combined.
6. Drizzle the sauce over the hot sheet pan, toss lightly, and serve straight from the pan.

Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Dinner

• Do not crowd the pan. If the vegetables are piled up, use two pans — crowding steams instead of roasting.
• Cut the squash into even cubes so it finishes at the same time as the sprouts.
• Sweet potato swaps 1:1 for butternut squash.
• Chicken or turkey smoked sausage works exactly the same way.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping any extra sauce separate. Reheat on a sheet pan in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8-10 minutes so the edges crisp again — the microwave softens them. Add fresh sauce after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different sausage?

Yes. Any smoked or fully cooked sausage works — kielbasa, andouille or chicken sausage. For raw sausage, roast it whole and slice after cooking.

Apple cider, apple juice or apple cider vinegar — which one?

Use apple cider (the cloudy juice) for the sauce base. Apple juice works in a pinch. Do not use straight vinegar as the base — it is far too sharp; the recipe only uses 1 teaspoon for brightness.

Can I add potatoes?

Yes — cut them small (1/2-inch) so they finish in time, or give the pan a 10-minute head start with the potatoes before adding everything else.

Can I prep this ahead?

Chop the vegetables and whisk the sauce up to a day ahead; store separately in the fridge and roast when ready.