Roasted Sausage and Grapes Are a Comforting Yet Unexpected Fall Favorite
Sweet meets savory in this fast and fancy sheet pan dinner that's perfect for fall. Serve it alongside crusty bread to soak up all the caramelized pan juices.
Serves4 to 6
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes to 25 minutes
One of my favorite memories of living within a stone’s throw of New York City’s Union Square Greenmarket was the vendor who arrived every fall to sell a variety of sweet local grapes. They were a far cry from the bags of green and red grapes sold year-round at the grocery store. Their deep, almost floral fragrance filled the air, and they were so sweet that bees swarmed the stall.
This simple sheet pan dinner is a celebration of those grapes I anticipated each fall. These days, grocery store grapes are usually my only option, but that’s hardly a problem here because roasting them draws out and caramelizes their juices. Pair them with savory Italian sausage links, thinly sliced shallots, and rosemary, and the results are a surprisingly savory, sweet, juicy, and warming dinner that’s perfect for these chilly nights.
The Ultimate Cozy Sheet Pan Dinner For Fall
Grapes and sausages might seem like an unlikely match, but they’re proof that opposites attract. Italian sausage is rich with garlic and spices like fennel seeds and red pepper flakes, while red grapes are honeyed and floral. As they mingle and roast on the sheet pan, they create a bold pan sauce that’s made even more flavorful with the addition of caramelized shallots and earthy rosemary.
This is a dinner that’s begging for crusty bread on the side to sop all that warm sauce. Or if you have a little more time to spare, whip up up a batch of creamy polenta and use it as a bed to spoon servings over and catch every last bit of juice.
Sheet Pan Roasted Sausages and Grapes Recipe
Sweet meets savory in this fast and fancy sheet pan dinner that's perfect for fall. Serve it alongside crusty bread to soak up all the caramelized pan juices.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds
seedless red grapes
- 3
medium shallots
- 2 sprigs
fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1 teaspoon
fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds
uncooked hot or sweet Italian sausage links (6 to 8 links)
- 1 tablespoon
balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
Remove the stems from 1 1/2 pounds seedless red grapes (about 3 1/2 cups) and place the grapes on a rimmed baking sheet.
Prepare the following, adding the ingredients to the baking sheet as you go: Thinly slice 3 medium shallots (1 heaping cup). Strip the leaves from 2 fresh rosemary sprigs and coarsely chop (1 tablespoon).
Drizzle everything on the baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer.
Prick 1 1/2 pounds uncooked Italian sausage links all over with a fork and nestle them among the grape mixture. Roast, flipping the sausages and tossing the grape mixture halfway through, until the sausages are browned and cooked through and the grapes have blistered and burst, 25 to 28 minutes.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar over the sausages and grapes, toss to coat, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This post originally ran on Kitchn. See it there: Sheet Pan Roasted Sausage and Grapes