Sheet-Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes

The dinner you make when nobody has planned anything. Five ingredients, one pan, and it feeds a full table for under fifteen dollars.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb baby potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1½ lb Italian sausage links (sweet or hot), left whole
• 3 bell peppers, cut into thick strips
• 1 large onion, sliced thick
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the potatoes with 1½ tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt, the pepper, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Spread cut-side down on a large sheet pan — cut-side contact is what gives you a browned face instead of a pale one.
3. Roast 20 minutes.
4. Toss the peppers, onion, and garlic with the remaining oil, salt, and seasoning.
5. Push the potatoes to one side. Add the sausages whole and the pepper mixture to the pan. Roast 20–22 minutes, turning the sausages once halfway, until they're browned and register 160°F and the peppers have collapsed and charred at the edges.
6. Drizzle the vinegar over the hot pan, scrape up any browned bits, scatter with parsley, and serve. Slice the sausages at the table or leave them whole.

Substitutions

• Chicken sausage works; it's leaner, so add 1 extra tbsp oil and check at 165°F.
• Kielbasa or andouille both work and are already cooked, so add them in the last 15 minutes only.
• Sweet potatoes for regular; same timing.
• Add broccoli or brussels sprouts with the peppers.
• Vegetarian: plant-based sausage, added in the last 15 minutes, plus a can of drained cannellini beans.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat at 400°F for 10 minutes on a sheet pan. Leftovers make an excellent breakfast hash with a fried egg, or a sandwich filling on a crusty roll with provolone. Freezes for 2 months, though potatoes get a bit mealy.

Serving suggestions

Crusty bread, a green salad, and grated Parmesan on the table. Hot sauce or chili crisp for anyone who wants heat. This is also good over creamy polenta if you want to make it feel like more.