This sausage bake is exactly the kind of dinner I lean on when I want something satisfying without spending much time in the kitchen. Everything cooks together in one pan, for minimal washing up and maximum savory flavor.
Using combi steam gives you beautifully cooked sausages with juicy interiors and nicely browned skins, while the vegetables soften and caramelize without drying out. It’s a simple midweek dinner that feels really generous. It’s especially served with good bread for soaking up the pan juices.
This was quick to assemble and yummy. The entire family liked it and went back for seconds. I added some additional vegetables I had available: a little kabocha pumpkin, a few carrots, and a quarter of a red cabbage. I also added the can of beans at the end. I will definitely do this again. A really great family meal that can easily be converted to include what’s available in your fridge.
-Renee
Why does this recipe work well in a steam oven?
Combi steam is ideal for tray bake dinners like this sausage bake because the added humidity keeps the sausages juicy and tender while still allowing them to brown properly. The vegetables cook faster and more evenly than in a dry oven, becoming soft and flavorful without shriveling or drying out. Because everything cooks together in one pan, the steam also helps all those savory juices combine into a delicious light sauce across the bottom of the tray.
As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may also contain other affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Sausage bake ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card further down for full method and ingredient quantities.
- Potatoes: Potatoes sliced into thick rounds or chunks become tender and golden during roasting. Waxy varieties hold their shape especially well, but most everyday potatoes work nicely here.
- Garlic: Whole bruised cloves soften and sweeten as they cook, adding plenty of flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Bell peppers (capsicum) and tomatoes: These add sweetness, color and juices to the pan. Mini peppers work beautifully and don’t need chopping (bonus!).
- Fresh herbs: Rosemary and thyme give the bake a classic rustic flavor. You can swap in oregano or sage if preferred.
- Pork sausages: Use good quality thick sausages with natural casings if possible. Beef, chicken or vegetarian sausages all work well too.
- Olive oil and red wine vinegar: These help create a light dressing that coats the vegetables and balances the richness of the sausages.
Variations
A sausage bake is so flexible, which makes it excellent for using up whatever vegetables you already have in the fridge. Try adding chunks of zucchini, pumpkin, eggplant, cabbage or sweet potato to the tray. Root vegetables like carrots or parsnips are also excellent, though they may need slightly thinner slicing to cook in the same timeframe.
You can stretch this meal further by adding drained canned beans during the last few minutes of cooking. White beans or butter beans are particularly good because they soak up the flavorful juices from the pan.
For a slightly different flavor profile, swap the rosemary and thyme for smoked paprika and oregano, or add a spoonful of wholegrain mustard to the vegetables before roasting.
How to make Sausage Bake
View, save and print the recipe card further down in this post; read on for the visual walk-through.
Preheat your oven. Put the sliced potatoes, garlic, peppers, herbs and tomatoes into a large ovenproof baking dish or sheet pan. Drizzle with most of the olive oil and all the vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Nestle the sausages into the vegetables in a single layer. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and season lightly again.
Cook for 20 minutes, then turn the sausages over. Return the pan to the oven and continue cooking until the sausages are golden and cooked through and the potatoes are tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges, about another 10-15 minutes.
Serve the sausage bake hot from the pan with crusty bread or a simple green salad alongside.
Tips for success
Try not to overcrowd the pan, because packed vegetables tend to steam rather than roast. A large shallow baking dish works best so the heat can circulate evenly around everything.
Cut the potatoes fairly evenly so they cook at the same rate, and keep the slices reasonably thin to ensure they become tender within the cooking time.
Serving suggestions
This dish is at its best served straight from the oven while the sausages are juicy and the vegetables are caramelized and tender. A loaf of crusty bread is perfect for mopping up the juices, though a crisp green salad also balances the richness beautifully.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat nicely in a steam oven or microwave. The vegetables become even more flavorful after sitting overnight, making this a great option for meal prep lunches too.
Simple tray bake dinners endure for good reason, and this sausage bake is one of those reliable recipes you’ll likely come back to often. It’s easy, flexible and full of comforting flavors, with very little effort required. Whether you’re feeding family on a busy weeknight or looking for a relaxed casual dinner to share, this recipe delivers every time.
Spread the word
If you’ve made and enjoyed this recipe (or any others on the site!), would you leave a review and rating? Reviews are incredibly helpful to other cooks, and help me understand the sorts of content you enjoy or questions you have. You can rate and review any recipe by clicking the star icons at the top of the recipe card.
Sausage Bake
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes small, washed and sliced into ½”/1½cm discs
- 4 cloves garlic bruised but left whole
- 1 bell pepper deseeded and roughly chopped (or 6-8 mini bell peppers, deseeded and left whole)
- 2 stalks rosemary fresh, left whole
- 2 stalks thyme fresh, left whole
- 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 pork sausages thick, preferably with natural casings
- 1/2 tsp salt kosher
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, combi steam setting. If your oven has variable steam settings, choose 50% (med steam). If not, don’t worry! Just select combi steam and the correct temperature and the oven will take care of the rest.
- Put the potatoes, garlic, bell pepper, herbs and tomatoes into a large ovenproof pan. I used an enamel rectangular 9×13”/32x22cm pan, but use anything you have as long as everything can fit in a single layer.6 potatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 1 bell pepper, 2 stalks rosemary, 2 stalks thyme, 2 tomatoes
- Drizzle the vegetables with most of the oil and all of the red wine vinegar, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Add the sausages to the pan, wiggling them a bit so they nestle into the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 6 pork sausages, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn the sausages over and cook until the sausages are golden and the potatoes beginning to colour, about a further 10-15 minutes.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Notes
- If you want to use another type of sausage here, go for it. Any thick, fresh sausages will work. Thinner sausages (what we call ‘bbq sausages’ in Australia) will work too, but you’ll need to add them to the pan a little later, once the vegetables have cooked for about 8 minutes.
- Change up the vegetables here for other root veg, eggplant, zucchini or squash.
- If you want to add more protein to this dish, add a drained and rinsed can of beans to the pan for the last 5 minutes of cooking. I love to do this because it makes the meal go further and the beans soak up lots of delicious pan juices while they warm through.
7 Responses
So simple & so tasty!!!
This was a great meal. I added chunks of carrots about the same size as my potatoes and some quartered sweet Peruvian onions (they are like Vidalia onions. Next time I will use much larger pieces of gold peppers. My sausage was too small and overcooked but I will change that next time.
What amazed me was how good the juice was. I did not expect such simple seasonings to make such a huge flavor statement!!!
I think this combo would work well with chicken and perhaps even meatballs. It is a winner.
I love this dish and how easy it is to prepare. I usually add onion slices and today I’m adding zucchini.
This was quick to assemble and yummy. The entire family liked it and went back for seconds. I had everything on hand, except for the fresh rosemary, however I had fresh sage so I added that instead (it went really well with the pork sausages). I added some additional vegetables I had available: a little kabocha pumpkin, a few carrots, and a quarter of a red cabbage. I also added the can of beans at the end. I will definitely do this again and I will ensure the cabbage is included, because it was my favourite of all the vegetables in the dish. A really great family meal that can easily be converted to include what’s available in your fridge.
Another staple in our household…easy, delicious and on the table in no time. Thank goodness for Emily’s steam oven recipes as I didn’t use my steam oven that much previously.
This was a tasty and easy dish. My cooking time was a bit longer but it was a hit with my family. Would definitely make it again.
Made this recipe last night for dinner. Mine looked just as beautiful as yours. My prep was longer but the actual cook time was right on. I opted for the 15 minutes after turning the sausage. My brother was visiting and said it smelled great. The rosemary was wafting through the kitchen. It tasted great and was simple to make. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you sharing this recipe.