Baked Italian Sausage
Short on time but still want a delicious meal? This Baked Italian Sausage recipe will be your go-to for weeknight dinner!
Just like my oven Baked Swordfish and Baked Italian Chicken Thighs, this Baked Italian Sausage recipe is one of my easy, go-to favorites when I want a simple but tasty meal. It’s so simple to bake everything together in one pan and both experienced and less experienced cooks will appreciate the simplicity.
Baked Italian Sausage makes the ideal comfort food for days when the weather turns cooler. The classic Italian flavors of garlic and rosemary blend perfectly with sausage and potatoes to create a meal that’s hearty and loved by all. But you’ll also enjoy making this recipe year-round, and it can be adapted to suit the season.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy – Italian sausage baked with potatoes is a simple, hassle-free recipe that you’ll have no trouble preparing.
- Tasty – Delicious Italian sausage baked with herbs, garlic, and potatoes makes a hearty meal with classic Italian flavors.
- Crowd pleaser – This is a popular recipe that is loved by adults and children alike.
- One Pan – This recipe makes clean up fuss free. Baking everything in one pan means that there are fewer dishes to wash.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage – pork sausages seasoned with Italian herbs and spices such as anise, fennel, or sweet basil.
- Potatoes – any variety of potato will work well.
- Olive oil – use regular olive oil. You don’t need to use expensive olive oil for this recipe.
- Rosemary – fresh rosemary is what I like to use; however, dried rosemary is a good substitute.
- Garlic cloves – again, fresh garlic cloves are the best, but minced garlic in a jar or powdered garlic will be fine.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make baked Italian sausage
Follow my easy instructions for how to make baked Italian sausage – it is super simple.
Wash, peel, and cube potatoes.
Chop the garlic and mix with oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add potatoes to a sheet pan and drizzle over most of the dressing. Toss to coat, then spread the potatoes into a single layer.
Nestle sausages among potatoes, drizzle remaining oil on each. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Marcellina’s Hint: Line the baking pan with parchment paper to make cleaning up simple. Be sure to flip the sausage over halfway through cooking.
Substitutions
- Olive oil – instead of olive oil use whatever oil you have – sunflower or avocado oil would work well.
- Rosemary – use dried oregano or thyme instead of rosemary.
- Potatoes – potatoes can be replaced with sweet potatoes.
Variations
- Spicy – add a little red pepper flakes to add a spicy heat to this recipe.
- Sheet pan dinner – include a variety of diced vegetables together with the potatoes for a complete one-pan dinner.
- Sausages and peppers – In summer, substitute red peppers for potatoes.
Equipment
Use a large roasting pan that easily fits the sausages and the potatoes in one single layer. A metal pan ensures even heat and allows the sausage to bake uniformly.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish because the potatoes won’t freeze well. However, the baked sausage alone (that is, without potatoes) can be frozen for up to one month.
Top tip
- Have the oven preheated to the correct temperature and use a roasting pan that is large enough to easily accommodate the ingredients. Leaving plenty of room around the ingredients allows the moisture to evaporate quickly and brown the sausage well.
- Don’t forget to line the baking pan with parchment paper to make clean-up easier.
- Even though there are some that say sausage should be pricked before cooking, I’d recommend that you don’t. There is no need, and it will cause the juices to leak out, leaving you with dry sausage.
- Flip the sausage and potatoes halfway through the baking. This will ensure everything cooks and browns evenly.
- At the end of the cooking time, check if the sausage is cooked throughout. To do this, use a meat thermometer. Pork sausage should reach between 160ºF and 165°F (71ºC and 74°C) inside. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cut the sausage in half to ensure there are no pink areas.
FAQ
There are so many wonderful ways to cook Italian sausage. Crumbled sausage can be used to make Sausage Broccolini Pasta or Italian Sausage Meatballs, which are both so flavorsome. However, one of my favorite ways to cook Italian sausage is in the oven. It’s an easy, hands-off method that is great for weeknight meals.
No cooked Italian sausage shouldn’t be pink. To know that a sausage is done, it will be brown throughout and firm with clear juices running out of it. If you’re unsure, cut one in half to check or use a thermometer. The internal temperature of sausages should be between 160ºF and 165°F (71ºC and 74°C).
Bake sausage uncovered. This allows the sausage to become golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Baked Italian Sausage with vegetables of your choice. Choose something like Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots, Instant Pot Cauliflower, or Roasted Zucchini. If you’re like me, you’ll love to have bread with it. I suggest either Semolina Bread or Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
Made this recipe?
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Baked Italian Sausage Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Italian sausage 5 or 6 sausages
- 1 ½ pounds potatoes 4 potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to make cleaning up easier
- Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
- Peel and chop the garlic cloves.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, chopped rosemary, chopped garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Spread the cubed potatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Pour the seasoned olive oil mixture evenly over the potatoes. Now, toss everything together directly on the baking sheet, making sure the potatoes are well coated. Spread the potatoes back into a single layer.
- Nestle the sausages in amongst the potatoes. Drizzling an extra spoonful of olive oil over each sausage.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown on the edges. You can also flip the sausage and potatoes halfway through baking for more even browning.
- A fork should easily pierce through a potato chunk, and the sausage should be cooked through with no pink in the center.
- Serve immediately while hot. You can garnish with additional chopped fresh rosemary for a fresh touch.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, use hot Italian sausage instead of mild sausage.
- Add other vegetables to the mix, such as chopped onions, bell peppers, or broccoli florets.
- If your potatoes start to brown too quickly before they are cooked through, tent the baking sheet with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
As a Sicilian, I am a big fan of hot Italian sausage and I have made this for years. sometimes I add carrots or zucchini, but just sausage and potatoes is wonderful. Thank you.
Thank you, Josephine, yes, adding extra veggies is a great way to make this into a complete meal. Hot Italian sausage is very good!
great recipe can’t wait to dig in,
Thank you, John!