This easy sheet pan dinner with sausage, kale, shallots, and acorn squash from Michelle Doll is a perfect dish for fall, weeknights included. It comes together in just about 30 minutes, is totally adaptable, and cleans up in a flash if you line your baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Variations: You can use any sausage you like as long as it’s precooked (including vegan sausage for a totally plant-based meal). You can switch up the types of veggies you use too, but be sure to choose ingredients of a similar density and cut them roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate. Feel free to add any extra spices you like; see some ideas here.

Note: If you like your squash a little darker, give it about a 10 minute head start before adding the other ingredients. Other winter squash will work in this recipe, but some types (like butternut) are better peeled and cut into chunks; if you use acorn, delicata, kabocha, or red kuri squash, you can keep the peel on and eat it once cooked. No matter what variety you choose, you can use the seeds as you would those from any pumpkin.

  • Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (7)

  • 4 sausages (any flavor, but choose the pre-cooked kind, not raw)
  • 1 bunch kale, washed and dried
  • 3-5 shallots
  • 1 acorn squash, scrubbed but not peeled (see note)
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or foil (optional, but makes for easier clean-up).
  2. Slice the sausages into 1/2-inch thick pieces at an angle and place on the sheet pan.
  3. Remove tough ribs from kale (compost these) and roughly chop the leaves. Add them to the sheet pan.
  4. Peel the shallots and slice into rings (not too thin), then add them to the sheet pan.
  5. Cut the top off of the squash and scoop the seeds out with a spoon (see note). Slice the squash into rounds about 1/2-inch thick (no need to peel it), then cut the rings in half and add them to the sheet pan.
  6. Drizzle everything with olive oil and toss to thoroughly coat; give the kale a little massage. Sprinkle all with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Feel free to add other seasonings if you like.
  7. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. You may want to rotate the pan about halfway through and stir the ingredients around if your oven has hot spots and things are browning unevenly. Give it another 10 minutes if you’d like more color and caramelization.