If weeknight dinners have you feeling stuck, this Keto Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies recipe is here to save the day. It’s quick, easy to throw together, and loaded with smoky, savory flavor. This dish is the definition of low-effort, high-reward. It's also great as a weeknight dinner but also perfect for meal-prep lunches.
Why Sheet Pan Meals?
You are missing out if you’ve never had a sheet pan meal before! A sheet pan dinner is a dinner that only needs one pan for the entire meal from start to finish. It makes preparing dinner and cleaning up extremely simple. They are an entire meal (usually dinner) spread out onto a pan or baking sheet. The meal will consist of protein and veggies seasoned well and roasted in the oven. The idea is that when your protein is cooked, your veggies will be perfectly tender. They are easy meals perfect for busy nights or when you’re short on time. They’re just so easy to make and roasting vegetables is my absolute favorite way to eat them.
Versatility of Keto Sheet Pan Meals
I love how versatile sheet pan meals are, especially on the keto diet. You can choose a protein and add whatever vegetables you have in your freezer or fridge! The best part is experimenting with seasonings. Maybe try smoked paprika instead of regular (it’s so yummy). Make it spicy if you want by adding cayenne pepper or jalapenos. Change the flavor by adding garlic cloves to infuse a roasted garlic flavor into your meal. You can also add Italian seasoning and fresh herbs for a different flavor.
Since my hubby and kids love smoked kielbasa-type sausage, I wanted to make a one-pan dinner that I knew everyone would enjoy and was healthy, so this one was a hit.
Ingredients for Keto Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
- Smoked sausage- I like using smoked sausage or kielbasa in my sheet pan meal. While you can use whatever sausage you prefer, I used Sam’s Choice All Natural Beef Smoked Sausage from Walmart. It has a great flavor and only 1g of carbs. While I use beef sausage in this one-pan sausage and veggies meal, you can use pork, turkey, or chicken sausage instead. Any type of sausage will work for this recipe: sweet or spicy Italian pork sausage, chicken sausage, turkey sausage or even a veggie sausage!
- Veggies - This particular sheet pan meal is made with Italian sausage - I went with spicy but mild is totally fine, and feel free to use your favorite brand of sausage. As for the veggies, I added bell peppers, onion, Brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes. It is made with peppers, squash, broccoli, and onions making this dinner low in carbs but high in nutrients! I typically make Italian pork sausage along with seasoned butternut squash, bell peppers, onion, and zucchini, but you can definitely switch things up and try other veggies. Here are some yummy ideas: potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, a different color of bell pepper, asparagus, carrots or yellow summer squash.
Example Recipe Ingredients:
1 pound butternut squash chopped
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
2 large yellow bell peppers chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 medium zucchinis chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
13 oz Italian pork sausage - nitrate-free about 4 sausage links
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Seasoning- Old Bay is the seasoning blend I chose for this meal. You can use alternate spices if you want!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Keto Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
Instructions for Baking in the Oven
Step 1: Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Chop and Combine
Wash and dry your veggies and cut them all the same size in approx one-inch chunks. It’s important to cut them the same size, so they cook evenly. Slice the bell peppers, onions, and Brussels sprouts. Cut the Italian sausages into fourths. Combine all the veggies in a bowl.
Step 3: Season
Add the sausage to the veggies, then add olive oil and seasoning. Drizzle the veggies and sausage with olive oil and sprinkle the cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper on top. Stir until the sausage and veggies are evenly coated.
Step 4: Roast
Place the veggies on a large baking sheet and lay sausages on top of the veggies. Pour onto the cookie sheet in a single layer. Roast the veggies and the sausage in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip the sausage and roast everything for 10-15 minutes longer or until the sausage is cooked through.
Step 5: Broil (Optional)
Turn the oven broiler on high for 2 minutes to give the veggies and sausages a crispy and brown look.
Step 6: Enjoy
Instructions for Air Fryer
Step 1: Preparation
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
Step 2: Chop and Combine
Follow the steps above to prepare the veggies.
Step 3: Season
After the sausage and veggies are coated with olive oil, pour them into your air fryer basket.
Step 4: Air Fry
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to divide the recipe into two batches to ensure that it air fries evenly. Air fry the sausage and veggies for approx 8 min at 400 degrees. Remove the basket and toss, then air fry for another 8 min or until the veggies reach desired tenderness.
Tips for the Perfect Keto Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
- Chopping your veggies: Sheet pan meals are great because you can quickly chop everything up in small chunks. With that said, you have to think about the cooking time of each ingredient on your sheet pan. Some vegetables can take longer to cook than others, so keep that in mind. Make sure you slice the bell peppers and onion pretty thin to keep the baking time around 30 minutes. If you have thicker slices, it may take longer to bake.
- Use parchment paper: Parchment paper is great for baking, especially if you want to crisp up your veggies nicely without sticking them! Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, and be sure not to skip this step.
- High temperature! I roasted my veggies at 400 degrees F because I knew the veggies wouldn’t take long to cook.
- Don’t overcrowd your pan! Try not to over-crowd your sheet pan. Use an extra-large sheet pan and avoid too much overcrowding. For best results, let your sausage links rest for around 5-10 minutes before slicing them. Doing this will prevent your veggies from browning and crisping up. They will end up steaming instead of roasting. Spread everything out in a single layer on the sheet pan for the best results.
- Cleaning and drying your vegetables. To wash veggies, I prefer to soak them in the sink in water with about 1/4 cup vinegar. Then, rinse well and lay them on a towel to dry. If you are in a hurry, you can pat them dry.
- Sausage Selection: You can eat sausage on the keto diet; however, not all sausage is created equally. Some sausages might have more carbs than others, so I always check the labels and choose the sausage with the least amount of carbs. You can use pre-cooked sausage for this meal.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm. Delicious with my pesto aioli! Or my ranch dressing, True Made Foods ketchup, or dijon mustard.
Want to change things up and use a slow cooker? Serve with grain: think fluffy quinoa or rice! Add some carbs to the mix: try crunchy garlic bread, cornbread with honey or dinner rolls with butter. How about a potato side? Potatoes au gratin, creamy mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes would all be delicious.
Storage and Meal Prep
Will keep in an airtight container for at least 5 days in the fridge. Great for meal prep!
Meal Prep Instructions: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I love these plastic ramekins to hold the pesto aioli.
HEATING: Remove the pesto aioli, and either microwave until warm, about 3-5 minutes (I like to sprinkle in a little water to help it steam and prevent it from drying out). Or reheat in a 350ºF oven until warm, 10-15 minutes.
To freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag once the sausage and veggies have reached room temperature.
Keto, Whole30, and Compliant Options
We live and breath by this whole30 + keto sheet pan sausage + vegetables! I first shared a whole30 version of this recipe a few years ago. The most important part is to make sure you're getting a compliant sausage.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. I cannot guarantee completely accurate data due to variations in ingredients and cooking methods. Carbohydrates from sugar alcohols are not included in net carb counts as it has been shown that they do not impact blood sugar.