Skip to Content
Recipes

5 Ingredient Italian Sausage Tray Bake With Fennel and Potatoes

A simple one-pan dinner brings together sweet, savory and tangy flavors with almost no prep.

Italian fennel sausage roasted with apples, onions, potatoes, and fennel in a simple one pan tray bake.

Italian fennel sausage roasted with apples, onions, potatoes, and fennel in a simple one pan tray bake.

The smell of sausage and potatoes roasting in the oven always reminds
me of fall dinners growing up in upstate New York. My sister and I would
walk to the local butcher with our mother’s shopping list and buy his
homemade fennel sausage. Gene, the butcher, would always give us both
a thin slice of mortadella or another treat to eat while he wrapped them
up.

We would run home and roast them in the oven with potatoes and
onions, and serve the dish with homemade Italian bread for a rustic
dinner. A nice salad with my grandfather’s homemade tangy vinegar
made from his basement fermented red wine was always served
afterwards. This new recipe puts the vinegar part of my food memory
right into the roasted meat and adds fennel and apples for a vibrant one-pan 5-ingredient meal. Food memories are always the best memories, and this one inspired this new recipe.


Enjoying this recipe? Sign up for the Appetito newsletter and receive new recipes, stories, and Italian inspiration straight to your inbox.


5 Ingredient Sausage, Onion, Fennel, Apple, Potato Tray Bake

Recipe by sarahhallier
0.0 from 0 votes
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

45

minutes

Feeds 4-6 with a salad and crusty bread.

Ingredients

  • 5 large 5 Italian Fennel sausage links (about 1 ½ pounds, cut into chunks)

  • 1 large 1 onion, chopped into chunks (or 2 medium)

  • 2 2 gala apples (or other red apple), skin on and cut into chunks

  • 3 3 russet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into chunks

  • 1/2 1/2 large fennel bulb, cut into large slices

  • 2 tbsp. 2 olive oil

  • 1 tbsp. 1 fig balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tbsp. 1 dried oregano

  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Whisk together olive oil, fig balsamic vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper.
  • Toss all the ingredients in a large roasting pan.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway through until the sausage is cooked and the other ingredients are tender and fragrant.

Notes

  • Enjoy this terrific tangy one-pan tray dinner with a nice salad and crusty bread. You can substitute the fig balsamic with regular balsamic if desired. Your house will smell as good as this rustic dish tastes!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Appetito

Chef Tony Gemignani Helps Princess Cruises Alfredo’s Win Ospitalità Italiana

The honor reflects a focused investment in doing Italian pizza properly, even miles from shore.

February 16, 2026

Inside Dallas’ Urban Italia with Chef Carla Pellegrino

Chef Carla Pellegrino discusses Italian American cooking at her new Dallas restaurant.

February 16, 2026

Avere Gli Occhi Foderati di Prosciutto: Ignoring What is Right in Front of You

Italian scholar and New York–based educator Samuel Ghelli continues his Appetito series, examining how an Italian expression uses food to illuminate the ways we choose not to see.

February 16, 2026

Heirloom Recipes from the Scotto Family of Pelato

Anthony Scotto III reflects on the family recipes and traditions behind Pelato.

February 13, 2026

Spritzed With Love: A Valentine’s Day Citrus Cake

Inspired by a first sip of Aperol spritz in Venice, this light citrus cake is the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert to share with someone you love.

February 13, 2026

Joanna Moeller Shines on Good Day New York for Valentine’s Day

Appetito contributor Joanna Moller visited the set of Good Day New York to share a Valentine's Day menu that featured her Lobster Risotto.

February 13, 2026
See all posts