Roast Sausage with Fennel and Orange

Taste buds need a wake up call? Give Roast Sausage with Fennel and Orange a try! This easy sheet pan meal features Mediterranean-inspired flavors that are savory, refreshing and unique.

Sausages are a go-to staple at our house. That’s why this recipe for oven roasted sausage caught me eye. If you’re like me, you’ve probably grilled and pan browned sausage, but most likely not oven roasted them. Guess what? Magical things happen when you roast this combination at high heat for 30 minutes:

• Italian sausage turn a nice golden brown
• Thinly sliced fennel and red onion roast to tender, caramelized perfection
• Fresh rosemary sprigs turn crisp and infuse their earthy flavor, making them perfect for crumbling onto the finished dish.

Roast Sausage with Fennel and Orange

While you’re sheet pan meal is roasting, peel and segment the orange. These segments are combined with a splash of red wine vinegar. Then these juices are drizzled over the sausages and vegetables providing a nice pop of citrus. Yum! The fennel’s fronds are snipped and scattered on top for a final flourish. Loved, loved, loved the combination of these flavors.

Sausage Selection

I used turkey Italian sausage which kicked up the healthiness for this recipe. Because turkey sausages are leaner (and paler) I decided to pop them under the broiler for a few minutes to finish the browning process. I look forward to trying this recipe with pork sausage next time. Flavored pork or chicken sausages would also be fun to try.

Vegetables Options

There are many vegetable options that would also work with this recipe. Try mixing in thinly sliced shallots, leeks, carrots, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage.

Loving Orange & Fennel?

Orange & Fennel Salad

Orange and Fennel Salad is a refreshing combination with citrus, crunchy fennel, radish, salty olives and a drizzle of olive oil.

Check out this recipe

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Roast Sausage with Fennel and Orange

4 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Adapted from recipe by Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 2 medium (or 1 large) fennel bulb(s) fronds reserved, bulbs halved through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise (with bulb standing upright.)
• 1 small red onion halved through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise (upright)
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil divided, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 sweet Italian sausages about 1 1/2 lb. total
• 1 medium navel orange
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

• Place a rack in highest position in oven; preheat to 425°F. Combine fennel bulbs, red onion, and rosemary sprigs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp. oil, season generously with kosher salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Arrange sausages on top, spacing evenly and nestling into vegetables. Prick sausages all over with the tip of a paring knife and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil. Roast until sausages are browned on top and cooked though and fennel is tender and deeply browned in spots, 25–30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop reserved fennel fronds (you want about 1/4 cup); set aside. Cut the ends off orange to reveal flesh. Rest orange upright on a cut side and cut down around orange to remove peel and white pith, rotating it as you go; discard peel. Working over a small bowl, hold orange in your hand and cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze membranes to extract any remaining juice into bowl; discard membranes. Add vinegar to orange segments and juice and toss to combine; season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Remove baking sheet from oven. Using your hand or a spoon to block segments, pour juices from orange over sausage and fennel mixture. Set orange segments aside and let sausages and fennel mixture cool 5 minutes.
• Transfer sausages and fennel mixture to a platter. Crumble rosemary leaves over and scatter reserved orange segments and fennel fronds on top. Season with sea salt and a bit more pepper; drizzle with oil.

Notes

• a mandoline works great for slicing the fennel and onion. 
• Can use turkey Italian sausage, or other flavored pork or chicken sausage.
• If desired, remove sausages and veggies after 30 minutes and place sausage on separate pan. Cover veggies with foil to keep warm. Broil sausages for a few minutes to finish browning. Then proceed with recipe.