Maple Dijon Sweet Potato Apple Sausage Bake (Gluten-Free)
50 min
|
easy
|
gluten-free,
lactose-free
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Meet your new weeknight flex: a maple Dijon, cinnamon, and fennel-kissed sheet pan bake with sweet potatoes, apples, and juicy sausage, all caramelized and glossy.
Naturally gluten-free and meal-prep friendly, it hits that sweet-savory comfort zone for fall dinners or brunch, with one-pan cleanup and zero bland bites on my watch.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, diced (½-inch cubes) sweet potatoes 0.67 lb medium
- 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, diced Honeycrisp apples 1 lb medium
- 1 large yellow onion yellow onions 0.21 lb large
- 12 oz gluten-free chicken & apple sausages, sliced into ½-inch rounds gluten-free chicken & apple sausages 12 oz
- 2 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1½ Tbsp pure maple syrup pure maple syrup 1.5 Tbsp
- 2 tsp gluten-free Dijon mustard gluten-free Dijon mustard 0.38 oz
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.05 oz
- ½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed fennel seeds 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp garlic powder garlic powder 0.03 oz
- ¼ tsp dried thyme dried thyme 0.01 oz
- ¾ tsp kosher salt kosher salt 0.09 oz
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
How to Make Maple Dijon Sweet Potato Apple Sausage Bake (Gluten-Free)
-
Preheat and pan setup
Heat the oven to 425 F and place a heavy sheet pan inside to preheat so you get instant sizzle and better browning.
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Season the sweet potatoes
In a large bowl toss the diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, fennel seeds, garlic powder, dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until evenly coated.
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Start the roast
Carefully spread the potatoes on the hot pan in a single layer with space between pieces and roast for 15 minutes until they start to brown on the bottom.
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Make the maple Dijon glaze
Whisk the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and glossy.
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Add onion and sausage
Pull the pan, flip the potatoes, then scatter the sliced onion and the sausage rounds around them and return to the oven for 10 minutes so the onions soften and the sausage renders and browns.
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Finish with apples and glaze
Toss the diced apples with half of the maple Dijon glaze, add them to the pan, drizzle the rest of the glaze over everything, and roast 10 to 12 minutes until the apples are just tender and the edges look caramelized.
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Final seasoning and serve
Taste and finish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper if needed, then serve hot while everything is glossy and golden.
Substitutions
- Swap apple chicken sausage with gluten-free smoked turkey kielbasa
- Turkey kielbasa brings a deeper smoky note and a meatier bite that stands up to the maple without getting lost, and it stays fully gluten-free.
- Use firm pears instead of apples
- Bosc or Anjou pears keep their shape and add a buttery, floral sweetness that plays beautifully with cinnamon and fennel while keeping the same cozy fall color palette.
- Trade sweet potatoes for butternut squash
- Cubed butternut caramelizes similarly and keeps the orange color, giving you a slightly drier, nutty sweetness that roasts up with crisp edges.
Tips
- Crush the fennel seeds right
- Use the flat side of your knife or a mortar to lightly crush the seeds so they bloom in the heat and perfume the whole pan.
- Preheat the sheet pan
- A hot pan sears on contact so the sweet potatoes crisp instead of steaming, which is how you get those brag-worthy browned edges.
- Glaze late to avoid burning
- Sugars in maple can scorch if added too early, so save the glaze for the last stage to get shine and caramel without bitter spots.
- Do not crowd the pan
- If everything is jammed together, steam beats sizzle and you lose color, so use two pans if needed and rotate them halfway.
- Mind the apple cut
- Keep apple dice the same size as the sweet potatoes so everything cooks evenly, but add apples later so they stay juicy, not mushy.
- Season with confidence
- Taste a piece right off the pan and finish with a tiny sprinkle of salt and pepper to sharpen the sweet-savory balance.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 570 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 17 | g |
| Total Fat | 32 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My sweet potatoes came out soft instead of crispy, what went wrong?
- The pan was likely crowded or not preheated, so moisture could not escape; spread the cubes with gaps, use a hot pan, and roast at 425 F for proper browning.
- How do I keep the apples from turning mushy?
- Add apples in the final 10 to 12 minutes and cut them the same size as the potatoes so they soften without collapsing.
- Can I meal prep this and reheat it?
- Yes, cool completely, refrigerate in a glass container, then reheat on a sheet pan at 400 F for 8 to 10 minutes to re-crisp the edges.
- Will the glaze burn if I add it earlier?
- Maple burns fast at high heat, so if added early it can blacken and turn bitter; add the glaze only in the last stretch as directed.
- Can I make it vegetarian and keep it gluten-free?
- Use a gluten-free plant-based apple or smoked sausage and add a cup of drained chickpeas for extra heft, then follow the same timing.
- I do not have fennel seeds, what can I use instead?
- Use a small pinch of ground fennel or star anise, or skip it and add a little extra thyme and black pepper for savory backbone.
Serving Suggestions
Hot off the pan, shower with chopped parsley and a handful of toasted pecans or pepitas for crunch, then serve with a simple arugula salad with lemon and olive oil to cut the sweetness.
For a hearty dinner, pile it into bowls over garlicky quinoa or drizzle with a quick yogurt Dijon sauce for tang that makes the maple pop.
More pairings:
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