Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

This Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes is full of German flavors and ready in 30 minutes! It's served with a maple mustard glaze and sauerkraut.

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy hearty meals like this Sausage and Potatoes. It's made with smoked sausages and red potatoes that are roasted in the oven, topped with a tangy maple mustard sauce, and served alongside some cabbage sauerkraut.

This recipe is dedicated to my husband and his love for all things German. In his world, sauerkraut is a food group and there are few things that pair better with tangy sauerkraut than some hearty sausages and potatoes.

I love dishes like this as the weather turns colder during the fall months. It's perfect to serve anytime, but especially as part of an Oktoberfest celebration.

The great thing about this recipe is that it's super easy to prepare and only takes a little more than 30 minutes to make. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner or to serve at a dinner party during the fall months.

The sausage is smoky, the roasted potatoes savory, the maple mustard glaze is a little bit sweet, and the sauerkraut is tangy, creating an irresistible combination of flavors.

Jump to:

• What Is Oktoberfest?
• Ingredients For Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
• What Kind Of Sausage Is Best?
• Which Potatoes Are Best?
• Do The Potatoes Need To Be Peeled?
• How To Make Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
• How To Make Maple Mustard Glaze
• What Kind Of Sauerkraut Is Best?
• How Long Do Sausage and Potatoes Take To Cook?
• What To Serve With Sheet Pan Sausage
• How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

What Is Oktoberfest?

What is Oktoberfest, anyway, and why do people bother celebrating it? Oktoberfest is a festival that originated in Germany and celebrates Bavarian culture. It runs from mid September to early October and consists of dancing, food, and beer. Oktoberfest is basically a giant party.

My husband and I used to live in the Twin Cities and every year we would make the trek to southern Minnesota to attend the Oktoberfest celebration in New Ulm, Minnesota. New Ulm is a quaint town and every fall the residents celebrate with polka dances, pretzels, and beer.

It's far less rowdy than the Oktoberfest that happens in Munich, Germany but I always found it to be a good time.

Oktoberfest is about all things German. Traditional German food tends to be on the heavier side - There's lots of bread, sausages, potatoes, pretzels, cabbage, and pork. Mustard and sauerkraut are prevalent and great for cutting through some of those heavier flavors.

My goal with this dish is to utilize some of those quintessential German ingredients in a way that's simple and easy enough to enjoy as an everyday meal.

Ingredients For Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 ½ - 2 lbs. Smoked Pork Sausage
• 8-10 Red Potatoes (yields 8-10 cups diced potatoes)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• ½ tsp. Onion Powder
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 jar Sauerkraut
• Minced Chives, Parsley, or herbs of choice for garnish (optional)

What Kind Of Sausage Is Best?

I recommend using a variety of smoked pork sausage for this dish. I used the Johnsonville Smoked Pork Sausage and was very happy with the results.

It has great flavor, adds just the right amount of smokiness to the dish, and isn't too salty. This variety of sausage can easily be found in the frozen meat section of your local grocery store.

Feel free to use any variety of sausage you like, however, I do recommend a variety that is smoked because it's part of what gives this dish its distinct flavor.

It's best to use pork sausage because of its higher fat content. The fat in the sausage provides great flavor and allows the sausages to remain juicy after the roasting process.

Leaner varieties of sausage are likely to dry out when roasted in the oven.

Make sure to choose link sausage or sausage in casings and not ground sausage.

If you can't find this variety of sausage, feel free to use kielbasa, Polish sausage, ring bologna, country sausage, or bratwurst.

Which Potatoes Are Best?

When it comes to potatoes, I recommend a variety of waxy potatoes, such as red or Yukon gold potatoes.

Waxy potatoes retain their shape when roasting and have great flavor and texture.

Starchy varieties of potatoes such as Russets can become mushy when roasted, so it's best to stick with a variety of waxy potatoes for best results.

Do The Potatoes Need To Be Peeled?

The potatoes do not need to be peeled before making this Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes.

It is important to thoroughly wash and scrub the potatoes first to remove any dirt or bacteria.

Make sure to dry the potatoes with a towel before dicing them.

How To Make Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

The great thing about sheet pan meals is that it only requires the use of a few dishes, making for easy cleanup.

The potatoes are diced and tossed in olive oil and spices. The sliced sausages are arranged on top of the potatoes on baking sheets and both are roasted in the oven.

While the sausage and potatoes are roasting, the maple mustard glaze that's poured over the top is prepared and the sauerkraut heated.

For the best results, I recommend using two baking sheets when preparing this dish. This ensures that the sausage and potatoes are not overcrowded and helps both of them to caramelize instead of steam, which creates optimal flavor and texture.

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Start by thoroughly washing, scrubbing, and drying 8-10 red or Yukon gold potatoes.
3. Dice the potatoes, making sure they are all relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly (yields 8-10 cups of diced potatoes).
4. Cut 1 ½ - 2 lbs. of smoked pork sausage into slices, making sure that the slices are relatively the same size to ensure even cooking.
5. Divide the diced potatoes evenly between two baking sheets.
6. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over each baking sheet, tossing the potatoes until completely coated.
7. Sprinkle ¼ tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper over each of the baking sheets. Toss the potatoes until completely in the spices.
8. Arrange half of the sliced sausages over the top of the potatoes, diving it evenly between the two baking sheets.
9. Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 28-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (they should be easily pierced with a fork or a knife) and the sausages fully cooked).
10. Remove the baking sheets from the oven.

How To Make Maple Mustard Glaze

Sausage and potatoes are all well and good but what takes this meal over the top is the maple mustard glaze that gets drizzled over the whole thing after its roasted.

This glaze is a little sweet and a bit tangy. It complements the smokiness of the sausage and adds another layer of flavor to the dish.

It's made with only three ingredients: Maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar (you can sub white wine or apple cider vinegar if needed).

You can use brown rice syrup, honey, or agave syrup in place of maple syrup if you prefer.

This is my also go-to dipping sauce for homemade pretzels!

1. To make it, simply combine 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, and 2 tsp. red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Stir until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
2. Set the dressing aside.

What Kind Of Sauerkraut Is Best?

There are all kinds of sauerkraut on the market these days. For this recipe, I recommend a variety of German-style cabbage sauerkraut.

I love the jarred German-style sauerkraut from ALDI, but you can choose any brand you like.

Feel free to use homemade sauerkraut if you prefer.

The sauerkraut can be heated or served cold along with the sausage and potatoes. I like to heat my sauerkraut before serving, but its entirely up to you.

Red cabbage sauerkraut may be used in place of green cabbage if you like.

How Long Do Sausage and Potatoes Take To Cook?

Cooking times may vary slightly, but the sausage and potatoes should be fully cooked in 28-30 minutes.

As mentioned, the potatoes should be slightly crispy on the outside and tender, but not mushy on the inside. They should be easily pierced with a fork or knife when finished.

The sausage will become caramelized and should be fully cooked through.

1. After the sausage and potatoes have roasted, pour half of the maple mustard glaze over the top of each pan.
2. Toss the sausage and potatoes in the glaze until completely coated.

Looking for more sausage recipes? Don't miss these!

• Cauliflower Tomato Pasta with Sausage
• Sausage Lentil Kale Soup
• Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
• Chunky Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
• Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies
• Fennel Sausage Soup

What To Serve With Sheet Pan Sausage

Once the potatoes, sausages, and sauerkraut are cooked it's ready to serve!

Place a heaping pile of roasted sausage and potatoes onto a plate or bowl. Serve it alongside a generous portion of the sauerkraut and top with some freshly minced herbs like chives or parsley.

The fresh herbs are optional, but they help to provide extra color, flavor, and freshness to the dish.

I love this dish because the fat from the sausages melts onto the potatoes as they roast. The mustard glaze adds some sweetness and the sauerkraut provides a tangy flavor to balance the whole thing out.

For more German inspired dishes to serve with one, check out this Kohlrabi Schnitzel, Mashed Kohlrabi, or Cabbage Roll Bowls.

If you're looking for a sweet treat to enjoy afterward, you can't go wrong with this Old Fashioned Apple Cake.

How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover sausage and potatoes should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Be sure to allow the dish to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Love sheet pan meals? Check out these recipes!

• Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken
• Sheet Pan Pizza
• Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Potatoes
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
• Sheet Pan Italian Chicken
• Pesto Cod and Potatoes

Looking For More German Recipes To Celebrate Oktoberfest? Don't Miss These!

German Potato Pancakes

German Apple Cake with Streusel Topping

Sauerbraten

Spaetzel with Caramelized Onions

Obatzda Bavarian Cheese Dip