Sausage, polenta, butternut squash, onions and mushrooms all roasted together to crispy perfection; this roasted sausage, polenta and squash recipe has all the right flavors for a fall dinner. Plus, it’s super easy and quick! You can even have it made before it starts getting dark outside at like 3:30.
Easy recipes are an absolute MUST for me right now. You may have noticed that it’s been nearly a month since I’ve posted anything. The reason for this is simple: I’ve been awake for the past month, thanks to our newborn who is nocturnal. Oh, and also dealing with lots of emotions that have sucked away any motivation to be creative. The election results, the difficult anniversaries in November, and the demands of three children have deeply exhausted me. I’m trying to find my groove and get back to this blog space, but don’t be surprised if new posts continue to be few and far between over the next couple of months.
Okey dokey, let’s get back on topic. This recipe, adapted from Parents magazine, is a family favorite. Strangely, my children love sausage. And (not so strangely) hot dogs. And at this point in time, I don’t have the energy to care about nitrates so bring on the wieners!
If you happen to have a Trader Joe’s or Wegmans near you (or equally awesome grocery store), this recipe becomes even easier because of the availability of pre-cut butternut squash, sliced mushrooms, and pre-cooked polenta.
Roasted Sausage, Polenta and Squash
Here’s what you’ll need to throw together this quick meal.
1 to 2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1 to 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 tube pre-cooked polenta
1 large onion
2-3 tablespoons honey
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
To start, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the pre-cooked polenta into cubes.
Then slice up the onions and put them in a large bowl with the polenta.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the party.
And the peeled and cubed butternut squash. (Can we take a moment to recognize the pure awesome-ness of pre-peeled and cubed squash?? Thank you, Trader Joe’s.)
Pour in the olive oil and add the seasonings (rosemary, thyme). Don’t forget the salt and pepper! Then squeeze in the delicious honey.
Mix together the polenta and vegetables.
Evenly spread the vegetable/polenta mixture on a baking sheet.
Prick the sausage links a couple times with a fork. Then squeeze the sausages into the roasting pan with the vegetable/polenta mixture.
Pop the baking sheet into the oven and bake for about an hour, until the sausage and other ingredients look golden and crispy.
Voila! Roasted sausage, polenta and squash with honey mushrooms and onions. The perfect meal for sausage-loving toddlers.
