Harvest Casserole (chicken Sausage Veggie) Recipe

Try this hearty Harvest Casserole (Chicken Sausage Veggie) Recipe, packed with seasonal flavors for a cozy, comforting meal.

Ingredients

• 3 cups butternut squash cut into 1” cubes
• 1 lb brussels sprouts halved or quartered, depending on size
• 4 tablespoons Olive oil divided
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 6 links chicken sausage cut into coin shapes (check ingredients for Whole30)
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh sage minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley minced
• 2 cups cauliflower rice fresh or frozen (buy this pre-riced)
• 1 apple (honey crisp), finely diced
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries juice-sweetened
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs for garnish if desired

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

Preheat the oven and arrange two parchment-lined baking sheets for a focused roasting session: one for the 1" cubes of butternut squash and the other for the halved or quartered Brussels sprouts. Drizzle each group with olive oil from a small glass jar, season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper, and spread them in a single layer so each piece can caramelize and develop a golden crust. Roast until the squash is tender and the Brussels show pockets of char and deep green-to-brown gradients; pull the pans when the edges are nicely bronzed. Let them rest briefly so the sugars settle before combining.

Step 2: Cook the Sausage Mixture

Heat a skillet and add the remaining oil, then sweat diced yellow onion until translucent and soft, stirring with a wooden spoon. Toss in minced garlic, give it a quick fragrant stir, then add the chicken sausage coins so they meet the hot pan and brown neatly on both faces. Sprinkle in minced rosemary, sage, and thyme, letting the herbs crisp slightly against the browned sausage so their oils bloom and coat the meat. You should have coins with seared edges, glossy onion ribbons, and flecks of green herb throughout—an emphatic savory base ready to accept the next ingredients.

Step 3: Mix in Remaining Ingredients

Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and fold it into the browned sausage and aromatic onion, allowing the rice to warm through and soften while still keeping some grainy texture. Stir in the finely diced honeycrisp apple and chopped pecans, dust with a whisper of cinnamon, and continue cooking until the apple pieces are tender but still hold shape and the pecans smell toasted. Fold in the juice-sweetened dried cranberries last so they plump slightly from the residual heat, then taste and adjust sea salt and black pepper as needed—the mixture should read as a balanced, slightly sweet-savory, textural medley.

Step 4: Combine and Bake

Lightly oil a 9 x 13" white ceramic baking dish and combine the skillet mixture with the roasted butternut and Brussels sprouts, tossing gently so the roasted edges and seared sausage are distributed evenly. Bake until the top develops toasty, crisped bits and the whole casserole glows with caramelized sugars, herb flecks, and toasted nuts. Remove, garnish with fresh parsley and extra herb sprigs if desired, and present warm—this is a cozy, harvest-ready one-dish meal that sings of fall.

Notes

• Ensure vegetables are adequately spaced on baking sheets to roast properly.
• Stir Brussels sprouts halfway to ensure even cooking.
• Adjust seasoning as needed after all ingredients are combined.