Sheet Pan Giambotta – An Easy Twist on an Italian Classic

Giambotta (pronounced jam-BOAT-ah – we pronounce it jahm-bawt) is one of those rustic Italian dishes that feels like home to me. Growing up, my mother made it just about every week. Her version was a big pot filled with veal, peppers, zucchini, onions, garlic, and of course, crushed tomatoes. Later, she swapped in hot Italian sausage, and that one change transformed the dish—spicy, savory, and completely irresistible.

This time, I decided to take her stovetop classic and give it a modern, weeknight-friendly spin: Sheet Pan Giambotta. Instead of stirring a big pot on the stove, everything roasts together in the oven. Just one pan, easy cleanup, and the same rich flavors I grew up with.

And the best part? Giambotta is endlessly adaptable. Think of it as the Italian cousin of ratatouille—add what you like, skip what you don’t. My photo shows eggplant, but funny enough, I left it out when I cooked because I wanted to use it for another recipe (so, consider eggplant totally optional here!).

This dish is proof that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about making the most of what you have on hand, adjusting flavors to your taste, and creating something hearty, healthy, and delicious.

Sheet Pan Giambotta Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4-6, scale as needed)

4–6 good-size links of Italian sausage (hot or sweet; I like buying from the butcher since theirs are nitrate-free)
½ – 1 large red onion, sliced
1–2 zucchinis, sliced into ½-inch rounds
1–2 yellow squash, sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 small eggplant, peeled and chunked (optional)
1–2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
A few good glugs of organic extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp fresh basil
2 large pinches dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
On a rimmed baking sheet, lined with non-toxic parchment, toss together onion, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant (if using), tomatoes, and garlic with olive oil, salt, and thyme until everything is evenly coated.
Nestle the sausages into the vegetables.
Roast for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender and the sausages are browned.
Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.

Why I Love This Recipe

Adaptable: Use what you have—eggplant, peppers, potatoes, even mushrooms. Switch hot sausage for sweet, or try chicken sausage if you prefer.
Easy cleanup: Just one sheet pan!
Big flavor, little effort: Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables and gives the sausage that irresistible caramelization. The tomatoes taste like candy!

I made this version for just the two of us, and—confession—we ate the whole pan! That’s how good it was. If you’re cooking for more people, just double the recipe and spread it out on two sheet pans.

Cooking, for me, is about adaptation. It’s not always about running to the store for every single ingredient. (Although, I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of that!) With food costs so high, I’ve been leaning into using what’s in my fridge and pantry, and recipes like this prove that simple ingredients can create something incredible.

Enjoy my Sheet Pan Giambotta, and make it your own—just like my mom always did. ❤️

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