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“I made these for our family camping reunion and they were perfect! So easy and delicious.” ~Robin
Grilling in foil packets like this opens up so many new possibilities for those of us who don’t always want a burger or a steak. It’s perfect for veggies, shrimp, or sliced sausage like I’ve done today.
You can prep them ahead and have a stack waiting for you in the refrigerator. You can cook them on a grill or in the oven, and when you’re ready to eat it’s like unwrapping a delicious little present! And the cleanup? You just have to crumple up your foil and toss it in the trash ~ you don’t even have to clean the grill!
packet cooking on the grill or in the oven is elegant and fun!
I love to do fish this way, too ~ my Fish with Blood Orange and Thyme in Parchment is wrapped up in neat little parchment paper packages. So is Roberta’s Lemon Herb Fish (in parchment paper. It’s got to be one of the most elegant ways to serve fish ever. And you wouldn’t normally think of cooking pasta in packets, but my Pasta Primavera Packets with Lemon Balsamic Glaze is one of my favorite meals. Kids love them.
what you’ll need for foil grill packets
This meal is completely self contained. I toss everything with a little olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. It basically self sauces.
- sausage ~ I use fully cooked sausage for this.
- There are so many fully cooked sausage varieties out on the market these days you can have a field day designing yours. I’m partial to Aidells sausages, they have great fresh flavor, no nitrites or hormones, and come in so many varieties, I used the spinach feta in these packets. Please note that we’re talking about cooked sausage for this recipe, not raw.
- assorted veggies
- Lots of choices here, the main thing to keep in mind is cutting them into similar sized pieces so they will cook at the same rate. I used corn on the cob, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, peppers, red onion, asparagus, small potatoes, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, radish, and garlic (basically the whole produce department!)
- heavy duty foil
prepping your veggies
The trick to these packets is to cut your vegetables in the proper bite sizes. Dense veggies like Brussels sprouts or beets need to be cut small enough so they’ll get tender in the short cooking time. To slice whole ears of raw corn, place the corn on a clean dishtowel that’s been folded over several times as a cushion, then use a hammer to gently tap your knife through the ear. The kernels won’t get crushed, and you’ll get nice even ‘wheels’ of corn.
I toss everything in olive oil and seasonings before portioning out onto the foil. I allot one sausage per packet. Wrap up the foil so no juices can escape, and throw them on the grill, or under your broiler, for about 25-30 minutes.
tips for sausage and veggie grill packets
- Use heavy duty foil, you don’t want your packet to fall apart!
- Pay attention to color when choosing your veggies, the more the better.
- Wrap your packets flat, not round like a ball. If you mound the contents up too much they will steam rather than roast.
- Don’t leave out the cherry tomatoes, they will burst as they heat up and provide a lovely fresh sauce.
- To serve just put each packet on a plate. Be extra careful when opening your packets, the steam is very hot ~ don’t let children open their own packets.
- The following recipe is written for 4 packets, but you can make as much as you like…allow about 1 heaping cup of cut veggies and 1 sausage per packet.
Sausage and Veggie Grill Packets
Equipment
- 4 sheets of heavy duty foil approximately 22 inches long.
Ingredients
- 4 small heads garlic
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 cooked sausage, any variety, sliced on the bias (I used spinach and feta chicken sausage)
- 2 ears sweet corn, cut in 2 inch wheels
4-5 cups assorted vegetables, chopped in bite sized pieces ~ I used the following
- 2 bell peppers, assorted colors, cut into chunks
- 1/2 red onion , peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
- 4 large white mushrooms, quartered
- 4 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
- 2 spears asparagus, cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1 watermelon radish, sliced in half moons
- 8 cherry tomatoes , uncut
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to coat everything well. Use a bit more olive oil if needed.
- Divide between 4 pieces of foil. Don't mound them up too much. Drizzle with more olive oil if you like.
- Bring up the long ends and fold over, like a lunch bag. Roll up the sides so that no juice can escape. Note that you want your packets to be relatively flat, so the food makes contact with the high heat of the grill or broiler and roasts, rather than steams.
- Place the packets right on a hot grill, cover, and cook for about 20-30 minutes. You can also broil the packets, on high, on the rack nearest the flame (place a baking sheet or large piece of foil below to catch any stray drips.) Note: if your packets are cold from the refrigerator they may take extra time.
- Be careful when opening the packets, the steam will be very hot.
Video
Notes
- Use any seasoning blend you like, and coordinate it to your sausages. Cajun, barbecue, Mexican, or a French herbes de Provence mix would all work.Â
- Substitute firm tofu in place of the sausage for vegetarians.
- Make kid’s meals with sliced hot dogs.
going to add eggplant
Yum, love eggplant 🙂
I know this is a few years old now, sorry – but I’m going camping next month and getting my recipes together!
Would this be suitable to cook over a fire?
Thanks! Your pictures look delicious 🙂
I think this is ideal for camping, Sharn 🙂
did I miss what I’m supposed to do with garlic? in the photo it looks like you roast it as well?
The garlic is optional Neva, and you can throw it right in the packet with everything else. I like to slice off the top to expose the cloves, and drizzle it with olive oil.
I love grill packets and these look so flavorful and delicious – what a perfect summer dinner idea!
I made these for our family camping reunion and they were perfect! So easy and delicious.
THis looks amazing!!! Almost too good to think it could be healthy- gotta try it soon! 🙂
Sausage sort of gets ignored around here in the summer. Now it’s at the forefront and I need to get these flavorful packets on our menu soon!
This sounds wonderful – it’s a lot like a dinner I already do, except I do it in the oven. I’ve been looking for ways to help my husband increase his cooking repertoire, since he cooks for one week out of every three, and this recipe is perfect for him. Thanks for a great idea. It makes that kind of dinner something we can enjoy all year long without overheating the house in the summer.
It would be great for your husband, and in fact any new cook looking for easy recipes. Hope you both enjoy them Susan 🙂
What a deliciious and colorful meal, love that it’s cooked in a foil packet and that these packets can be done on the grill.
We do a lot of foil packets in the summer, so can’t wait to try this one! Beautiful, too 🙂