When I’m craving sausage peppers and onions on a busy weeknight, this skillet version is always my answer. Everything cooks in one pan in just 25 minutes. Juicy Italian sausage seared until golden, then simmered together with sweet caramelized peppers and a colorful mix of red and white onions. I love deglazing the pan with chicken broth to pull up all those golden brown bits from the bottom. No sheet pan and no oven. Just one skillet and a dinner your whole family will love.
The Weeknight Dinner That Does It All
If you know me at all, you know I’m completely obsessed with one-pan dinner meals. I reach for my skillet almost every single night of the week. It’s honestly one of my most-used tools in the kitchen. And the fewer dishes I have to wash at the end of the night, the better!
This Italian Sausage Peppers and Onions recipe is one of my all-time favourite skillet meals. It’s hearty, packed with flavour, and it actually tastes even better the next day.
I first developed the slow cooker version with my Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Peppers, but honestly? This skillet version has become my go-to when I need dinner on the table in 25 minutes.
I also love how versatile this recipe is. I like to serve it over white fluffy rice for the easiest weeknight combo, or tossed with penne pasta when I want something a little more hearty and comforting. You can also stuff it inside sandwich buns, my son Thomas loves it this way or serve it alongside Creamy Mashed Potatoes to soak up all that incredible sauce.
Key Ingredients:
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Italian Sausage – I always use fresh Italian sausage for this recipe, and after making it so many times, I’m convinced it’s the only way to go. The flavor it brings is so much richer than any other option, and the blend of spices is already perfectly balanced. I like to use mild or sweet Italian sausage, but hot works great if you want a little extra kick. You can also use homemade Italian sausage with fennel seed, ground pork, or even ground beef if that’s what you have.
Onions – I’ve made this with just white onions and just red onions, and both are good but I always come back to using a mix of the two. Together they bring a mild sweetness and a little more depth of flavor that I really love in this dish. Yellow onions are a great swap if that’s what you have on hand.
Bell Peppers – I always use a mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, and not just because they taste great, but also because my kids love how colorful the dish looks! Each color brings a slightly different sweetness, and together they make the dish so vibrant. That said, if you only have one color, go ahead and use it. The flavors will still be delicious.
Seasoning – I’ve tested this recipe many times, and I always come back to the same simple lineup: salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a little heat. Then I finish with fresh parsley and basil, and honestly, that’s where the magic happens. Fresh herbs make such a difference.
How to Make Sausage Peppers and Onions
Step 1: Browning & Slicing the Sausage
I always start by browning the sausage links for about 2 minutes per side. I’m not cooking them through here, just building that deep, golden color. Then I move them to a cutting board and slice them and than just tossing them in sliced from the start.
Step 2: Sautéing the Peppers & Deglazing
After sautéing the veggies for a few minutes, I pour in chicken broth and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. I always tell readers: don’t skip that step! Those bits are where all the flavor lives.
Step 3: Bringing It All Together
This is my favorite part, adding the sliced sausage back in, covering the skillet, and letting everything simmer together for about 10 minutes. Then I uncover it, crank the heat, and let the liquid evaporate for 3 more minutes. I like to finish with fresh parsley and basil right before serving.
Best Tips to Make Sausage and Peppers
Sausage is cooked through at 160 degrees. You can check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.
Make sure to cut onions and bell peppers to similar sized pieces. This helps ensure they are cooked evenly.
Slice after searing, not before. I remove the sausage from the skillet, let it rest a minute on the cutting board, then slice. This keeps all the juices inside instead of losing them in the pan.
Don’t rush the deglazing step. When I add the chicken broth, I make sure to scrape every single brown bit off the bottom of the skillet. Those bits are pure flavor. I think it’s honestly the most important step in the whole recipe.
Don’t overcrowd the skillet when you sear the sausage. I always make sure the links have enough space between them. If the pan is too full, they steam instead of brown and you lose all that gorgeous color and flavor before the recipe even gets going.
Add the fresh herbs at the very end, off the heat. Heat kills the flavor of fresh herbs fast, so I like to add them right before serving to keep that bright, fresh finish.
Other Italian sausage recipes to try:
Italian Sausage Peppers and Onions
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup white onion sliced
- 1 cup red onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper sliced
- 3 garlic cloves sliced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup chicken broth (you can use red wine as well if you are not on low-carb and whole30 diets)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage links, and cook for about 2 minutes each side, just until they turn brown. The sausage will not be cooked through.
- Place them on a cutting board, slice them, and set aside.
- Add the onions, and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Then, add the bell peppers, garlic, salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet with the peppers and onions, and scrape the bottom of the skillet to release all the brown bits.
- Return the sausage back to the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Then, uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 more minutes, just until the liquid is evaporated and the sausage is cooked through. Top with parsley and basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- To store: I recommend you portion out this recipe into air tight containers once it has cooled. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave.
- To freeze: Freeze leftovers in a use airtight containers or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw the frozen Sausage Peppers and Onions in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until thoroughly warmed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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This recipe is great for a busy family.
I am a small business owner so my schedule is, at times, very busy.
This Sweet Italian sausage was very easy and very good. With a side dish of brown rice and a tossed green salad, it was a hit. Thank you!!
Thank you for this delicious recipe that made me look very
You’re very welcome! Happy you enjoy this recipe 😉
My husband loved it!!
Awesome! Happy to hear that!
I have made this in so many different ways…..followed this recipe tonight, did in cast iron, added about a quarter cup of marinara.
Topped with fresh parmesan….. By far the best ever.
That’s amazing! Happy to hear that 😉
This dish was so favorable, I took a little longer to get rid of the liquid at the end, but it was very delicious and would definitely make it again and recommend it to friends and family. I made some mashed potatoes and put this over them and it was delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Letting the liquid reduce a bit more sounds like a great idea—it really helps concentrate all those flavors. And pairing it with mashed potatoes? Genius! 😋 Thanks for sharing your feedback, and I’m thrilled you’d recommend it to others!
Easy quick and few ingredients we have this a lot I’ve memorized the recipe
That’s amazing! I love that it’s become a go-to recipe for you. Thanks for sharing! 😊🍽️
Can I use beef broth instead?
Yes you can 😉
Delicious ! My 89 yr. old Dad loved it.
So happy to hear that!!
Always receives ‘yes’ when I suggest making this for dinner. Have added over rice or hash browns, both are excellent. I like it best with no additions. Excellent meal in many ways.
Aww that makes me so happy. Thanks for your feedback 😉
I love this dish! It’s my go-to when I have sausage and peppers (I always have onions! ). It goes great with Angel Hair pasta. I use only 2 peppers, and less broth. And I prefer to put the sliced sausage back into the pan to get crispy.
I love hearing that! 😊 Crispy sausage is always a win, and angel hair is such a great pairing. Thanks so much for sharing how you make it your own! 💛
This recipe for Italian sausage and peppers is excellent. So Tasty and it smells so good. Will be my go too.
So happy you liked it 😉
How do you think this recipe would work with ground Italian sausage?
Ground Italian sausage will give you the same delicious flavor, just with a more crumbly texture instead of sliced pieces. Brown it first, then add the onions and peppers as usual. It may even cook a little faster. Honestly, it’ll be just as tasty 💛
I’ve made this recipes several times now and making it again tonight – husbands request. It’s our new fav meal!!
That’s amazing! So happy to know that you both enjoyed it 😉
Very good! My Sausage and Peppers and Onions came out good!
Happy you liked it 😉