This Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe is the ultimate comfort food, bursting with bold, savory flavors. The juicy, perfectly seasoned sausage pairs beautifully with the sweet, caramelized peppers and onions, creating a hearty and satisfying meal. It’s a go-to dish for busy weeknights, but it’s also perfect for a laid-back weekend dinner or a game-day party.
It’s not a secret to anyone that I’m a huge fan of one-pan meals or skillet recipes. I use my skillet to cook recipes almost every day of the week, which helps me make delicious and delicious foods in no time.
This Italian Sausage and Peppers recipe is one of my favourite one-pan meals because it is so hearty and and it’s great as leftovers. Inspired by this Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Peppers, this is the sausage and peppers skillet version. The less dishes I have to do on a busy weeknight, the better!
Italian Sausage – After making this recipe so many times, I’ve found that fresh Italian sausage is the best for this recipe because it adds the richest flavor and the perfect balance of spices. If you prefer, try homemade Italian sausage made with fennel seed, ground pork, or even ground beef too.
White and Red Onion: I’ve made this recipe several times using only white or only red onions, but I prefer a mix of both for their mild sweetness and added depth of flavor. If you don’t have them on hand, yellow onions make a great substitute.
Bell Peppers – To keep this dish colorful (which the kids love!), I use a mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. But if you prefer, you can stick to just one color. It’s all about the flavors and how vibrant you want the dish to look!
Seasoning – After many tests, I found that simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a bit of heat work best. I also love adding fresh herbs like parsley and basil, which really elevate the flavor and bring a fresh, aromatic touch to the dish.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the Italian sausage, and cook it for about 2-3 minutes until all the sides are brown. At this point, the sausage won’t be cooked through but we’ll be cooking it some more later.
- Remove the Italian sausage from the skillet, and place on a cutting board to slice them. Set aside.
- Sauté the onions and bell peppers in the same skillet. If you need to, add more olive oil or even butter before cooking the onions and bell peppers. Add garlic, season with salt, black pepper and red flakes. Sauté the veggies for about 3 minutes.
- Pour apple cider or red wine into the skillet with the peppers and onions, and scrape the bottom of the skillet to release all the brown bits. This is called deglazing. This part is very important because the brown bits add more flavour to this dish.
- Put the slices of Italian sausage back into the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Then, uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 more minutes or just until the liquid is evaporated and the sausage is cooked completely. You can use a meat thermometer to check on the doneness of the meat.
- Before serving, top with freshly chopped parsley and basil.
Expect Tips
- Sausage is cooked through at 160 degrees Fahrenheit/ 71 degrees Celsius. 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.
- You can also add some spaghetti sauce in the skillet to add more liquid and serve with pasta and parmesan cheese on top.
- This Italian sausage recipe is also versatile because you can use any other veggie you have like mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach.
This Italian sausage recipe is super-versatile in terms of what to serve with it. Although delicious on its own, you can serve it over Cauliflower “Potato” Salad, Roasted Veggies and Potato Wedges. Coleslaw, Potato Salad, mashed potatoes, and on top of pasta (penne is a great option), pizza, and polenta.
Other Italian sausage recipes to Try:
Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe
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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I made this and added the white of green onion, worcestershire sauce and a bit of corn starch with extra broth for a bit of sauce and served it on rice. The whole family was happy, even the picky teen and tween!
Glad they liked it!
Yummy so delicious with one potato.
Wow!
Glad you liked it!
Quick, easy, delicious!
Awesome!
Do you keep the casing on the sausage? (First time making Italian sausage)
Yes you should keep the casing.
Wow Wow!!
Just done eating.
A keeper.
Had zucchini n butternut Squash, as well.
Tks.
Awesome!!!
Very flavorful and easy to prepare. We served over Italian white beans. Delish.
Mm.. love that you served it with white beans. Yummy!
I’ve been making this for years and it gets better every time I must’ve made it 100 different ways
Thanks awesome!
What’s a good side to go with it? I’m making this for dinner. It looks so good.
It goes really well on top of rice, pasta and quinoa.
Easy and delicious. Food that schmecks! A real keeper. Thanks
So happy you liked it.
Can I use beef broth?
Yes you can.
Delicious
Happy you liked it!
So good
I’ll make it again
Awesome!