Sausage and Peppers
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Italian Sausage Peppers and Onions is a hearty and rich dish made with seasoned Italian sausages, vibrant bell peppers and onions, and it’s all simmered in a zesty tomato and herb flecked sauce.
It’s delicious filling for sandwiches or doubles as a topping over potatoes, rice or pasta.
Homestyle Sausage with Peppers and Onions
Sausage and peppers is a simple Italian style dish that’s packed with bright fresh ingredients an abundance of comforting, satisfying flavor. It’s an enjoyable lunch or dinner entree that is easy to make and it’s fun to serve a variety of ways.
It begins with rich sausages that are beautifully browned, then they simmer briefly nestled with the sautéed peppers and onions, while the sauce simmers down and lightly thickens for a nice base. To finish the sausages are sliced into bite size coins and it’s all coated with a fair sprinkle of parmesan, because why not? It adds that last touch of perfectly enhancing flavor.
There’s so much crave-able goodness in every bite. Truly you’ll want to use bakery fresh hoagies only (no stale hoagies buns from the shelf) for something this delicious!
Sausage Peppers and Onions Recipe Ingredients
- Italian sausage links: These are the raw sausage links that come in the mild or spicy varieties. Don’t use the loose tray of sausage.
- Olive oil: Just use regular olive oil here, you only need a little for browning.
- Bell peppers: I recommend using a red bell pepper and a yellow or green bell pepper.
- Yellow onion: A red onion works great in place of yellow onion too.
- Tomato paste: This is used to build up a sauce for the sausage and veggie mixture.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for best flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: You can omit these if using spicy sausage. If you don’t like any heat you can omit them as well. If you like it spicy feel free to add more.
- Low sodium chicken broth: Dry white wine is another great option here in place of chicken broth, just simmer it long enough to cook off it’s alcoholic taste so it doesn’t overpower the dish (reduce balsamic vinegar to 1/2 Tbsp if using wine).
- Balsamic vinegar: Just a small splash of this adds delicious background flavor.
- Roma tomato: This is not a traditional ingredient used in the dish but we like the hint of fresh tomato-y goodness it adds.
- Basil and parsley: The parsley is optional but I like the herby flavor of the two together.
- Oregano: Dried oregano is used here.
- Parmesan cheese: This is another not so typical ingredient to this dish that really adds some oomph.
How to Make Sausage and Peppers
Brown sausages: Heat olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer sausage to a plate while leaving rendered fat in skillet.
Saute vegetables: Return pan to medium heat, add bell peppers and onions and saute 3 minutes.
Add tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes and saute 1 minute.
Add liquids, tomato and seasonings: Pour in chicken broth and balsamic vinegar, add tomato, basil, and oregano. Toss mixture.
Return sausages, simmer mixture: Then nestle sausages into pepper mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer until sausages are cooked through (160 degrees in center) and peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. If needed add another 1/4 cup chicken broth to thin sauce.
Rest sausages then slice: Remove sausages and let rest 5 minutes on a cutting board tented with foil. Keep pepper mixture in pan covered with lid so it stays warm.
Slice sausage then return to pan along with parmesan cheese. Toss mixture.
Garnish, serve as desired: Garnish with basil or parsley. Serve in hoagie buns, or with potatoes, rice, polenta, pasta, etc.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t skip browning: Browning the sausages first will add so much flavor. Plus it will require less cooking time with the peppers so you don’t end up with mushy peppers by the time the sausages are done.
- Let sausages rest before slicing: If you don’t wait to slice the sausages and let the juices evenly redistribute off heat before cutting you’ll end up losing a lot of moisture in the sausages. It’s worth the 5 minutes to wait to cut them.
- Use fresh herbs if possible: Fresh basil will taste best here but if you are in a pinch you can opt to use 1 tsp dried basil in the sauce.
- Use fine grated parmesan: Using parmesan grated with a rasp grater (zester) works best because it will melt quickly and smoothly into the sauce.
What to Serve with Sausage and Peppers
Sausage and peppers is best served as a sandwich or atop a starchy side dish. Here are some good options for serving over or as sides:
- Hoagie buns or soft baguette bread
- Garlic bread
- Mashed potatoes
- Baked potatoes or roasted potatoes
- White rice
- Pasta (orzo, campanelle, penne, rotini, etc.)
- Polenta
- Risotto
- Hash browns
- Caesar salad
- Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Storage and Reheating
This recipe makes great leftovers that reheat well. Here’s some tips on storage and rewarming.
- Refrigerating: Sausage and peppers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: For longer storage freeze sausage, peppers and onions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating stovetop: Rewarm mixture in a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat tossing frequently, and adding a little more broth as needed.
- Reheating microwave: Rewarm individual servings in a bowl in the microwave on 50% power in 30 to 45 second increments, tossing between each interval until warmed through.
More Tasty Recipes with Italian Sausage to Try
- Creamy Gnocchi with Italian Sausage and Kale
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
- Pear Goat Cheese and Italian Sausage Pizza
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- 5 Italian sausage links (20 oz.), mild or spicy
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large bell peppers (one red, and one yellow or green), cored and sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, them more to taste
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 large roma tomato, halved and sliced
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (grate with a rasp grater)
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate while leaving rendered fat in skillet.
- Return pan to medium heat, add bell peppers and onions and saute 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes and saute 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth and balsamic vinegar, add tomato, basil, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss mixture then nestle sausages into pepper mixture.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until sausages are cooked through (160°F in center) and peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. If needed add another 1/4 cup chicken broth to thin sauce.
- Remove sausages and let rest 5 minutes on a cutting board tented with foil. Keep pepper mixture in pan covered with lid so it stays warm.
- Slice sausage then return to pan along with parmesan cheese. Toss mixture. Garnish with basil or parsley. Serve in hoagie buns, or with potatoes, rice, polenta, pasta, etc.