Sausage, peppers, and onions is a fantastic weeknight dinner option. This healthy recipe dish comes together in one hour and can feed a hungry crew.
If you're craving more pork recipes, we think you'll love our pan-seared pork chops and homemade pulled pork.
Ingredients
Our sausage, peppers, and onions recipe takes pantry staples. Let's talk about the key ingredients.
- Meat: We used both mild and sweet Italian links.
- Vegetables: We used yellow onions, garlic, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.
- Dairy: We used butter to saute the peppers, but you can easily switch that to oil.
- Spices: We used salt, black pepper, and fresh rosemary.
- Acid: We used white wine vinegar to drizzle over the sauteed vegetables.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Prefer the sausage with a tomato sauce? Add red wine, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, and oregano to a skillet after the veggies are cooked. Cook 5 minutes, then pour over cooked sausages.
- Want it spicier? Use hot Italian sausage, and add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Want to change up the spices? Use oregano, basil, or parsley.
- Want other vinegar options? Try balsamic or red wine vinegar.
- Looking for other garnishes? Chiffonade fresh basil, or sprinkle on freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
How to Make Sausage, Peppers, & Onions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prick the sausage with a fork to let the steam escape. Cook for 50 minutes until no longer pink inside. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then cut it on the diagonal. (image 1)
- While the sausages cook, prep the rest of the ingredients. One technique for slicing a bell pepper is to cut the top off first then remove the seeds and membrane with a grapefruit spoon, then cut into strips. (image 2)
- In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet and place in a large bowl. (image 3)
- In a medium-sized skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a few minutes while stirring occasionally, then add the minced garlic and cook for one minute, or until fragrant. Place the onions and garlic mixture in the bowl with the cooked bell peppers. (image 4)
- Add 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. (image 5)
- Add a bit of salt and black pepper to taste. (image 6)
- Add the chopped fresh rosemary. Reserve a little for garnish. Stir until well combined. (image 7)
- Add the freshly sliced sausage to the bowl of peppers and onions and stir gently. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh rosemary and enjoy. (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
If you want to keep it low-carb, serve it with mashed cauliflower, a salad, fried eggs, or fresh tomato wedges. If you're not on a low-carb diet, serve it with rice, pasta, polenta, or on a hoagie roll with provolone cheese and fresh basil.
Add 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
When hot, add the sausages and brown on both sides but don't cook them all the way through. Remove from heat, let them cool, and slice them on the bias. In the same skillet, cook the onions, peppers, and minced garlic in the rendered fat or oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return the sausage to pan, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until it is done. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle on white wine vinegar and garnish with fresh rosemary.
Our favorite method is to cook them in the oven. It's easy and everything cooks up on one pan so there is less cleanup. You can also cook them sliced up in foil packets on the grill when camping or in the backyard, or in a skillet on the stove.
Yes, you can freeze them. Let them cool and then transfer to a plastic bag with a zipper or airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat them in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven.
Expert Tips
- Want to deglaze the skillet for extra flavor? Use white or red cooking wine or chicken broth.
- Leftovers? Cover and refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
More Pork Recipes You'll Enjoy
Recipe
Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 5 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium sweet red bell peppers, sliced
- 2 medium sweet yellow bell peppers, sliced
- 2 medium sweet orange bell peppers, sliced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 30 ml
- sprinkle of salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick each sausage link with a fork in three different spots to let the steam escape. Place on a cookie sheet or a 9x13-inch baking pan. Cook for 50 minutes uncovered.
- While the sausage cooks, wash and slice the peppers. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan and cook the peppers, stirring occasionally.
- While the peppers cook, slice the onion. In a medium saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter. Saute the onion for a few minutes. Mince the garlic, then add it to the onions. Cook until fragrant.
- Put the peppers, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. While the vegetables are still warm, add the white wine vinegar and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Rinse and chop the fresh rosemary for extra flavor and for a garnish.
- After 50 minutes, remove the sausage from the oven. Slice each sausage link on the diagonal into 5 pieces. Add to the bowl of cooked peppers and onions. Add the fresh rosemary and stir. Serve warm.
Sheet Pan Method
- Slice the sausage, peppers, and onions, and peel the garlic cloves.
- Place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle the spices on top, and toss to combine.
- Bake at 400°F for 40 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink inside. Stir halfway through cooking.
- Transfer to a bowl and toss with white wine vinegar and garnish with fresh rosemary.
Skillet Method
- Add 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium high heat.
- Add sausages and brown on both sides, but not entirely cooked through. Remove from heat, let cool, and slice on the bias.
- In the same skillet, cook the onions, peppers, and minced garlic in the rendered fat or oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Return sausage to pan, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until sausage is done.
- Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle on white wine vinegar and garnish with fresh rosemary.
Foil Pack Method
- This option is great if you are having a picnic or camping.
- Heat a gas grill to high and grill the sausages.
- Put the cooked sausage on top of a large piece of foil. Add sliced peppers, onions, and peeled smashed garlic cloves, then drizzle oil and spices on top.
- Fold packets to seal, then grill for 13 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- To finish, drizzle on white wine vinegar, and garnish with chopped rosemary.
Video
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- To make this easier to cut, slice the sausage when it's slightly frozen.
- Use white or red cooking wine or chicken broth to deglaze the skillet for extra flavor.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Maxine
Easy. Fast. Nutritious. And you can add other vegetables like cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms, and celery. Delicious! Thank you.
Emma
You're welcome, Maxine! We're glad you enjoyed this dish!
Beth
The juicy sausage and colorful peppers are so good! The rosemary is very nice.
Emma
Thank you, Beth! I love the colorful peppers with the sausage.