Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions is a classic Italian dish that can be served straight-up or with pasta and marinara, a big green salad, or all of the above. Packed with flavor and protein, this dish is easy to make and a delicious meal.
It's an easy one-pot meal you'll love!
Italian Sausage and Peppers is a big deal at the San Gennaro Festival in NYC. There are vendors all over selling Sausage and Peppers on a Roll. They cook it right in front of you on a flat top, and they're delicious. This recipe is cooked in one pan and takes about 40 minutes from beginning to end.
What you Need
- Sausages
- Onions
- Bell Peppers
- Garlic
- Basil
- Olive Oil
- Salt
For the Sausages
I've used sweet Italian pork sausage in this recipe. You can easily substitute a pound of turkey or chicken sausage. Italian Sausage is in the meat department. The label says sweet (mild) or hot. You can use them interchangeably. "Hot" Sausage is not necessarily very hot but has a little kick to it.
Sometimes I slice the sausage into thirds after searing them for a minute or two. I pull them from the pan, one by one, and put them back to cook further. Slice them with a very sharp knife, or the meat will tear. When you slice the sausage, the casing crisps up around the meat, and you get crispier meat, which is great. If you want to leave them whole, as shown above, that works too.
How to Heat Leftovers
This dish makes a great lunch for the next day. You can heat leftovers in a small skillet for a few minutes, occasionally shaking the pan until heated through. If you are bringing it to work, you can microwave it on a dinner plate (not a plastic container) for two minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy, as is, right out of the pan.
- Serve over a bed of cauliflower rice and fresh marinara sauce.
- Try Italian Sausage Onions and Peppers with a side Caesar Salad.
Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions serves two for dinner if you're eating it as is. If you make sandwiches, it will serve four.
Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ pounds sweet or hot Italian pork sausage organic or pasture-raised meat
- 3 bell peppers seeded and sliced into 1" strips
- 2 large yellow onions trimmed and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves + more for garnish
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in 12" cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages to hot oil and sear on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Remove sausages to a plate. (They will finish cooking in the oven).
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot skillet; add onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add garlic and basil and cook another minute.
- Add sausages back to the pan and toss with peppers and onions and place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes until cooked through or until sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove pan from the oven.
- Plate and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve hot with rice or pasta.
