This Italian sausage and peppers with onions recipe is easy to make, hearty, and full of sweet and savory flavor.
There are so many Italian-American dishes I love, like my chicken piccata, baked rigatoni, and chicken Parmesan. This sausage and peppers is another classic Italian-American meal to add to the roster. Juicy, aromatic Italian sausages browned on the stove, coupled with sweet, savory caramelized onions and bell peppers are an absolutely winning combo in my book. And it’s fast to make. I make this sausage and peppers recipe with Italian sausage made of chicken, but classic pork Italian sausage is an obvious choice, too. The secret to making this recipe extra yummy? A dash of balsamic vinegar adds a tangy sweet zip. Serve it on hoagie rolls, or with rice, Parmesan noodles, or roasted potatoes and you have an affordable family-friendly dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.
What’s in Sausage and Peppers
You only need a few ingredients to make this simple sausage and peppers dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Italian sausage links (pork sausage is the obvious choice, but chicken sausage works too)
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Kosher salt
- Bell peppers (I like using a mix of green, red, yellow or orange)
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Balsamic vinegar
How to Make Sausage and Peppers
This sausage and peppers dish is so simple to make. You just need to allow enough time for your onions to get nice and jammy—so I start them before adding the peppers. Here’s how to make this sausage and peppers recipe:
Brown the sausages. Add the sausages to a large skillet, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook over medium heat until browned, turning so each side gets evenly cooked (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a plate to rest.
Give the onions a headstart. I like my onions sweet and caramelized, so I cook them by themselves for a bit before adding my peppers. In the same skillet the sausages were cooked in, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the peppers. Add the bell peppers, garlic, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Cook for 10-15 more minutes, stirring once in a while as they soften.
Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan, scraping any bits from the bottom. This adds a sweet, acidic umami that takes the peppers to another level.
Add the sausages back to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid so the sausages warm up again before serving.
Do They Eat Sausage and Peppers in Italy
Yes, sausage and peppers is an authentic Italian dish. It’s also a staple food of NYC’s Feast of San Gennaro street festival.
What do You Eat Sausage and Peppers With
While you can certainly enjoy this sausage and peppers dish as is, I love serving this up on a toasted hot dog bun or hoagie roll, with melted cheese a slather of grainy mustard, or pesto mayo (SO good, you’ve gotta try it).
Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 Italian sausages in their casings
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large onion cut in half vertically, then cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 3 bell peppers green, red, yellow , seeded and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Add the sausages to a large skillet, along with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Bring to medium heat and cook for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned on each side, turning so all sides are evenly cooked. Remove from the heat, cover, and rest while you cook the peppers and onions.
- In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté the onion for 10 minutes. If the onions start browning too much, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the bell peppers, garlic, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the peppers soften but still have a bit of crunch. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to scrape up any cooked bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the sausages back to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid so the sausages warm up for a few minutes before serving. Serve with rice, noodles, potatoes, or on hoagie buns.
