This Slow Cooker Peppers and Sausage recipe couldn’t be easier or more delicious!
Juicy Italian sausages are slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce with tender bell peppers, onions, and fragrant Italian herbs. Pair it with crusty bread, sandwich buns, or your favorite rice or pasta side dish for the perfect busy weeknight meal.
I’ve been looking for some new and exciting crock pot recipes lately, and with this one, I’ve definitely found a new favorite.
The classic Italian flavors of tomato sauce, garlic, and fragrant herbs pair perfectly with sausage and bell peppers to create a hearty, comforting meal that the whole family will enjoy!
Serve the perfectly cooked sausages on sandwich rolls as a quick and easy option, or slice the sausage and enjoy it over rice, pasta, or potatoes!
Made this for my family and everyone agreed it was delicious ! Added some carrots and served with mashed potatoes, peas and corn. Will definitely make again.
Lorraine
Looking for more simple crock pot recipes? Try my Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi, or Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers next.
Slow Cooker Peppers and Sausage Recipe Highlights
- Juicy Sausage – Some recipes will have you throw the raw sausage right into the crock pot, but I prefer to brown it first on the stove. This step helps to keep the sausage juicy, and adds wonderful flavor.
- Simple Ingredients – You only need 7 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) to make this easy recipe
- Quick Prep – Toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the cooking for you! This slow-cooked sausage and peppers recipe can be ready in as little as 4 hours.
Ingredients for Sausage and Peppers in the Slow Cooker
Here’s what you need to make this easy and delicious crock pot sausage meal:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sausage: Italian sausage is already perfectly seasoned with garlic and spices, including the signature flavor of fennel seed. Choose sweet Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage, depending on your preference. If you’ve got German sausages, try my Slow Cooker Bratwurst with Sauerkraut instead!
- Bell Peppers: Use a mix of colorful bell peppers for a vibrant dish. Red, green, yellow, and/or orange peppers all work perfectly here.
- Onion: Along with the peppers, slice a sweet onion into thick strips so that the vegetable pieces don’t disappear into the sauce.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jarred sauce to add flavor and moisture to this crock pot recipe.
- Seasonings: Fresh minced garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.
How To Make Sausage and Peppers in the Slow Cooker
Tip!
Italian pork sausages are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C. If your sausages are made with chicken or turkey, cook them to 165°F/71°C.
Recipe Tips
- Use a large slow cooker. This recipe works best in a 7 or 8-quart crock pot.
- Don’t slice the peppers and onions too thin. They should be wider than ¼ inch so that they don’t cook down too small.
- If you prefer your peppers and onions to be less soft, add the vegetables to the crockpot during the last hour of cooking, rather than in the beginning.
- Want extra spice? Make this with spicy Italian sausage, or add some crushed red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce.
- Searing the sausages gives the dish extra flavor and helps them to stay juicy. They won’t be fully cooked at this point, but will finish cooking in the crock pot.
- If you don’t have marinara sauce, you can also make this with crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce. The seasonings we’re adding will bump up the flavor wonderfully.
- Add Cheese! Sprinkle some freshly grated mozzarella over the sausage in the crockpot a few minutes before you’re ready to serve it. Let it melt to make a delicious cheesy dish.
Storing Tips
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days, and make delicious leftovers for lunch during the week.
You can also freeze cooked peppers and sausage for up to 2 months. I like to portion it in freezer bags. Thaw and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Italian Sausage
- Make Sandwiches: Add sausages to hoagie rolls or hot dog buns along with a portion of the peppers and onions. Serve just like this, or add a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese. Place the sandwiches under the broiler for a bit to melt it.
- Enjoy with Pasta: I like to slice the sausages and serve the saucy dish over egg noodles, buttered noodles, or olive oil pasta. For a low carb option, try it with zucchini noodles.
- Over Rice: Enjoy this with white rice , brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
- Sausage and Potatoes: Always a fantastic combination! Serve this slow cooker meal with sour cream mashed potatoes, grilled potatoes in foil or roasted fingerling potatoes.
- With a Salad: Add some extra veggie nutrition to your dinner with a simple salad with homemade Italian dressing. You might also like my Caesar salad or Italian caprese salad.
- For Dessert, try my tiramisu, Italian rainbow cookies, or easy cannoli dip.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make this Ahead of Time?
Yes you can! Brown the sausages and add everything to the crock pot, then cover and store it in the fridge for up to a day. Cook as directed when you’re ready. Because you can do the prep work ahead of time, this recipe works really well for tailgating and camping.
Can I skip the searing step?
Only if you’re in a very big hurry. Searing the sausage is a key step to keeping it juicy and tender. If you’d rather skip this step, just throw the sausage into the recipe raw.
Can I slow cook frozen Italian sausage?
While you technically can, I don’t recommend putting frozen meat into a crockpot for food safety reasons. Instead, thaw the frozen sausages in the fridge overnight and then prepare the recipe as instructed.
Save this peppers and sausage recipe, and add it to your slow cooker recipes file ASAP! It’s a delicious and simple dinner that requires almost no prep work.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Peppers and Sausage
Equipment
- Slow cooker 7-quart or larger
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers about 8 cups sliced, sliced into thick strips
- 1 large sweet onion about 2 cups sliced, sliced into thick strips
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 pounds Italian sausage about 10 medium-sized sausages
- 22 ounces jarred marinara sauce
- Fresh parsley chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In the base of a 7-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the sliced bell peppers, sliced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir well to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the Italian sausages on all sides until browned but not fully cooked. This step adds flavor and helps the sausages hold their shape.
- Place the seared sausages on top of the pepper mixture in the crock pot. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the sausages.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. The sausages should be fully cooked, and the peppers and onions should be tender.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve warm. Enjoy with crusty bread, on sausage buns, or slice the sausages and serve over rice or pasta.
Notes:
- Italian pork sausages are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C. If your sausages are made with chicken or turkey, cook them to 165°F/71°C.
- For a vibrant presentation, use multiple colors of bell peppers in this recipe.
- Want extra spice? Make this with hot Italian sausage, or add some crushed red peppers to the marinara sauce.
- Use a large slow cooker. This recipe works best in a 7 or 8-quart crock pot.
- Don’t slice the peppers and onions too thin. They should be wider than ¼ inch so that they don’t cook down too small.
- If you prefer your peppers and onions to be less soft, add them to the crockpot during the last hour of cooking, rather than in the beginning.
- Searing the sausages gives the dish extra flavor and helps them to stay juicy. They won’t be fully cooked at this point, but will finish cooking in the crock pot.
- Add Cheese! Sprinkle some freshly grated mozzarella over the sausage in the crockpot a few minutes before you’re ready to serve it. Let it melt to make a delicious cheesy dish.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Lorraine says
Made this for my family and everyone agreed it was delicious ! Added some carrots and served with mashed potatoes, peas and corn. Will definitely make again
Little Sunny Kitchen says
What a delicious dinner you made them! Thank you so much for trying my recipe.
Diane Irvine says
Can I use this recipe in a small slow cooker by
Cutting it in half?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I think that would work just fine! I recommend a larger slow cooker for the full recipe, but if you’re only doing half the amount of sausage and veggies, a 4 or 5 quart should work perfectly.