Sausage and Peppers

A simple, satisfying favorite.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• One-pan Italian-American classic.
• Better the next day for leftovers.
• Works as sandwich, pasta sauce, or polenta topping.
• Crowd-pleaser for a casual dinner.
• Budget-friendly using affordable cuts.

Ingredient Notes

• A mix of sweet and hot Italian sausage gives the best balance.
• Crushed tomatoes give the right body; diced is too watery.
• Sliced (not minced) garlic adds visual presence and milder flavor.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Chicken Italian sausage for lighter version.
• Roasted red peppers from a jar in place of fresh in a pinch.
• Polenta, pasta, or rice in place of bread.

Equipment Needed

• Large deep skillet or Dutch oven
• Tongs
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife

Prep Tips

• Slice peppers and onions to the same size for even cooking.
• Use a deep skillet so the sauce has room to reduce without splattering.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 sausage, 1 medium bell pepper, sliced, 1 medium onion, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium tomato, diced, 4 slices bread. mince the garlic, dice the onion, and chop the vegetables into even pieces before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Brown sausage links; slice.

3. 3

   Sauté peppers, onion, garlic.

4. 4

   Return sausage with tomato, simmer 10 min. Cook pork to 145°F internal and rest 3 minutes; ground pork to 160°F.

5. 5

   Serve on bread.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Brown the sausages whole first — slicing pre-cook loses too much juice.
• Let the peppers char slightly for sweetness and depth.
• Simmer just until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, not soupy.

Common Mistakes

• Crowding the pan and steaming peppers.
• Slicing sausages before browning, losing juices.
• Under-simmering, leaving raw garlic notes.

Recipe Tags