Description
This hearty Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers recipe combines tender pork sausages with sweet bell peppers and onions in a savory marinara sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, this classic Italian-American dish cooks slowly to develop rich flavors while requiring minimal hands-on preparation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 medium pork sausage links
- 3 large bell peppers (cut into strips)
- 1 large onion (sliced into half moons, the same width as the pepper strips)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Brown the Sausages: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sausage links and cook for about 2 minutes per side, just until browned on the outside. Don’t worry about cooking them through as they’ll finish cooking in the slow cooker.
- Prepare the Vegetable Base: While the sausages are browning, combine the sliced bell peppers, onions, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in your slow cooker. Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with the seasonings. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the vegetable mixture.
- Add Sausages and Cook: Transfer the browned sausage links to the slow cooker, placing them on top of the vegetable and sauce mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 4-5 hours or on High for 2-3 hours, until the sausages are completely cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Serve: Once done, serve the sausages with the pepper and onion mixture, spooning extra sauce over the top as desired.
Notes
- For best texture, avoid overcooking the peppers and onions. If you prefer them with a bit more crunch, consider adding them halfway through the cooking time.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the sausages, though this step adds extra flavor.
- For a cheesy variation, sprinkle shredded mozzarella or provolone over the dish during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
- This dish can also be made in the oven at a temperature of 350°F (175°C) for about 45-60 minutes.
- Serve with crusty bread, over pasta, or stuffed in hoagie rolls for a classic sausage and peppers sandwich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sausage link + 3/4 cup vegetables
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
