Roast these Easy Sausage and Peppers in the oven and you'll never go back to making them on the stove! This is my go-to recipe that's always a hit. A fantastic, sheet-pan dinner ready in under an hour.
Are you still making Italian sausage and peppers on the stove? Because roasting them in the oven is where it’s at.
I’m talking juicy, browned sausage, caramelized onions and peppers and knock-your-socks-off flavor. With barely any effort. Ready in less than an hour.
Read on, if you want to become known as the sausage queen or king. (And don’t miss my Easy Sausage and Peppers how-to video at the end!)
This is my go-to recipe I’ve been making for nearly 17 years. I decided I had no patience for the stovetop method and began experimenting with roasting sausage and peppers in the oven. I’ve now made this more than 120 times and get asked to bring it to parties.
I first shared this Easy Sausage and Peppers recipe three years ago, soon after I launched Cooking with Mamma C. That night, I heard from four friends who’d each made it for dinner.
They raved at the results. Their families were happy. This is a keeper, folks!
I always use my favorite trio of bell peppers — red, yellow and orange. They're more sweet than green peppers and look gorgeous. Yes, they’re more expensive, but look for them on sale.
All you need to do is place your sausage in a baking pan. A dark roasting pan is ideal for caramelizing, but a half-sheet pan will do. (Those are Amazon affiliate links.)
Add sliced peppers and onions, drizzle everything with olive oil, and add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then you'll bake it uncovered, turning over the sausage and stirring around the vegetables just past the halfway point.
When I’m just cooking dinner for my family, I roast the sausage and peppers at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, which will get everything caramelized quickly. Even a few of the onions will start to blacken (we like that.)
For parties, I cut each sausage in half for smaller portions and then bake everything at 375 degrees for 90 minutes. To accommodate large quantities, I use foil roasting pans. They don’t brown everything as well, but transferring the cooked sausage and peppers to a chafing dish with a flame underneath takes care of that.
Whether you’re making this for a party or an easy weeknight meal, make sure you have fresh Italian bread on hand. (You’ve got to dip that bread in the oil!) Or serve the sausage and peppers on hoagies.
And, definitely make enough for leftovers. They won’t freeze well, but they’ll be gobbled up within a few days anyway.
Here are my favorite ways to use leftover sausage and peppers:
- Mixed into pasta (slice the meat into rounds), with Parmesan and olive oil
- Baked on pizza (cut up the cooked sausage and peppers first.) This Homemade Pizza Dough with Beer is the best!
- Made into a Sausage and Peppers Breakfast Casserole
And though I usually use sweet Italian sausage, we’ve also enjoyed substituting:
- Chicken sausage
- Kielbasa (raw or pre-cooked will work)
- Chorizo
Friends, you need these Easy Sausage and Peppers in your life. Whether you go fancy and serve this meal on dinner plates with forks and knives, or tucked into sandwiches on paper dishes (with olive oil dripping down your chins after each bite), enjoy!
Watch the video to learn how to make Easy Sausage and Peppers!
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. I originally posted this recipe on June 8, 2014 and am republishing it with new photos, commentary and a video.)
Easy Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
- 4-6 bell peppers (use red, yellow and orange, sliced)
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for a quicker dinner, or 375 degrees if you are cooking for a party.
- Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray. Prepare the peppers by rinsing and patting them dry with a paper towel. Cut a circle around the stems to remove them. Cut each pepper in half and remove the seeds and membranes. Cut the halves in half again. Then slice each one into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
- Prepare the onions by cutting off the ends, peeling off the skin, and cutting the onions in half. Then cut each half into vertical slices.
- If you are making the sausage for a party, cut each sausage in half horizontally to make smaller portions. Place the sausage in a single layer in the pan. Add the peppers, then onions.
- Drizzle olive oil on each row of sausage. Lightly sprinkle salt on each row. Then sprinkle on pepper and garlic powder, again being sure to season every row.
- Bake, uncovered. If using a 400-degree oven, bake it for 45-50 minutes total, turning over the sausage and stirring around the vegetables after 30 minutes. The sausage should be browned on the bottom before you turn it over. If using a 375-degree oven, bake for 90 minutes total, turning over the sausage and stirring the vegetables after about 50 minutes, again waiting for the sausage to brown on the bottom before turning it over.
- Since ovens vary, be sure to check on the sausage and peppers a couple of times during baking to see if you need to stir them around. Test for doneness by cutting a sausage in half. It should no longer be pink inside.
- Serve with fresh Italian bread or on hoagies.
Notes
- Mixed into pasta (slice the meat into rounds), with Parmesan and olive oil
- Baked on pizza (cut up the cooked sausage and peppers first.) This Homemade Pizza Dough with Beer is the best!
- Made into a Sausage and Peppers Breakfast Casserole
- Chicken sausage
- Kielbasa (raw or pre-cooked will work)
- Chorizo
Jeannette Sagrestano
I have made this before and enjoyed it. I am making it tonight and wanted to check back and read how you did it. I make enough to have leftover the next day. It is great on a roll too.
Mamma C
Hi Jeannette - Thanks for letting me know!
gene
can kielbasa be substuted for the sweet sausage? i made this dish and it was great except i'm not a fan of the sausage. thanks
Mamma C
Hi Gene - Yes, you can use raw or pre-cooked kielbasa.
sharon cohran
I usually never reply , this needs to be...FANTASTIC!! Don't change a thing....this works ...
Mamma C
Hi Sharon - I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Carol P
This is my go to recipe for sausage and peppers. I’m even adding whole little red potatoes. The juice (fat) gives potatoes great flavor. Will add some fresh diced garlic and a dash of red pepper flakes for kick.
Since I have fresh basil in garden, will dice some up for garnish. Thanks for the recipe!
Mamma C
Hi Carol - The addition of potatoes and basil sounds delicious! I'm so happy this has become your go-to recipe for sausage and peppers.
Betty P.
These were so simple and amazing. I made them for a family reunion and now I keep getting requests to make them for future gatherings. My aunts have raved about them to family members who were not at the reunion so now everyone keeps asking me to make them so they can personally try them. I haven’t told anybody how easy they are!
Mamma C
Hi Betty - It's our secret! I'm so glad everyone loved the sausage and peppers. Thanks for letting me know.
Catherine Douglas
This was soooo much easier than stove top AND even tasted better!!
Mamma C
Hi Catherine - That's music to my ears! I agree. I'm so glad you enjoyed the sausage and peppers.
Lynn
Great easy impressive recipe. I will be making this in the future. I doubled recipe and added a few cloves of garlic. Many compliments from friends.
Mamma C
Hi Lynn - I love hearing that! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the sausage and peppers.
Sue
Hi: Do you need to put the sausage on a rack? because of the grease? Thanks
Mamma C
Hi Sue - I've never used a rack with this.
Donna Moody
This couldn't have been any easier or tasted any better. I'll never do top of the stove ever again. Thank you!
Mamma C
Hi Donna - I'm so glad! I'll never make sausage and peppers on the stove again either.
James Ruggiero
If your using the the thin Italian pork sausage ring instead of links, how much less time to cook it in the oven ?
Mamma C
Hi James - Maybe 25-30 minutes, and then cut one open to see if it's done. The peppers and onions will need to cook for 45-50 minutes though.