Bake Sausage, Peppers and Onions in the oven and you'll never go back to making them on the stove! Ready in less than an hour, this is the best sausage and peppers recipe! It's a fantastic, sheet-pan dinner.
Are you still making Italian sausage and peppers on the stove? Because baking 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 Italian Peppers in Oil!)
I've been baking sausage, peppers and onions for more than 25 years. I decided I had no patience for the stovetop method and needed something easier.
I've now made this hundreds of times and get asked to bring it to parties!
I first shared this easy sausage and peppers recipe in 2014, 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 the best sausage and peppers recipe, folks!
Recipe ingredients
Sausage: I usually use sweet Italian sausage, but you could use hot Italian sausage if you know people won't mind. We've also enjoyed substituting:
- Chicken sausage
- Kielbasa (raw or pre-cooked will work)
- Chorizo
Peppers: I always use my favorite trio of bell peppers - red, yellow and orange. They're sweeter than green peppers and look gorgeous.
Onions: You can use red, white or yellow onions here. Red onions will add a little sweetness, which I love.
How to bake sausage, peppers and onions
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
All you need to do is place the sausage in a greased baking pan. A dark roasting pan (affiliate link) is ideal for caramelizing, but a half-sheet pan (affiliate link) will do.
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.
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.)
Recipe tips
- Turn over the sausage when the first side is browned. You want to brown both sides for the best flavor.
- Stir the peppers and onions around when you flip the sausage, so they won't stick and will cook more evenly.
Making sausage and peppers for a crowd
- Plan on buying one Italian sausage link per person at a minimum. Go with 1 ½ links per person if you want leftovers.
- To make baked sausage and peppers for a crowd, cut each sausage link in half for smaller portions.
- Bake at 400 degrees F as directed in the recipe card. (I used to bake it longer at 375 degrees F, but now prefer the quicker baking time at higher heat.)
- To accommodate large quantities, you can use foil roasting pans (affiliate link). They won't brown everything as well as a metal pan, but transferring the cooked sausage and peppers to a chafing dish (affiliate link) with a flame underneath takes care of that.
- If there won't be a chafing dish with a flame, you can bake the Italian sausage, peppers and onions in dark roasting pans or sheet pans so they brown nicely, then transfer the cooked food to large foil pans. The sausage and peppers can stay out for up to two hours without being heated.
What to serve with it
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.
I also like to serve this with The Best Italian Green Salad and these Oven-Roasted Potatoes.
And, definitely make enough sausage and peppers for leftovers. They won't freeze well, but they'll be gobbled up within a few days anyway.
How to use leftovers
- 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 an Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole
Friends, you need to make these Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions. 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!
Frequently asked questions
The leftovers are good for up to four days. Refrigerate them in a sealed container and reheat portions in the microwave.
I don't recommend freezing cooked sausage and peppers. I've tried it, and the taste and texture aren't the same.
It will take 90 minutes to cook Italian sausage and peppers in the oven at 375 degrees F. Bake them uncovered.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Italian sausage needs to be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Sausage made from turkey or chicken needs to cook longer, until it reaches 165 degrees F.
More recipes like this
- Italian Stuffed Peppers
- One-Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
- Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary and Garlic
If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a rating!
Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage (or chicken sausage, kielbasa or chorizo)
- 4-6 bell peppers (use red, yellow and orange, sliced)
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 dash garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a dark roasting pan (preferred) or a sheet 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 ½ 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.
- 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 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 to dip in the oil or serve it in hoagies for sandwiches. Store leftover sausage and peppers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
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 Egg Casserole
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on June 8, 2014, updated in 2017 with new photos and a video, and updated now with additional information.)
Susan Venditti says
So glad I found your website loved the post! I've been making sausage n peppers for parties like this for many years, my chef friend who does catering taught me well. The only thing I do differently is I use a separate pan for each because i found the onions cook differently from the peppers etc. When done cooking I slice the sausage on the diagonal into chunks and then combine all in one pan. I have always made this the night before a party and the next day just pop it back in the oven until heated through. Its a winner! I think it tastes better actually after sitting overnight so the flavors meld. And, by the way, I'm known as Mamma Venditti so I am totally with you. Thanks for sharing your recipe I think I'll try it your way next time since its even easier.
Mamma C says
Hi Susan - I'm so glad you found my website too! I appreciate your tip about making the sausage and peppers the night before a party, and then reheating it.
Stephen says
for a little extra flavor , I throw a bunch of sun dried tomatoes In and a teaspoon of sugar
Mamma C says
Hi Stephen - Thanks for sharing!
Jeannette Sagrestano says
I love the sausage and pepper recipe - delicious and so very easy to make.
Mamma C says
Hi Jeannette - I'm so glad you loved it! Thanks for letting me know.
Lesleigh B says
This Easy Sausage and Peppers recipe from Cooking with Mamma C is perfection! A one-pan dish that’s so easy to make. Cooked at 400 degrees, the veggies and sausage are perfectly caramelized and oh so flavorful. Delizioso! 😋
Mamma C says
I'm glad this worked well for you, Lesleigh! Thank you so much for the feedback.
Clay says
Prepared this according to your recipe (I used a mix of both sweet and hot Italian peppers.) It was super easy to prepare and so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Mamma C says
I'm happy to hear this worked so well for you, Clay! You're welcome, and thank you for your comment.
DT says
I just now made this recipe. I followed the instructions completely and watched/followed the video as well. This is, and I'm not exaggerating in the slightest, the best sausage & peppers I've ever had. A+++. Thank you for this!
Mamma C says
DT, I'm so glad you agree these are the best sausage and peppers! Enjoy!
Caren Zeiger says
I made this recipe tonight however, for the peppers I decided to broil them separately and then wrap them in a wet paper towel and the skin falls off and the seeds come out! Then I chopped and added to the finished sausages and onions.....that’s amore!!!!💜🖤
Mamma C says
That sounds delicious, Caren! You might like this recipe for Roasted Peppers Sautéed with Garlic in Olive Oil.
Cynthia Y says
Just made it....delicious! Very easy, very tasty!
Thank you!😊
Mamma C says
I make this all the time, Cynthia! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Mary says
Can this be made the night before for a party? How would you reheat it? Thanks.
Mamma C says
Mary, I've never tried that. We always just warm up individual portions in the microwave. To get a head start for a party, I would cut up the peppers and onions, cut up the sausage if needed, and store the meat and veggies separately in the refrigerator. Then I'd assemble and bake them the day of the party. I've used those foil pans with a flame underneath to keep the sausage and peppers warm before and during a party.
Susan Venditti says
I leave it covered in the pan and pop into a 350 degree oven for about 30 min or until heated through.
Joann says
A huge hit!! And I love how much easier it is to make a large batch (esp. With teenagers home for Summer). Amazing how sweet and savory the peppers, onions and sausages become....and you only have to toss it around once during the cooking time!!! This is a keeper!
Thanks Andrea!!
Mamma C says
I'm so glad, Joann! Thanks for circling back to let me know. I thought of you tonight, because I cooked some rigatoni to go with our leftover sausage and peppers. I sliced the sausage into rounds before warming everything up, then tossed it in the pasta, added a bit of the cooking water, and stirred in some Parmesan. Very quick, and it really hit the spot.
Joann says
Have only prepared this on the stove top with sliced sausage...usually tossed with penne. Love this idea of carmelizing in oven and will try it this week.
Totally agree about your pepper selection...green peppers are boring and just cause reflux 🙂
Thanks for the recipe !
Mamma C says
I hope you like it, Joann! This would be great with pasta too. Or sometimes, I throw in some potatoes to roast as well.