Italian Sausage and Peppers
Spicy Italian sausages braised with vibrant bell peppers, onions, and tomato in a rustic, one-pan feast. Hearty, satisfying, and full of Mediterranean flavors.
- 500g Italian sausages (spicy or mild, as preferred)
- 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 400g canned tomatoes, crushed
- to taste salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh basil or parsley, chopped
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, carefully place the Italian sausages in the pan. Do not move them around; let them cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the bottoms develop a deep brown crust. Turn them and brown the other sides for another 3–4 minutes. The sausages don't need to be cooked through—they'll finish cooking in the tomato sauce. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet with the drippings and remaining olive oil, sauté the sliced onion over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the sliced bell peppers and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the peppers begin to soften and take on some caramelization.
- Add the minced garlic to the peppers and onions, stirring constantly, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. These fond bits add tremendous flavor. Stir well to combine everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the sausages will contribute their own saltiness.
- Return the browned sausages to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce among the peppers and onions. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover loosely with a lid, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until the sausages are completely cooked through. The sauce should be simmering gently but not boiling aggressively.
- Test the sausages for doneness—they should be firm when pressed and show no pink inside when cut. The peppers should be completely tender and the sauce should have thickened slightly, coating the vegetables and sausages beautifully.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle the fresh basil or parsley over the top. The dish is now ready to serve.
- Serve hot in shallow bowls or plates, with sausages surrounded by vegetables and sauce. This is delicious with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce, over soft polenta, or nestled in crusty bread rolls as a sandwich. Some like it with pasta on the side.
Chef's Note: Italian Sausage and Peppers is a rustic, satisfying dish that appears in countless variations throughout Italy. It's one-pan cooking at its finest—everything comes together in a single skillet, building flavor as it simmers. The beauty of this dish is its simplicity: good sausages, fresh peppers, and tomato, nothing more. The sausages flavor the vegetables while the vegetables provide sweetness and brightness to balance the sausage's richness and spice.
Choose sausages based on your heat preference: Italian sweet sausages are mild and slightly fennel-forward, while hot sausages bring genuine spice. Some cooks add other vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms to the mix. This dish is excellent as a leftover and actually improves in flavor the next day. It freezes beautifully for up to three months, making it perfect for advance preparation.
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