This sausage and peppers skillet is easy to make and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. It's ready in about 30 minutes!
I just love the sausage peppers and onions combo. It's quite popular, and I've seen it done in many different ways. Sometimes it's done with Italian sausages that are left whole, and I've even seen oven versions. In fact, I even made one version a long time ago with tortellini (Sausage Tortellini Skillet with Peppers).
I wanted to make this a quick and easy skillet recipe. I chose smoked sausage because you can easily slice it up (it's already cooked), and so the dish cooks faster overall.
I used assorted colors of bell peppers (one red, one yellow, and one green), but feel free to use all the same color or whatever you prefer! My favorite onions to cook with are sweet (Vidalia) onions.
I love it as-is, but if you want to kick the heat up a bit, throw in some crushed red pepper flakes or even a bit of sriracha or hot sauce.
How to make sausage and peppers
Fry the sausage (I cut it into rounds) until crispy, then take it out of the skillet. Add in the onions and give them a head start, then add in the peppers. Cook until tender-crisp or as soft as you want them to be. Stir in the garlic and then add the sausage back in. Serve over egg noodles or whatever you prefer. (Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below).
What to serve with sausage and peppers?
I like to serve it with egg noodles, but any kind of pasta, rice, or even potatoes would work (try mashed or even just plain old boiled potatoes). You can eat it as-is if you want to keep the dish low carb, or try cauliflower rice. I've also seen it served in a hoagie roll (sandwich).
This recipe makes tasty leftovers... my husband took them to work for his lunches and simply reheated it in the microwave. This easy dish is sure to become a family favorite!
Other sausage recipes to try:
- Easy Sausage Rigatoni
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup
- One Pan Tortellini with Sausage
- Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi (One Pan, 20 Minutes)
Let me know if you've made this recipe!
Questions? Leave me a comment below.
Sausage and Peppers Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked sausage sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 3 bell peppers sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients. I like to serve this recipe with egg noodles, but you can serve it with whatever you decide. If doing egg noodles/pasta, I suggest starting to boil the water as you begin cooking the sausages.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the sausage pieces until they're browned/crispy on all sides (about 8-10 minutes), then remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion to the skillet and sauté it for 2-3 minutes (add more oil to the pan if it seems too dry), and then add in the peppers and continue cooking until they're tender-crisp. I like to get a little char on mine, so I cook them for a bit longer and ensure the pan stays HOT.
- When everything is looking to be about done, stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute or so.
- Add the sausages back and give it a good stir. Serve over drained egg noodles or whatever you're serving it with. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- I used a Ukrainian smoked sausage coil for this recipe. Any smoked sausage will work, or something like kielbasa would also work. I buy the kind that's already fully cooked. If you use a sausage that's raw, you will have to cook it for longer and probably drain some of the fat depending on what kind of sausage you buy.
- This is the Lodge cast iron pan I used for this recipe. You don't need to use a cast iron pan, but I do find it makes getting a nice sear a bit easier.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Skinny Guy says
Easy to make and tasty but not satisfying enough. Would like to try adding some kind of sauce or butter to it.
Enrique Garcia says
This was a tasty recipe that was easy to make not to mention economical. I added some thyme to give the flavor a bit more complexity. I might also experiment with adding some butter at the end for more depth. Will be making again. 🙂
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Barbara Franks says
It was fantastic
I used to put everything in at once, I won’t do that again.
Thanks 😊
Natasha says
So pleased you enjoyed it, Barbara!! 😀
Robert says
I'll be cooking this tonight.
Your picture looks like there are a few strands of chopped-up tagliatelle mixed in but it's not mentioned in the recipe. At what point do you add them? Did you just boil them separately, chop them, and then mix them in at the end? Or did you cook them a little in the sausage/peppers mix? Also, what is the herb that you added, is it parsley? It's not mentioned in the recipe
Natasha says
Hi Robert! It's egg noodles (I mention in the post how that's my preferred way to serve it). Yes, I just boil them separately and then toss it together. The garnish is just parsley so the photos pop more. I don't mention it because you really don't need to add it. It won't make or break the dish at all. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Robert says
Cooked this exactly as described using some smoked salami. I served it with white rice. It was quick, easy, very tasty, and my little boy loved it.
Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful!! 🙂
Nancy Jeffery says
Colorful, attractive, easy and delicious! Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting, Nancy!
isabel says
I love this combo! Looks absolutely delicious
Natasha says
Thanks! 🙂
Ashlyn @ F5 Method says
Peppers and onions are two of my favorite things to cook with because they easily add so much color and flavor naturally. I love the sausage dinner idea with them and that this recipe is just 6 ingredients! Looks delish Natasha!
Natasha says
Totally!! Thanks, Ashlyn!