Description
This classic Sausage and Peppers recipe features flavorful Italian sausage cooked with colorful bell peppers, onions, and a savory tomato sauce. It’s an easy skillet dish perfect as a hearty main course served with hoagie buns or your favorite side like potatoes, rice, or pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 5 Italian sausage links (20 oz.), mild or spicy
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large bell peppers (one red, and one yellow or green), cored and sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1 large roma tomato, halved and sliced
Sauce and Seasonings
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, then more to taste
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (grated with a rasp grater)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Sausages: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage links and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the skillet.
- Sauté Peppers and Onions: Return the skillet to medium heat and add sliced bell peppers and onions. Sauté for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in tomato paste, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute to release the aromas.
- Create Sauce: Pour in chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Add sliced roma tomato, chopped fresh basil, dried oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mixture to combine.
- Simmer Sausages: Nestle the browned sausages into the pepper mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the sausages reach an internal temperature of 160°F and the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup more chicken broth if the sauce needs thinning.
- Rest Sausages: Remove sausages from the pan and let rest under foil for 5 minutes on a cutting board. Keep the pepper mixture warm in the pan covered with the lid.
- Combine and Serve: Slice the sausages and return them to the pepper mixture. Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese. Toss gently and garnish with chopped basil or parsley. Serve warm inside hoagie buns or alongside potatoes, rice, polenta, or pasta.
Notes
- You can use mild or spicy Italian sausage depending on your heat preference.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute sausage with plant-based sausage alternatives.
- If chicken broth is unavailable, low-sodium vegetable broth can be used.
- Grating parmesan with a rasp grater yields the finest texture and best melting quality.
- Serve with crusty bread or over pasta to complete the meal.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
