Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers
Add Preferred SourceNeed a simple, flavorful meal for busy nights? This slow cooker sausage and peppers recipe is the perfect solution. It features juicy Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, and a rich marinara sauce—all cooked low and slow for maximum flavor with minimal effort. Just toss everything in the slow cooker, let it work its magic, and enjoy a hearty, delicious meal.
This dish is great for game days, family dinners, or casual gatherings. The sausages turn out tender, while the peppers absorb all the seasonings. Serve it in a hoagie roll, over pasta, or on its own—it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage links – I like mild sausage but you could use hot, or even a combination of both.
- Yellow onion – You can use yellow, brown, white or even sweet onion.
- Garlic – Please use real garlic; it has so much more flavor than jarlic.
- Red peppers – You can really use any color of pepper, just remove the stem and seeds.
- Yellow peppers
- Green pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Marinara sauce – Or your favorite tomato sauce.
How To Make Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Pour the marinara sauce into the slow cooker insert, set it to high, cover, and let it warm while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the sausage links until browned on all sides. The sausages do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer them to the slow cooker, placing them directly on top of the sauce.
In the same skillet, cook the sliced onions over medium heat until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, then spread the mixture over the sausages in the slow cooker.
Layer the sliced bell peppers evenly over the onions and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours or on low for about 5 hours, until the sausages are fully cooked and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serve hot in toasted buns, over pasta, or alongside creamy polenta.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Want more spice? Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild.
- Searing the sausage adds flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the lid in the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some liquid evaporate.
- The flavors deepen overnight, making leftovers even tastier!
Make It A Meal
Pair with a crisp Caesar salad for a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors of the sausage and peppers. The creamy dressing and crunchy croutons make it a well-balanced meal.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian sausage links
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red peppers seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
- 2 yellow peppers seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
- 1 green pepper seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
Instructions
- Pour the marinara sauce into the slow cooker insert and set it to high. Cover and let it warm up while prepping the other ingredients.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the sausage links until golden brown on the outside, turning occasionally. No need to cook them through. If the sausages are lean, add a little oil to prevent sticking. Transfer them to the slow cooker, placing them on top of the sauce.
- Cook the sliced onions over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for another minute until fragrant. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, spreading it over the sausages.
- Evenly distribute the sliced bell peppers over the onion layer. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours, until the sausages reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve in toasted buns with cheese, over pasta, or with creamy polenta for a comforting meal.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Want more spice? Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild.
- Searing the sausage adds flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the lid in the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some liquid evaporate.
- The flavors deepen overnight, making leftovers even tastier!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
