This easy slow cooker sausage and green peppers recipe combines Italian sausage, green bell peppers, yellow onion, garlic, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes in one comforting Crockpot meal. Brown the sausage first for extra flavor, then cook everything on LOW for 5–6 hours or on HIGH for about 3 hours, until the sausage reaches a safe internal temperature and the peppers are tender.
Each bite delivers savory sausage, sweet onions, tender peppers, and a rich tomato sauce with Italian seasoning. Serve the sausages whole or sliced over toasted hoagie rolls, pasta, rice, or creamy polenta for a hearty dinner that requires very little hands-on work.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This Crockpot sausage and peppers recipe is built for busy evenings. After a short preparation period, the slow cooker takes care of the meal while the sausage simmers gently in a tomato-rich sauce.
The ingredient list is familiar, affordable, and easy to find. Italian sausage provides plenty of savory flavor, while green peppers and onions soften into the sauce and balance the richness of the meat.
You can serve this dish in several ways, so it works for a casual family dinner, a game-day spread, or a make-ahead meal. For another comforting sausage dinner with vegetables, you can also try this slow cooker sausage and cabbage meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Use 1 1/2 pounds of Italian sausage links, which is about six links. Mild sausage gives the sauce a gentle, family-friendly flavor, while hot sausage adds more spice; combining both is also a delicious option.
- Peppers: Two medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips.
- Aromatics: One large yellow onion and three minced garlic cloves.
- Tomatoes: One 15-ounce can of tomato sauce and one 14.5-ounce can of undrained diced tomatoes.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Oil: Up to one tablespoon of olive oil, used only when browning the sausage in a skillet.
The canned tomato liquid is enough moisture for this recipe. Avoid adding broth or water, since the peppers and onions release additional liquid during slow cooking and too much can make the sauce thin.
If you enjoy the classic sausage, pepper, and onion combination but want a lower-carbohydrate serving idea, see this low-carb sausage and peppers option for inspiration.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Begin by preparing the vegetables. Slice the onion and green peppers into strips of similar thickness, then mince the garlic finely so it disperses throughout the tomato sauce.
Step 2: Brown the sausage if you have a few extra minutes. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the links for 8–10 minutes, turning them as needed until lightly browned on the outside; they do not need to be fully cooked because they will finish in the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add the sliced onion and peppers to the slow cooker before adding the sausage. This creates a vegetable bed that allows the onions and peppers to cook gently beneath and around the links.
Step 4: Add the garlic, tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir the sauce and vegetables lightly, but do not worry about making every ingredient perfectly even because the mixture will cook down together.
Step 5: Nestle the browned or uncooked sausage links into the sauce and vegetables. Keep the links mostly surrounded by the tomato mixture so they cook evenly and share their savory juices with the sauce.
Step 6: Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours. The finished peppers should be tender, the sauce should be bubbling gently, and the sausage should be cooked through.
Step 7: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the center of the thickest sausage link. Pork or beef sausage must reach at least 160°F, while poultry sausage must reach 165°F.
Step 8: Let the sausage rest briefly, then serve it whole or slice it into smaller pieces. Spoon plenty of peppers and tomato sauce over each serving so every bite includes the vegetables and rich sauce.
Serving Ideas for Sausage and Peppers
The most traditional presentation is a sausage and pepper sandwich. Split and toast hoagie rolls, then fill them with a sausage link, soft peppers, onions, and a generous spoonful of tomato sauce.
For a fork-and-plate dinner, serve the sausage and sauce over pasta, rice, or polenta. Pasta catches the tomato sauce beautifully, rice keeps the meal simple, and creamy polenta makes the dish especially comforting.
- Add grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella just before serving.
- Offer toasted garlic bread for soaking up extra sauce.
- Pair the meal with a crisp green salad or steamed vegetables.
- Use sliced sausage over a grain bowl for an easy lunch the next day.
When planning a spread of slow-cooker comfort food, these slow cooker Swedish meatballs make another excellent option for appetizers or a cozy buffet.
Pro Tips for the Best Crockpot Results
Browning the sausage is optional, but it improves the finished color and adds a deeper roasted note. If you are short on time, place the sausage directly into the slow cooker and continue with the recipe.
Cut the peppers and onions into sturdy strips rather than tiny pieces. They will soften as they cook, and larger pieces are less likely to disappear into the sauce.
For peppers with a little more bite, use very thinly sliced peppers during the final 1–2 hours of cooking. This timing keeps them slightly firmer than the vegetables added at the beginning.
Choose mild or hot Italian sausage according to your preference. A mixture of sweet and hot links gives the pot a balanced flavor, while the optional red pepper flakes let you adjust the heat without changing the main ingredients.
Do not overcrowd the slow cooker with additional vegetables or extra meat unless you also use a sufficiently large cooker. Keeping the ingredient proportions close to the recipe helps the sausage cook evenly and prevents the sauce from becoming watery.
Easy Variations
For a sweeter flavor and more color, replace one green bell pepper with one red bell pepper. The red pepper softens in the same amount of cooking time and adds a gentle fruity note to the tomato sauce.
You can also replace the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with about 24 ounces of jarred marinara sauce. Choose a marinara you already enjoy, and remember that many sauces are seasoned already, so taste carefully before adding all of the salt.
The recipe works with 1–2 pounds of sausage depending on whether you are serving sandwiches or making the sausage the main part of a plated dinner. If you are looking for another family-friendly sausage casserole, this cheesy breakfast sausage and tater tot casserole is a hearty choice.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and transfer the sausage, peppers, and sauce to airtight containers. Refrigerate them and enjoy within a few days, reheating individual portions in the microwave or warming larger portions gently in a covered saucepan.
Reheat until the sausage and sauce are hot throughout. If the sauce thickens in the refrigerator, stir in a small spoonful of water while warming, but add liquid sparingly.
Leftovers are particularly good tucked into fresh rolls or spooned over pasta. Store the sausage and sauce separately from toasted bread so the rolls remain crisp when you are ready to serve.
For a different slow-cooker dinner with warm spices and a creamy tomato sauce, keep this slow cooker butter chicken recipe on your meal plan as well.
Easy Slow Cooker Sausage and Green Peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the onion and green bell peppers, and mince the garlic. Set the vegetables aside while you prepare the sausage.
- For optional browning, warm a skillet over medium heat and add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed. Brown the sausage links for 8–10 minutes, turning them so the outsides develop color; they do not need to be fully cooked yet.
- Place the sliced onion and green peppers in the slow cooker. Add the minced garlic, tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Nestle the sausage links into the tomato and vegetable mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours.
- Check the center of the sausage before serving. Pork or beef sausage should reach at least 160°F, while poultry sausage should reach 165°F; the peppers should be tender and the sauce hot.
- Serve the sausages whole or slice them into portions. Spoon the peppers and tomato sauce over toasted hoagie rolls, pasta, rice, or polenta.
Notes
Final Thoughts
Easy slow cooker sausage and green peppers is the kind of dependable dinner that rewards you with rich flavor after very little effort. The combination of Italian sausage, tender peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes creates a satisfying sauce that can be served in a sandwich or alongside your favorite starch.
Brown the sausage when you want deeper color, or skip that step for maximum convenience. Either way, cook it until it reaches the proper internal temperature, avoid adding extra liquid, and let the Crockpot turn these simple ingredients into a warm, filling meal.
Set out toasted rolls, pasta, rice, or polenta and let everyone choose their favorite serving style. Once you taste the tender sausage and savory peppers together, this easy recipe is likely to become a regular part of your Crockpot rotation.