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Easy Slow Cooker Sausage and Green Peppers Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Sausage and Green Peppers

Italian sausage slowly cooks with green peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes for a flavorful Crockpot dinner. Serve it as a sandwich filling or with pasta, rice, or polenta.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage links, mild or hot
  • 2 Medium green bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
  • 1 Large yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can Tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5-ounce can Diced tomatoes, undrained
Seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes, optional
For Browning
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil, only if needed for browning

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Slice the onion and green bell peppers, and mince the garlic. Set the vegetables aside while you prepare the sausage.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Serve the sausages whole or slice them into portions. Spoon the peppers and tomato sauce over toasted hoagie rolls, pasta, rice, or polenta.

Notes

Browning the sausage is optional but adds richer flavor and better color. Do not add extra liquid because the vegetables release moisture as they cook. For slightly firmer peppers, add very thinly sliced peppers during the final 1–2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat until hot.