This easy Crockpot Sausage and Peppers recipe makes weeknight dinners effortless! Juicy Italian sausage, colorful bell peppers, and onions slow-cook into a hearty, flavorful slow cooker Italian dinner for busy weeknights that everyone will love.
This classic slow cooker sausage and peppers dish is hands-off, versatile, and perfect for busy nights. Serve it on sandwiches, over pasta, with rice, or as a simple plated dinner. While this version is cooked without sauce to let the natural flavors shine, you can easily add marinara or tomato sauce for a saucier, Italian-style twist. Pair it with air fryer frozen crispy fries, crispy air fried onion rings, or Parmesan roasted brussel sprouts to make it a complete, crowd-pleasing meal!
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers Recipe
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 mins
- 🔥 Cook Time: 6 hrs (LOW) / 4 hrs (HIGH)
- 🕒 Total Time: 6 hrs 10 mins
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 6
- 🥗 Calories: 294 kcal
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🍝 How to Serve: Over Amish Buttered Noodles, Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, or in Hoagie Rolls
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Set-it-and-forget-it: Toss ingredients in your slow cooker and walk away.
- Family-friendly & Versatile: Mild, sweet, or spicy sausage works; perfect for sandwiches, pasta, or plated dinners.
- Customizable: Add extra veggies, cheese, or marinara sauce for more flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Here's a quick glance at what you'll need for this Crockpot Sausage and Peppers recipe. Scroll to the bottom for the full printable recipe card!
- Onions: White & red for sweetness & depth
- Bell Peppers– Red, yellow, and orange peppers bring natural sweetness and color. Green peppers work too if you're on a budget.
- Salt/ Black Pepper– Season to taste.
- Italian Sausage– Mild, sweet, or spicy sausage links work; slice into chunks.
- French Bread or Hoagie Rolls– Optional, perfect for sandwiches.
Variations & Substitutions
- Extra veggies: Mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, corn, or celery all make great additions.
- Spice it up: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, or red pepper flakes add flavor.
- Different sausage: Chicken, turkey, or pork sausage works well too.
- Cheesy sandwiches: Melt mozzarella or provolone over sandwiches for an Italian twist.
- Add sauce: Stir in 1-1½ cups marinara or tomato sauce for a saucier version.
💡 Tip: If using sauce, drain excess liquid at the end of cooking or leave the lid slightly ajar for 20-30 minutes to thicken.
How to Make Crockpot Sausage and Peppers
Step 1. Brown the sausage - Slice sausage into chunks and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 2. Layer in the slow cooker - Place sliced peppers and onions at the bottom of the crockpot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add browned sausage on top.
Step 3. Cover and cook - Set your slow cooker on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for about 4 hours.
Step 4. Serve and enjoy - Serve on hoagie rolls, over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or enjoy it on its own!
Tips for Success
- Brown your sausage - Even pre-cooked sausage benefits from a quick browning for better flavor and texture.
- Don't rush it - Give it time to slow cook so those peppers get nice and tender and all the flavors meld together.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Microwave or warm on the stove-top until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is so versatile! Serve it in toasted hoagie rolls, in hot dog buns, over a bed of pasta or rice, or even with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Some delicious sides include air fryer frozen french fries, creamy macaroni and cheese, Parmesan roasted brussel sprouts, or Texas Roadhouse loaded sweet potatoes.
Absolutely! Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place sausage, peppers, and onions on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season, and roast for 25-35 minutes until everything is tender and golden.
Yes, simply add 1 – 1½ cups of marinara or tomato sauce to the slow cooker when adding the sausage and cook as directed.
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Crockpot Sausage and Peppers (Easy Slow Cooker Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 white onion sliced
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper sliced
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1 lb Italian sausage mild, hot, or sweet, cut into chunks
- French bread or Hoagie rolls optional (for sandwiches)
Instructions
- Prep veggies: Place sliced onions and bell peppers at the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown sausage: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage chunks on both sides.
- Layer & cook: Add browned sausage on top of the peppers and onions. Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hrs or HIGH 4 hrs.
- Serve & enjoy: Serve hot over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or in hoagie rolls for sandwiches.
Notes
- For extra flavor and texture, always brown your sausage before adding it to the crockpot, even if it's pre-cooked.
- Customize with extra veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or carrots.
- Add marinara sauce or top sandwiches with mozzarella or provolone cheese for an Italian flair.
- Perfect for meal prep as leftovers store and reheat well!
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze: Place cooled sausage and peppers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Microwave or warm on stovetop until heated through.
Nutrition
Blair says
Hello- can you use an insta-pot for this recipe? Thank you!
Kristin says
Absolutely! I would do about 20 minutes on pressure cook, followed by a quick release! Enjoy!
Coty Pacino says
Is any liquid added to crock pot before adding vegetables
Kristin says
Nope, you’ll everything as written and as it cooks, juices release from the meat and are perfect! If you notice your slow cooker cooks a bit hot, you can add in some beef or chicken broth, about 1/4 cup. Enjoy!
DONALD ANDREWS says
I can do this in 10 minutes
Kristin says
It’s a great option for those that work all day and need something to be ready when they get home! Enjoy!
Lisa D Letto says
Am trying for a party next week. It is a rare recipe without a sauce, that I was searching for
Kristin says
Yay!! Hope you love as much as we do!
Bella says
Best and quickest sausage & peppers recipe – tastes just like the sausage & peppers from my favorite hot dog joint!
Thanks Kristin!
Kristin says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe as much as my family does!!
Scott says
Stop lying about prep time. Unless you’re a professional chef, you’re not going to cut up three peppers, two onions, and the sausage in 10 minutes. Every recipe on these sites lies about prep time.
Kristin says
I can understand your point, but I typically use a chopper, so the peppers and onions get chopped in under 5 minutes leaving just the sausage for the other five minutes. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Michele Sulikowski says
Kristen, I cut, sliced, de-seeded my 6 peppers and sliced one large onion in under 11 minutes. Regardless of the amount of time it takes to chop your vegetables it Doesn’t change the fact that this is a fantastic recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Michele
Kristin says
Yay!! So glad to hear you enjoyed!!
Arlene Melson says
Oh I am loving these recipes!!!
Kristin says
Yea!! So glad to hear that! Let me know which ones you try and how they turn out!