Italian sausage links, bell peppers, and onions are slow cooked in marinara sauce for an incredibly easy but flavorful dinner in this Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers recipe. Perfect for busy weeknights!
This recipe was inspired by my classic Italian sausage and peppers recipe. It keeps many of the same ingredients and flavors but switches things up by cooking everything on the stovetop. I love being able to toss everything into the slow cooker and come back five hours later to dinner ready to serve!
Why We Love This Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers Recipe
- Only a few ingredients. The main ingredients in this recipe are sausage and peppers (of course), onions, and marinara sauce. Add a little olive oil to sear the sausage and some garlic and spices and that’s all you need!
- (Almost) hands-off. The only hands-on part of this recipe is searing the sausage. Otherwise, it’s a “set it and forget it” kind of meal.
- Versatile. Not only is it easy to customize the flavor profile of this recipe by switching up the sausage used, there are always different ways to serve it. Two of my favorites are in hot dog buns or over mashed potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe is made with 4 main ingredients, plus oil and a few seasonings. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Italian sausage links – Choose mild, medium, or hot depending on your preference.
- Olive oil – To sear the sausage.
- Bell peppers – I like to use a variety of green, red, and yellow peppers.
- Onions – Sliced into strips roughly equal in size to the pepper strips.
- Garlic
- Marinara sauce – Feel free to use homemade marinara or grab a jar at the start.
- Spices – Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper add additional flavor to the dish.
How To Make Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
This recipe requires just a few minutes of hands-on prep time. The slow cooker does the rest! The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Sear the sausage. Heat the oil over medium-high. Sear the sausage links for 2-3 minutes until browned and slightly crisped on both sides.
- Assemble. Add the other ingredients to the crockpot. Add the seared sausage on top.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3 hours. The peppers and onions should be tender and the sausages fully cooked.
- Serve. Stir to coat everything in the sauce. Warm the hot dog buns if desired then serve.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few ways to customize this slow cooker sausage and peppers recipe, as well as a few general tips.
- Don’t skip the sear. Quickly searing the sausage links helps add flavor to the dish. While they will cook fully in the slow cooker, the extra flavor and texture is worth the effort.
- Try other sausage. This recipe is very forgiving and can be made with any type of sausage. Hot links, bratwurst, flavored or cheese-filled smoked sausage links, and chicken apple sausage links all work great in this recipe.
- Add cheese. For a cheesy twist, melt some cheese on top of the sausage – either in the slow cooker before serving or individually on each serving.
- Adjust the heat level. It’s super easy to make this dish as spicy (or not) as you want it. Choose mild sausage for less heat or spicy sausage for more. Red pepper flakes can also be sprinkled in for an added kick.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve slow cooker sausage and peppers is in hot dog buns. I like to gently warm or toast them just before serving.
Another option is to serve over mashed potatoes. In that case, I like to slice the sausage before cooking and spoon the mixture over the mashed potatoes with a bit of extra sauce.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover slow cooker sausage and peppers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’re best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until heated through, or reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 (19-ounce) packages Italian sausage links
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil to sear links
- 6 bell peppers mix of colors, sliced into strips
- 2 onions sliced into strips
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil. Sear the sausage links for 2-3 minutes on both sides until browned and slightly crisped.
- As the peppers are cooking, add the bell peppers, onions, garlic, marinara, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the crockpot.
- Top with the seared sausage links.
- Cover and cook for 5 hours on low or 3 hours on high, until the peppers and onions are tender and the sausages are fully cooked through.
- Stir before in sauce before serving. Warm hot dog buns if desired.
Last Step:
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