Name: Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers and onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 430 min
Ingredients: 1 pkg Italian sausages (5, uncooked); 2 bell peppers, sliced (red & green); 1 large onion, sliced; 1/2 tsp garlic salt (or salt + garlic powder); 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup marinara or pasta sauce (Rao's recommended); 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1/2-3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (optional) (not pre-shredded)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Italian crockpot sausage and peppers and onions are a super simple yet amazing dish that is packed with flavor. Serve it as is, broil cheese on top, or serve it on a bun. It's a Whole Lotta Yum!

cheesy sausage on a spatula being taken out of the pan

This Italian sausage and peppers Crock Pot recipe is so good!

The recipe is also low carb, no sugar, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. A reader fave!! Plus it comes together in just 10 minutes! 8 net carbs per serving. Great as a game day snack or easy weeknight dinner.

From Pinterest: "Absolutely loved this recipe! The family asked for thirds! I cook for a family of 5 picky eaters." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I tried this and its BOMB!!!!"

This is an Italian sausage and peppers recipe with sauce, you'll find some recipes out there I'm sure that don't add sauce at all, or use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of pasta sauce. In a hurry? We make this in an Instant Pot too!

cooked italian sausage with sauce in the slower cooker

Key ingredients you'll need

sweet Italian sausages - you can use either pork sausage links or chicken, sweet sausages or spicy Italian sausages. Most brands come 5 to a pack, some come as a pack of 4.
red & green bell peppers - while using a variety of colored peppers is pretty, it's perfectly fine to use one color. Green, red, yellow, or orange are all great options
onion - red is pretty, but any variety will work like yellow onions, or sweet onions.
seasoning- garlic salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper
marinara sauce - Rao's makes the best store bought marinara on the market, it tastes just like homemade, plus it has no added sugar.
olive oil
Mozzarella cheese- (optional) any white cheese or cheese blend will work like Monterey Jack, 3 cheese blend, or Monterey Jack
buns - (optional) serve the recipe casserole style over polenta, pasta, zoodles, or cauliflower rice, OR serve them sandwich style on a hoagie roll.

Italian sausage bell peppers and the other ingredients on a white marble background

How to make Sausage Peppers and Onions in the Crock Pot

Step 1. Sear the sausage. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan. Sear the Italian sausages 2-3 mins on each side until just starting to brown, they won't be cooked through.

searing the italian sausage to brown it before adding to the slow cooker

2. Assemble. Lay the seared Italian sausages in the bottom of a crock-pot. Add the uncooked sliced onions and peppers on top of the sausages. Sprinkle the garlic salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning over the top.

Pour the marinara sauce over the onion and pepper mixture. Sprinkle with something like dried basil or oregano if desired (totally optional).

adding the sliced bell peppers onions and marinara sauce to the slow cooker

3. Slow cook. Cook the sausage and peppers on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours until the peppers are soft and the Italian sausage is cook through.

The sausages are cooked through when the internal temperature is at least 160 degrees, but sausages often do well up to 190 degrees and still stay juicy inside.

Step 4. Add cheese and broil (optional step). Transfer the sausage and peppers to a baking pan. Sprinkle with ½-3/4 cups of shredded cheese.

Broil for for 1-2 minutes 4" from the heat source until the cheese is melted.

sprinkle with cheese and broil in the oven

Crock Pot Sausage Tips

Feel free to double if you're serving a crowd or freezing some for later! Freeze before adding the cheese, this will keep frozen for up to 2 months.
Leftovers will last for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
Many people also love to eat sausage and peppers in a crockpot served like a sandwich on a hoagie roll, like a big messy hot dog, which is so tasty too! I'd recommend toasted the buns slightly before serving. You can also serve the Italian sausages with potatoes, veggies, or a salad.

serving sausage and peppers with cheese on a bun

Recipe FAQs

Are these Keto Sausage and Peppers?

As long as you're using a keto-friendly marinara sauce like Rao's and skip the bun or use a low carb bun, this is a keto friendly recipe!

Each serving is 6 net carbs without the bun, this can vary based on the specific brands you buy.

How can I make slow cooker sausage pepper and onions without sauce?

The best way to make slow cooker sausage peppers and onions without sauce or without tomatoes is to simply leave out the sauce in this recipe! Just add a little bit of broth or water to the bottom of the slow cooker.

More Low Carb Recipes with Italian Sausage

baked brats and peppers
Instant Pot beer brats (fine to use light beer)
crockpot pizza soup
Chicken sausage with peppers and onions

If you loved our recipe, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and leave us a comment too! Connect with us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!

Recipe

slow cooker sausage peppers and onions in a baking dish topped with cheese

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers and onions

Jen @ Whole Lotta Yum

Italian crockpot sausage, peppers, and onions is a super easy yet amazing dish that is packed with flavor.

Serve the Italian sausages straight from the pot, broil a little cheese on top, or serve on a bun.

4.56 from 93 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 10

Course Slow Cooker

Cuisine Italian

Servings servings

Calories 258 kcal

Equipment

Crock Pot or slow cooker

Ingredients

1 pkg Italian sausages 5, uncooked
2 bell peppers, sliced red & green
1 large onion, sliced
½ teaspoon garlic salt or salt + garlic powder
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup marinara or pasta sauce Rao's recommended
1 tablespoon olive oil
½-3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (optional) not pre-shredded

Instructions

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan.
Sear the Italian sausages 2-3 mins on each side until starting to brown. You aren't trying to cook them all the way through, you're just browning the outside a bit which always increases the flavor while slow cooking. Transfer them to the bottom of a slow cooker.
Add the sliced onions and peppers on top of the sausages. Sprinkle with the garlic salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Spread the marinara sauce over the onion and pepper mixture.
Cook the sausage and peppers on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours until the peppers are soft and the Italian sausage is cooked through.

Adding Cheese (Optional)

Sprinkle ½ - ¾ cups of your favorite shredded white cheese, like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, an Italian blend, or Colby Jack would all be great choices.
Broil the Italian sausage and peppers mix for 1-2 minutes 4" from the heat source until the cheese is melted.

Serve on a Bun with Cheese (Optional)

toast the bun and add a little butter to each
add the sausage and peppers mix and sprinkle with shredded cheese
broil the sausage and peppers in the bun until the cheese is melted, keeping an eye on things so the buns don't burn.

Video

Notes

This is a very saucy dish. We recommend serving it over something like pasta, low carb pasta, hearts of palm noodles, etc.
You can easily double this recipe if you have a large slow cooker.
Serve on a toasted bun for messy deluxe hot dog style
Use a marinara sauce without sugar like Rao's if you're eating low carb, gluten free, or sugar-free

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 12.4gProtein: 16.8gFat: 14.4gFiber: 5g

Keyword crockpot sausages, Italian sausage recipes, sausages and peppers, slow cooker sausages

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Comments

4.56 from 93 votes (90 ratings without comment)