Italian crockpot sausage and peppers 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!
Italian sausage in the Crock Pot 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.
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 a 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!
Ingredients you'll need
- Italian sausages - you can use either pork sausage links or chicken, 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 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 or artificial ingredients. While Amazon and many grocery stores now carry it, Walmart sells it for 25% less than most places.
- olive oil - for searing the sausage in, any high heat oil will work
- 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 like a hot dog on a bun.
How to make Sausage Peppers and Onions in the Crock Pot
Step 1. Sear the sausage. 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 just starting to brown, they won't be cooked through.
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.
Spread the marinara sauce over the onion and pepper mixture.
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.
Helpful tips
- Skip browning the Italian sausage before adding it to the crockpot to make the dish even faster
- Using chicken sausage instead of pork lightens up the recipe. The cook time takes less with chicken sausage.
- 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 on a bun like a big messy hot dog, which is so tasty too! I'd recommend toasted the buns slightly before serving.
Recipe FAQs
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.
More Sausage Recipes
- baked brats and peppers
- Instant Pot beer brats
- Italian tortellini soup
- 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 and Peppers
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.
- Using chicken sausage instead of pork lightens up the recipe, chicken sausages cook faster than pork sausages.
- We highly recommend shredding your own mozzarella cheese since it melts better than pre-shredded cheese that's coated in starch.
- 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
Mike says
Since I will be fixing a smaller amount this week (1st time), can I use my enameled cast iron dutch oven, searing it in the dutch oven, then finishing it covered on low heat in the oven or on my induction cooktop? Just curious as to whether or not the "one pot" method will work.
Thanks, Mike
WholeLottaYum says
Hi Mike, yes! Your method will totally work. Just simmer until the sausage is cooked through. Jen
Liz says
Just what I was craving! Used tortilla wraps in lieu of rolls. Yummy
Liz says
Just what I was craving! Used tortilla wraps in lieu of rolls!
Kathy says
Planning a family gathering and wondering if the saugage can be browned a day ahead of time to cut down on time? Also any idea as to how many sausages will fit in a 7 or 8 quart crockpot. Thanks for your help,
Star Murell says
I found your recipe quite some time ago and have used it repeated it numerous times. The sausage comes out so tender and the peppers and onions are perfect! The peppers and onions remain bright and keep their shape nicely.. Very appetizing. We love them! Thank you.
Kathy says
I have made this recipe many times. My husband and I thoroughly enjoy it. I am planning to have this for my two daughters and their husbands along with ourselves.
I was wondering if I can double the recipe and put it in a large crockpot. Also would I also double the peppers and onions or would I cut down on them?
Thanks so much.
WholeLottaYum says
Hi Kathy, I would double everything, you could cut down on the marinara a bit since it's already saucy. But if you don't that's fine too! Jen
Kristin says
Delicious! Easy recipe that is fool-proof each time, made 3x now. I put my crockpot on low and usually done after a few hours, per internal thermometer. Thanks for the share!
Star says
Made this recipe yesterday. First time I have ever cooked sausage and peppers in the crockpot and it’s the only way I’ll cook it in the future. It was so nice not to have to stand in the kitchen stirring peppers and onions. After three hours in the crockpot, the sausage came out so tasty and the peppers and onions we’re soft yet far from mushy. Loved it. Thank you.
Gwen Sampson says
We have made this twice now, both times it seemed like there was too much liquid. The taste was fantastic
WholeLottaYum says
I would try a thicker sauce or you could try using less of it, we're probably using different brands of sauce. I'm glad you loved it!
Katherine A says
how do you print just the recipe?
thanks
Katherine
WholeLottaYum says
Hi Katherine, at the top of the post there's a "jump to recipe" button that'll take you right to the printable recipe card at the bottom.
Lucy says
Hi, if you decide not to sear the sausages first and just put them straight into the slow cooker, do you have to fry the onion and pepper or can you throw those in the slow cooker with the sausages without pre frying? Thanks
Beck and Bulow says
Wow, this was tasty! My five year old inhaled it – he’s a meat lover. And we used organic beef shanks instead of veal, but the result was the same: a taste sensation. Visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com
Danny says
Where does veal and beef shanks factor into sausage and peppers? What kind of sausages you been smoking?
Christina says
LMAO