Italian slow cooker sausage and peppers and onions for dinner 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!
This Italian sausage and peppers Crock Pot recipe is so easy!
Our easy Crock Pot sausage and peppers recipe is keto friendly, low carb, high protein, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. Just 7 net carbs per serving.
This is a reader fave and not to mention one of my top 5 personal favorite recipes on our website! Plus it comes together in just 10 minutes! Great as a game day snack or easy weeknight dinner.
We make our slow cooker Italian sausage and peppers recipe with sauce, you'll find some recipes out there add sauce at all, or use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of marinara sauce.
For days you're in a hurry, we also show you how to make sausage and peppers in an Instant Pot, you can cook it in a skillet with Italian chicken sausage. or baked in the oven with marinara and cheese.
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!!!!"
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 7 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 chicken broth or water to the bottom of the slow cooker.
More Italian Sausage Dinners
- Italian chicken sausage stuffed zucchini
- Stuffed Italian sausage with cheese
- Air fryer frozen Italian sausage links
- Boiling Italian sausage (to use in other recipes)
- Slower cooker sausage tortellini soup
- Italian sausage stuffed peppers (the rice can be swapped for cauliflower rice)
- Casseroles using Italian sausage
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 and onions
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
Elizabeth says
Family favorite! Great with roasted cauliflower for a low carb option!
Vicky says
I have not used this type of sausage before - do you remove the casing?
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
Jackie says
I’d like to cook this using my 6 qt Instant Pot. After sautéing, what is the time on high pressure? Do you natural or quick release? And could you use naan to sop up the sauce? Thank you.
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