Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers is a dynamo all-in-one meal, and you have plenty of ways to serve it! The low, slow cooking method makes the sausages fall-apart tender and thickens the sauce as if it had been simmering away on your stove all day.
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
A simple recipe with BIG flavor.
Slow cooker sausage and peppers is one of those recipes that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Because the ingredient list is so short, it’s all about technique here. A few key moves ensure that you are left with a crockpot full of the best sausage and peppers to have graced your table, forever and ever amen.
One of the secrets to all that big flavor is starting with Italian sausage, which is scrumptious to begin with. It’s also the star ingredient in my one-pan Sausage and Rice Casserole, which was one of the first healthy meals I learned to cook. This sheet pan Italian Sausage and Peppers hits the spot when I’m in a hurry, and this Italian Sausage with Butternut Squash Gnocchi (and its cousin, Skillet Lasagna) are two reader favorites.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Italian Turkey Sausage Links. Be sure to use uncooked Italian sausage in its casing and not precooked chicken or turkey sausage links. You can usually find this in your grocery store next to the ground turkey. Some stores also carry it in the butcher case.
- Yellow Onion. Although it’s not in the name of the recipe, the onion is an important player here! It adds sweetness and cooks up irresistibly jammy and tender.
- Garlic. What is Italian food without a hefty serving of garlic?
- Red Pepper Flakes. You can adjust the amount to your liking. And, if you’re using hot Italian sausage, you may want to dial it back.
- Wine. Dry red or white—your call. You can use chicken broth instead for an alcohol-free option, but wine adds a lot more depth.
- Bell Peppers. A sweet one (red, yellow, or orange) and a green pepper.
- Crushed Tomatoes. To make our slow cooker sausage and peppers saucy.
How to Make Sausage and Peppers in a Slow Cooker
Sear the Sausage. Because searing = flavor. The sausage will fully cook through in the crockpot, so your goal here is just to brown the outsides. Transfer the sausage to the slow cooker insert.
Cook the Onion. Yes, throwing raw onions in the crock pot is convenient, but I promise you the extra few minutes spent sautéing them on the stovetop first will be richly rewarded. It coaxes out their sweetness and the texture of the finished dish will be better.
Deglaze the Pan. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, then pour in the wine. After waiting a beat, scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. The acid from the wine will loosen them up so you can incorporate that deliciousness into the sauce.
Assemble. Add the onions and juices to the slow cooker, along with the bell peppers and crushed tomatoes.
Cook. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, then serve your slow cooker sausage and peppers as desired and ENJOY!
How to Serve Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
Now it’s time for the best part—deciding how to serve your sausage and peppers! Will it be over pasta? In a sandwich? Or how about one of my faves: on its own, right out of the slow cooker when no one is watching!
- Spoon generously over whole wheat pasta and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Swap the pasta for zucchini noodles, or try our favorite: a 50/50 mix of spiralized zucchini and whole wheat spaghetti noodles.
- Italian-style sandwich: Pile inside of split and toasted hoagie buns. Top with Provolone cheese, arrange on a baking sheet, and broil until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice.
- Enjoy all on its own with a side of roasted vegetables or Garlic Roasted Potatoes.
More Easy Slow Cooker Dinners
Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
email me the recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 2 ½ pounds Italian turkey sausage links uncooked, in their casing, cut into thirds (sweet or spicy both work here, depending upon your preference)
- 1 large yellow onion halved and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste
- ¼ cup dry red or white wine or swap additional low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper cored and cut into ¼-inch strips
- 1 large green bell pepper cored and cut into ¼-inch strips
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
For serving:
- Cooked whole wheat pasta
- Zucchini noodles
- Split and toasted hoagie buns (with provolone cheese for a true Italian spin)
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat a large skillet over medium high. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the sausages in a single layer (do not crowd the pan or the sausages will not brown properly). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on all four sides, or until the outsides are golden brown (the sausages do not need to be cooked all the way through.) Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the next 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and repeat with remaining sausages.
- Increase the heat slightly. Add the final 1/2 tablespoon oil, then the onions, 1 tablespoon water, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions are starting to brown and become tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 additional minute, then add the wine. Let cook until the wine evaporates, scraping up any bits that have stuck on to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the onions and any pan juices to the slow cooker with the sausages.
- Add the bell peppers and crushed tomatoes to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high, or until sausages are cooked through and tender. (I prefer and recommend the low, long cooking time, as it makes the sausages more tender, but high works if you are in a hurry.) Serve over pasta or inside rolls with provolone cheese on top.
Video
Notes
- TO MAKE IN ADVANCE: Add all of the ingredients to the crock pot as directed, but do not turn the crock pot on. Cover the crock pot insert and refrigerate the insert with the ingredients in it for up to 1 day. When ready to cook, let the insert stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, remove the plastic, then place it in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, then on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours.
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Place leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container and free for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove.
Nutrition
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
Used hot Italian sausage links. Sautéed the first, then the onions and deglazed with the wine. Tossed it all in, low & slow six hours, ahmaaazing!!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, JRV!
Absolute horrible interface with non stop ads flashing
Goodbye
I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you, Stuart. I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience! Also, there is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster and a print button to have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
This slow cooker sausage and peppers recipe looks absolutely delicious! I love how simple yet flavorful it is, and the serving suggestions make it so versatile. Can’t wait to try it—especially in a toasted hoagie with melted provolone. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy!
This dish was everything I hoped for—rich, flavorful, and so simple to make! I prepped everything in the morning and let it cook while I worked from home. By dinnertime, my house smelled absolutely amazing! The sausages were tender, the peppers were perfectly soft, and the sauce was packed with flavor. I toasted some Italian bread and piled the sausage and peppers on top, and it was heavenly. This is definitely going into my meal rotation!
So happy to hear it, thank you!
I made this for dinner tonight and had to tell you it is FANTASTIC. My whole family loved it! And it smelled so good while cooking. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
OMG, I made this dish earlier along with some freshly baked Italian-style dinner rolls. I have to say this is the best sausage and peppers I have ever tasted in my life, and I’ve tried a lot! I will definitely be making this again in the future. So good! Thank you, Erin!
Definitely want to try but I am thrown off by 2.5lbs of sausage and only a couple of peppers. Is the 2.5 lbs of sausage correct?
Hi Charlie! Yes, that’s correct! Enjoy!