Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
This easy slow cooker sausage and peppers recipe has ALL the flavor! Serve it with pasta, over rice, or inside buns for sandwiches. Delish!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 hours 30 minutes
Total: 5 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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.
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
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 31gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 100mgPotassium: 874mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1277IUVitamin C: 113mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 20mg
