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Square overhead shot of hands holding a pan of old fashioned Italian sausage and peppers.
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Old Fashioned Italian Sausage and Peppers

An authentic sausage and peppers dish that's delicious with pasta, crusty bread, rice, or sandwiches.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword authentic sausage and peppers, italian sausage and peppers, italian sausage peppers and onions, old fashioned italian sausage and peppers
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 5 people
Calories 481kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 (1 ¼ lb.) package uncooked Italian sausage links (about 5 links)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh basil or parsley; grated Parmesan cheese
  • Optional, for serving: toasted hoagie rolls, a loaf of crusty bread, cooked rice, or cooked pasta

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausages and brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. They do not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove the sausages to a cutting board and let rest.
    Browning Italian sausage links in a skillet.
  • While the sausage rests, add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add peppers and onions and cook until just starting to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    Stirring bell peppers and onions in a cast iron skillet.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, parsley flakes, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    Pouring crushed tomatoes into a cast iron skillet.
  • Slice the sausage into thick rounds (about 2 inches each), and then return the sausage to the skillet. Cover the skillet and simmer until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and additional brown sugar, if necessary. Garnish with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve over pasta or rice, or tuck inside toasted hoagie rolls.
    Horizontal overhead image of a round cast iron skillet full of old fashioned Italian sausage and peppers.

Notes

  • Use sweet Italian sausage, mild, or hot Italian sausages -- whichever variety you prefer. Italian turkey sausage or chicken sausage will also work!
  • If starting with pre-cooked link sausages, slice them into rounds and brown in a skillet. Remove the browned sausage to a plate. Prepare the rest of the recipe as instructed, stirring the sausage into the sauce and peppers at the very end (since it doesn't need that extra cooking time).

Nutrition

Serving: 1/5 of the recipe | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 839mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 869IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg