Roasted Italian sausage and peppers or “salsiccia e peperoni al forno,” is a simple mix of ingredients and is absolutely one of our favorite dishes. This easy meal preparation with simple ingredients meld together in the oven to create a great comfort food. There are many variations on the classic, but this Oven Roasted Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe is our favorite and one Mark has been eating since he was a kid. This is a great weeknight dinner that is beloved by the whole family and the leftovers can be incorporated into several different meals throughout the week!
Classic Sausage and Peppers
This dish has its origins in Southern Italy and is absolutely delicious. Sausage and peppers is a classic combination and is enjoyed in different styles in several parts of the world. Often, in Italy, the sausages are left whole, but in our recipe, we like to cut them first so the pieces are bite-size right out of the oven. Sometimes it’s as simple as sausage, peppers, olive oil, salt, and pepper. But many other ingredients can be added if desired to ramp up the flavors.
What type of sausage is best for this recipe?
We use raw Italian sausage links in this recipe, which are pork-based sausages in their casings. Obviously, the designation of “Italian” sausage is not necessary in Italy, but in the United States, we are talking about any of the three basic Italian sausages; hot, mild, or sweet.
Hot Italian sausage will have some Calabrian chile pepper or crushed, spicy red pepper added to the sausage to give it some heat. The mild version will not have any spicy component, and sweet Italian sausage will generally be the mild version with the addition of fennel seeds or ground fennel, giving this kind of sausage a slight anise “sweet” flavor addition.
In our version of Italian Sausage and Peppers, we use any or all of them as we love every version!
Looking for another great way to enjoy Italian Sausage? Check out our Italian Sausage Pepper and Pesto Subs recipe!
Jump to:
- Classic Sausage and Peppers
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to Make Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Equipment
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Variations
- Storage
- Top tip
- Troubleshooting
- What to make with Italian Sausage and Peppers
- What wines pair with this Italian Sausage and Peppers?
- Looking for more Italian recipes?
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
- Food safety
Ingredients
Make this Oven Roasted Italian Sausage and Peppers recipe with the following ingredients:
- Italian Sausage: Hot, mild, or sweet Italian sausages, or any combination of the three, work well here. We cut the the sausage links into 1” bite-sized pieces.
- Bell Peppers: We usually like to do green and red bell peppers, but different color bell peppers will work. Yellow and orange bell peppers add a nice color as well
- Onions: Yellow onions are preferred for this dish.
- Olive Oil: The olive oil is added to the raw ingredients and it starts the process in the oven so the ingredients do not stick to the roasting pan
- Pickled Mild Banana Peppers: A little zing is why we add these. By the time they cook down with the rest of the ingredients they play a very minor role aside from a nice addition of flavor.
- Jarred Roasted Red Peppers: Since they are already roasted, these tend to “melt” or break down significantly so as to help make a type of “sauce” for the final dish.
- Italian Seasoning: The Italian seasoning in this recipe adds a nice flavor of Italian herbs to the dish.
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
Here are a few common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Bell Peppers: Whatever local, mild sweet pepper you can get will work perfectly in this recipe. Red and green bell peppers are generally easy to find at the grocery store, but most mild peppers are great in this recipe.
- Yellow Onion: This is what we prefer, but we have made it with red onion, sweet onion, and white onions with success.
- Banana Peppers: We use mild ones as we are not trying to make a spicy dish, but feel free to spice it up with the hot variety or even fresh hot peppers such as jalapeño or serrano.
How to Make Italian Sausage and Peppers
This is a very simple recipe to make and it is absolutely delicious. There are no precise knife cuts to make, there is really nothing that could go wrong if you use a little more or less of the main ingredients - sausages, peppers and onions! It’s essentially cutting the ingredients, tossing them in olive oil, placing them in a roasting pan and baking them for about 90 minutes. You’ll have to stir the pan a handful of times during the process, but that’s it!
Equipment
You don't need any special equipment to make this one-pan dinner recipe!
- Large bowl to mix the ingredients together
- Large roasting pan (or large baking dish) that can hold the raw ingredients. We do not recommend using a large baking sheet or sheet tray for this recipe because they is a good amount of juices that leech during the cooking process and you don't want to risk spilling the juices!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Italian Sausage and Peppers
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
- First, cut the sausages into 1” chunks, and cut the red and green peppers and onions into bite-size pieces. Then, measure the other ingredients and add them all to a bowl with the olive oil.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients and transfer
- Next, using a large spoon or your hands, mix the ingredients well. Transfer the mixture to your roasting pan. They do not need to be in a single layer since you will mix the sausage and peppers throughout the cooking process.
Step 3: Roast
- Following, roast in the 375°F preheated oven, stirring occasionally or about every 20 minutes or so, until the sausages are cooked through. It will take about 90 minutes. Enjoy!
Hint: Before slicing the raw Italian sausage, put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up. It will be easier to cut.
Variations
Here are a few ways to change up this recipe…
- Make it hot: If you are looking for something spicy, you can add Calabrian chile pepper, jalapeños, serranos or anything spicy to the mix for a hot version.
- Minimalist traditional: Omit the onion, banana peppers, and jarred roasted peppers, leave the sausages whole and then roast it that way for a classic and even more simple version of this recipe.
- Add tomatoes: Some variants of this recipe add some crushed tomatoes or cherry tomatoes to the dish for a touch of acidity and brightness.
Storage
How to store leftovers in the fridge:
Once the sausage and peppers have cooled to room temperature, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Can you make ahead and freeze Sausage and Peppers:
Absolutely! This recipe freezes very well. Simply transfer cooked and cooled ingredients to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to use, just thaw first before reheating for best results.
How to reheat Sausage and Peppers:
The quickest and easiest way to reheat is also the preferred method. Simply put the amount you want in a saucepan, cover and reheat on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat until the sausage is hot.
Top tip
The onions on top will tend to get brown or even a little black. This caramelization is a good thing for flavor, so don’t worry! And mixing the ingredients every 20 minutes while it roasts will help to prevent excessive burning.
Troubleshooting
Prevent burning: Do not forget to stir the mixture while it cooks about once every 20 minutes (or 4 times during the process). If not, it will cook unevenly and the exposed top of the vegetables can burn. The only thing to watch for is excess burning of onions.
What to make with Italian Sausage and Peppers
- By itself! This is our favorite way to eat Sausage and Peppers for weeknight dinners. Just put some in a bowl and eat! This is also a great low-carb dinner.
- Good crusty Italian bread. If you really want a filling, cozy meal to warm you up, sop up some of the sauce with some bread.
- On Polenta. As pictured in the photos for this recipe. This is a great way to make this a meal. On top of a creamy, buttery polenta, the Italian Sausage and Peppers are fantastic. Check out our recipe for Brown Butter and Sage Polenta!
- Make a sub! Get a nice hoagie roll or sub roll then pile on the sausage and peppers!
- Toss with your favorite pasta! This recipe is perfect to toss into your favorite pasta. Simply use some of the excess juices to coat your pasta and add the roasted peppers and sausages.
- Serve over rice. For a nontraditional meal, you can serve this sausage and pepper recipe over white rice.
What wines pair with this Italian Sausage and Peppers?
This full flavored dish can handle several different wines. Specifically, we like a number of wines such as Malbec, Nero d'Avola from Sicily, an Italian Primitivo or California Zinfandel, or an Australian Shiraz. If you prefer white, a bright, flavorful wine such as a good Pinot Grigio or even a white from Germany, such as a Pinot Blanc or Riesling will be beautiful with this sausage and peppers meal.
Looking for more Italian recipes?
If you want more Italian recipes, you can find the classics under Classic Italian Recipes.
We also have a cookbook, Mangiamo, that includes 60 delicious Italian and Italian-inspired recipes.
FAQ
In Southern Italy this is a common dish. Being relatively rustic, it can be found in several types of restaurants, as a street food, and at home. The actual recipe varies, as with many things, but the base of sausage and peppers stays the same.
The USDA recommends that pork sausage should be cooked to 160°F. Although, in this recipe, you will have no problem getting there with the time and temperature we recommend.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these classic Italian recipes:
Pairing
These are our favorite appetizers to serve with Italian Sausage and Peppers:
📖 Recipe
Oven Roasted Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian Sausage links
- 4 bell peppers
- 2 large yellow onions
- 1 jar (16oz) roasted red peppers in water drained
- ¾ cup mild banana pepper rings pickled
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Slice the sausages 1” thick and put in a large bowl. Cut the peppers and onions into bite-sized pieces and add them to the sausages. Drain the jarred red peppers and cut into bite-sized pieces and add them to the bowl. Add the banana peppers, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture, combine to coat everything with the oil with a large spoon or your hands.
- Transfer the mixture to a large roasting pan and place in the oven for about 90 minutes. Stir the mixture, bringing the items on the bottom to the top, every 20 minutes. Once done, remove from the oven and serve!
Nutrition
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat or thoroughly clean and sanitize the cutting board before using again
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature (between 40°-140°F) for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Angela says
Such a delicious and easy meal! So perfect for busy nights!
Anna says
The was a family favorite from the first time I made it.
Angela and Mark says
Wonderful!! So happy that your family loved this recipe!