# Sausage and Peppers

Juicy Italian sausage links nestled in a tangle of sweet peppers and onions, all cooked down in one pan with garlic and crushed tomatoes.

_Dinner · Italian-American_

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 35 min · Total: 45 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 ½ lb Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a mix)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 bell peppers (mixed colors, sliced into strips)
- 1 large yellow onion (halved and sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (torn, for finishing)

## Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Add the 1.5 lb Italian sausage links and sear, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. They don't need to be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan.
4. Add the 1 large yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the 3 bell peppers and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and lightly caramelized at the edges, about 6 minutes.
6. Push the vegetables to the side and add the 4 cloves garlic, 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp dried oregano. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir everything together.
7. Season with 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
8. Pour in the 1 can crushed tomatoes and 0.25 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
9. Nestle the seared sausage links back into the pan, partially submerging them in the sauce.
10. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
11. Uncover and simmer for 3–5 more minutes to concentrate the sauce if it looks thin.
12. Scatter the 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves over the top and serve directly from the pan.

## Tip

> Sear the sausages without moving them for the first 2–3 minutes per side — that uninterrupted contact is what builds the fond on the pan bottom, which becomes the backbone of the sauce's flavor when the tomatoes go in.

Tags: one-pan, comfort-food, weeknight, italian-american

---
Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/sausage-and-peppers