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Pasta topped with grilled sausages, sliced bell peppers, and chopped herbs on a rectangular white plate.

Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers

Chef Jenn
Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers is a hearty and flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Juicy Italian sausage slow-cooks with sweet bell peppers and onions in a rich tomato sauce, creating a savory meal that pairs perfectly with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 10 servings
Calories 352 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds Italian sausage links
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 red peppers seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
  • 2 yellow peppers seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
  • 1 green pepper seeded and sliced about ¼-inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 24 ounces marinara sauce

Instructions
 

  • Add the marinara sauce to the bottom of your slow cooker’s insert and set it to high with the lid on.
  • Brown the sausage links in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Turn them 1-2 times to get a nice brown on them, but you don’t need to cook them through. Add a tablespoon of oil if your sausage isn’t very fatty. Transfer the browned sausage to the slow cooker and arrange them on top of the sauce.
  • Sauté the sliced onion over medium heat until it starts to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Scatter the sauteed onions and garlic over the browned sausage in your slow cooker.
  • Scatter the sliced bell peppers over the top of the onions, then sprinkle the Italian seasoning over it all.
  • Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for about 3 hours or on low for about 5 hours or until the sausage is cooked (165-F).
  • Serve on a bun with a sprinkle of cheese on top, or serve on top of pasta or polenta.

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

  • If you like a little heat, use spicy Italian sausages instead of sweet ones.
  • Browning the sausages before adding them to the slow cooker adds extra flavor, but you can skip this step if you’re short on time.
  • For a thicker sauce, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some of the liquid evaporate.
  • This dish is even better the next day—let it sit overnight in the fridge for the flavors to develop even more.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 15gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 988mgPotassium: 578mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1140IUVitamin C: 91mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

Keyword Crockpot sausage recipe, Sausage and peppers, Slow cooker sausage and peppers
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