Description
Hearty Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers deliver Italian-American comfort straight to dinner tables with minimal effort. Succulent sausages nestled among sweet bell peppers create a mouthwatering meal you can savor without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 2 lbs Italian sausage links (mild, sweet, or spicy)
- 3 bell peppers (red, green, yellow), sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Chopped parsley or grated Parmesan (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Sear Sausage: Create a rich, golden-brown exterior on sausages by quickly pan-searing in a skillet over medium heat, developing deep, caramelized flavor notes before transferring to the slow cooker.
- Layer Aromatics: Strategically distribute sliced bell peppers, sweet onions, and minced garlic across the sausages, creating a vibrant and fragrant foundation for the dish.
- Sauce and Season: Generously cascade marinara sauce over the layered ingredients, then sprinkle with robust Italian seasoning, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and optional fiery red pepper flakes to amplify the taste profile.
- Slow Cook: Secure the crock pot lid and allow the ingredients to simmer and meld together, cooking on low temperature for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until sausages are thoroughly cooked and vegetables reach a tender, succulent consistency.
- Serve and Enjoy: Present the dish whole or slice sausages for easier consumption, pairing perfectly with fluffy rice, al dente pasta, or nestled within toasted, crusty hoagie rolls for a hearty, satisfying meal.
Notes
- Brown sausages in a skillet before slow cooking to develop rich, caramelized flavors and create a more appetizing exterior.
- Cut peppers and onions into uniform thickness to ensure consistent cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Adjust red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning to match personal heat preferences, allowing flexibility for different taste sensitivities.
- This dish works perfectly as a versatile base for multiple meals – serve over pasta, stuff into hoagie rolls, or pair with rice for different dining experiences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg