It’s so easy to make this sausage, pepper, and onion dish in the oven that you’ll never make them on the stove again! It’s ready in less than an hour and makes a great sheet-pan dinner.
Are you still cooking peppers and Italian sausage on the stove? It’s better to bake them in the oven.
I’m talking juicy, browned sausage, caramelized onions and peppers and knock-your-socks-off flavor. With barely any effort. Ready in less than an hour.
Read on, if you want to become known as the sausage queen or king. (And don’t miss my Italian Peppers in Oil!).
Ive been baking sausage, peppers and onions for more than 25 years. I decided I had no patience for the stovetop method and needed something easier.
This simple sausage and peppers recipe was first shared by me in 2014, not long after I started Cooking with Mamma C. That night, I heard from four friends who’d each made it for dinner.
They raved at the results. Their families were happy. This is the best sausage and peppers recipe, folks!
Sausage: I like sweet Italian sausage, but you could use hot Italian sausage if you think people will be okay with it. Weve also enjoyed substituting:
Peppers: I always use my favorite trio of bell peppers — red, yellow and orange. Theyre sweeter than green peppers and look gorgeous.
Onions: You can use red, white or yellow onions here. Red onions will add a little sweetness, which I love.
Planning to cook for a large group can be daunting, especially when it comes to getting portions just right. One classic dish that works great for feeding crowds is sausage and peppers With the right recipe and shopping strategy, you can easily make enough sausage and peppers to serve 50 people.
I recently had the task of cooking sausage and peppers for a large backyard barbecue with about 50 guests It was my first time preparing this dish for such a big crowd, so I did some research to figure out how much sausage, peppers, and other ingredients I would need to make sure everyone got a hearty and satisfying portion Here’s what I learned in the process.
Calculating Ingredients for 50 Servings of Sausage and Peppers
The first step is determining how much sausage and vegetables you’ll need for 50 portions Here’s a rough estimate of the main ingredients
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Sausage – For a hearty portion, plan on about 4-6 oz uncooked Italian sausage per person. For 50 people, that’s 200 to 300 oz or 12.5 to 18.75 lbs. I decided to get 15 lbs of sweet Italian sausage to have plenty. Get links or bulk sausage.
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Peppers – Figure 2-3 oz cooked peppers per serving. For 50 servings, you’ll need 100 to 150 oz or 6 to 9 lbs of raw peppers. I used a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers.
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Onions – Estimate 1-2 oz cooked onions per portion. For 50 people, that’s 50 to 100 oz or 3 to 6 lbs of raw onions. Yellow or white onions work well.
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Oil – You’ll need about 1-2 Tbsp per pound of sausage to brown it. So for 15 lbs sausage, figure 15-30 Tbsp oil or a little over 1 cup. Olive oil is best.
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Seasonings – For 50 servings, plan on around 1/4 cup Italian seasoning blend and 2-3 Tbsp garlic powder.
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Broth/wine – Use around 1/2 cup per pound of sausage. For this recipe I added 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup white wine.
Tips for Cooking Sausage and Peppers for a Crowd
To streamline cooking for my 50 guests, I looked for crowd-pleasing sausage and pepper recipes designed to serve large groups. Here are some helpful tips I learned:
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Cook it in batches – With a home oven, it’s hard to fit all that sausage and veggies in one go. Cook it in smaller batches to ensure even cooking.
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Use sheet pans – Spread the ingredients across 2-3 large sheet pans instead of crowded pots. This allows for more even browning.
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Brown the sausage first – Get nice color on the sausage before adding peppers and onions. Do this in smaller batches.
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Mix flavors – Combine mild and spicy sausages for variety. Mix red, yellow, green peppers too.
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Simmer in sauce – After browning, simmer everything in a flavorful sauce for tenderness. Tomato sauce, chicken broth, wine all work nicely.
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Check for doneness – Cook until veggies reach desired tenderness and sausage is cooked through.
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Keep it warm – Use a slow cooker or keep pans in a low oven to keep cooked batches warm until service.
Shopping Tips for Sausage and Peppers Ingredients
Shopping for party-sized portions can deplete your grocery budget. Here are some tips to get ingredients for less:
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Buy family packs of Italian sausage for the best value. Check for sales too.
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Purchase peppers and onions loose instead of pre-packaged when possible. Ask for 50 oz, etc.
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Stock up on pantry basics like olive oil, Italian seasoning, and broth when on sale.
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Shop sales and bulk bins for deals on spices like garlic powder.
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Consider wholesale clubs for large packs of sausage, veggies, and oils at lower costs.
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Compare prices between grocery stores. Ethnic markets can have great deals on sausage.
Easy Sausage and Peppers Recipe for a Crowd
Here is an easy recipe to feed a crowd of about 50 people. It uses my ingredient estimates from above.
Ingredients:
- 15 lbs Italian sausage (mix of links and bulk)
- 6 lbs red, yellow, green bell peppers, sliced
- 4 lbs onions, sliced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1⁄4 cup Italian seasoning blend
- 2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1⁄2 cup white wine
Instructions:
- In batches, brown sausage in oil over medium-high heat until nicely browned, 10-12 minutes. Remove browned sausage to a plate.
- Still working in batches, sauté peppers and onions in the same pan until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Return sausage and any juices to the pan. Add chicken broth, wine, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Transfer mixture to large rimmed baking sheets, dividing evenly.
- Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until sausages are cooked through and veggies are tender.
- To serve, slice sausages and mix with peppers and onions. Spoon into rolls or serve over pasta or polenta. Enjoy!
Make It Your Own
This basic recipe is endlessly adaptable. Try these variations:
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Use different sausage flavors like spicy, chicken apple, or Beyond Meat.
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Swap in sliced zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, etc for different veggies.
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Skip the broth and wine for a drier result. Or use tomato sauce or beer for extra flavor.
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Top servings with shredded cheese, basil, oregano, or red pepper flakes.
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Stuff into sub rolls, pile over mashed potatoes, or serve over rice or pasta.
The right portions and a simple cooking strategy lets you easily feed 50 guests with this Italian classic. Just shop smart, prep ingredients ahead of time, and use batch cooking to finish everything at once. Now invite the masses and wow them with your crowd-pleasing sausage and peppers!
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What to serve with it
Have fresh Italian bread on hand whether you’re making this for a party or a quick dinner during the week. (You’ve got to dip that bread in the oil!) Or serve the sausage and peppers on hoagies.
I also like to serve this with The Best Italian Green Salad and these Oven-Roasted Potatoes.
And, definitely make enough sausage and peppers for leftovers. They won’t freeze well, but they’ll be gobbled up within a few days anyway.
Making sausage and peppers for a crowd
- At least one Italian sausage link should be bought for each person. If you want leftovers, get one and a half links for each person.
- Split each sausage link in half to make more baked sausage and peppers for a lot of people.
- As the recipe card says, bake at 400 degrees F. (I used to bake it for longer at 375 degrees F, but now I like how fast it cooks at higher heat.) ).
- To cook a lot of food at once, you can use foil roasting pans (affiliate link). While they won’t brown everything as well as a metal pan, moving the sausage and peppers to a chafing dish (affiliate link) with a flame under it will do the trick.
- If you don’t have a chafing dish with a flame, you can bake the peppers, onions, and Italian sausage in dark roasting pans or sheet pans until they are nicely browned. Then, move the cooked food to big foil pans. You don’t have to heat up the sausage and peppers for up to two hours.
Italian Sausage and Peppers – Cooking with Italian MaMa #italian #cooking #howto #ItalianMama
FAQ
How much sausage do I need for 50 people?
How much does a full tray of sausage and peppers feed?
How much pepper per pound of sausage?
How to cook sausage & peppers in the oven?
When preparing sausage and peppers in the oven you will find it is really easy. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, add one tablespoon olive oil to your roasting pan and then add sausage links. Once you have your roasting pan of sausage ready, you will place it in the oven. Cook sausage for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
How much sausage & peppers is 16 pounds?
Hi S- It is (8) 1 pound of hot, (8) 1-pound of sweet- making it 16 pounds. This is sausage and peppers for a crowd like a grad party or other big parties. If you are making a smaller batch for a family dinner, measurements are in the NOTES section of the recipe card.
How do you make Italian sausage & peppers?
Italian Sausage and Peppers becomes one of the best comfort foods for those beautiful Fall days. What is the best sausage to use? Slice the peppers into long strips. Slice the sausages into bite size pieces. In a medium to large frying pan add a little olive oil and the sausages, cook until slightly browned.
Can you add red bell peppers to sausage?
The recipe I grew up with uses mostly regular green bell peppers, onion and sausage together. You can add in yellow, red or even orange bell peppers, but keep in mind these other peppers are sweeter than green peppers.
What to eat with sausage & peppers?
Sausage and Peppers is one of the perfect combinations. This is your typical quick meal when you have very little time. I love serving it with some crusty Italian bread. If you are looking to add some carbs then why not serve it over some pasta or rice? Italian Sausage and Peppers becomes one of the best comfort foods for those beautiful Fall days.
Can you add green peppers to sausage?
You can add in yellow, red or even orange bell peppers, but keep in mind these other peppers are sweeter than green peppers. The green peppers compliment the sausage best in my opinion, but adding some extra other peppers can help with variety and certainly add a nice splash of color in the presentation! In the end, it’s totally up to you.