This 5-ingredient sausage and peppers skillet is an inexpensive meal with great leftovers. The juicy and crispy sausage, bell peppers, and lightly browned onions combo is so good!.
Sausage and peppers is a classic Italian-American dish that is bursting with flavor. Tender pieces of sausage are sautéed with bell peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs until everything is browned and cooked through. The end result is a hearty, savory, and satisfying one-pot meal.
While sausage and peppers is delicious on its own it can also be served in many different ways as a main dish sandwich filling, or topping for other recipes. With so many options, it may seem difficult to choose how to serve this flavorful dish. Read on for over 25 delicious ideas for serving sausage and peppers!
As a Main Dish
One of the easiest and most common ways to enjoy sausage and peppers is as a main dish on its own. Here are some serving suggestions:
Over Pasta
Toss the sausage and peppers mixture with your favorite pasta like penne, rotini, or farfalle. The meaty sausage and peppers perfectly coat the pasta noodles. Top it off with grated Parmesan cheese for a delicious and complete meal.
Over Rice
Serve sausage and peppers over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice. The rice soaks up all the delicious juices and flavors from the sausage and peppers.
For a lower carb option cauliflower rice also pairs wonderfully with this dish. The “rice” adds a pleasant texture contrast to the savory sausage and peppers.
With Potatoes
Mashed, baked, or roasted potatoes make a hearty and comforting side dish for sausage and peppers. The creaminess of the potatoes balances out the bold flavors of the sausage and peppers perfectly.
With Polenta
Creamy, cheesy polenta is an excellent base for serving sausage and peppers. Spoon the polenta onto plates and top with the piping hot sausage and peppers mixture. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for the perfect Italian-inspired meal.
Sandwich and Wrap Fillings
The bold flavors of sausage and peppers make it a perfect sandwich or wrap filling. Pile it onto crusty bread or wrap it in a tortilla for an easy lunch or dinner.
Hoagies
Build your own Italian sausage and pepper hoagie by layering the mixture onto a hoagie roll with sliced provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. You can also spread the roll with aioli or olive oil for extra flavor.
For an authentic Philly cheesesteak flavor, use thinly sliced steak instead of sausage. Top with cheese whiz or provolone cheese
Subs
Pile sausage and peppers onto an Italian sub roll with banana peppers, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, and Italian dressing. Oven-toast the subs for hot, melty cheese.
Wraps
Fill a tortilla with the sausage and peppers mixture plus shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and crumbled feta or queso fresco cheese. The cool, fresh toppings balance the heat of the sausage and peppers.
Panini
Make an Italian-inspired panini by layering sausage and peppers between slices of fresh bread or ciabatta. Add slices of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves. Grill the sandwich until the bread is toasty and the cheese is melted.
Pizza Toppings
The bold, charred flavors of sausage and peppers makes an excellent pizza topping. Scatter the mixture over your favorite pizza dough or flatbread and add mozzarella cheese for an easy weeknight meal.
Some other tasty toppings that pair well include:
- Sliced onions
- Fresh basil
- Chopped garlic
- Banana peppers
- Sliced tomatoes
- Spinach
- Pepperoni
Pasta Sauces
Another way to transform leftover sausage and peppers is puréeing it into a chunky, flavorful pasta sauce. Here are some serving ideas:
With Penne
For a quick weeknight pasta, toss the sausage and peppers sauce with penne rigate pasta. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh basil.
With Baked Ziti
Incorporate the sausage and peppers into a baked ziti along with tomato sauce and ricotta cheese for a hearty, comforting casserole.
With Ravioli
Spoon the sausage and pepper sauce over cheese ravioli or tortellini. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes.
With Gnocchi
The tender gnocchi soaks up the bold sausage and pepper sauce perfectly. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese and chopped Italian parsley.
Breakfast Ideas
Sausage and peppers isn’t just for dinner – it also makes a tasty addition to many breakfast dishes.
Breakfast Burritos
Scramble eggs with the sausage and peppers mixture, then wrap it up in a warm tortilla with shredded cheese. Top with salsa, avocado and sour cream for a satisfying breakfast burrito.
Breakfast Pizza
Top a prepared pizza crust with the sausage and peppers, then add scrambled eggs and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and eggs are set.
Breakfast Potatoes
Stir the sausage and pepper mixture into roasted breakfast potatoes or hashbrowns. Top with a fried egg for a hearty start to the day.
Breakfast Strata
Incorporate the sausage and peppers into a breakfast strata or casserole along with bread, eggs, cheese and milk. Let it soak overnight in the fridge for maximum flavor.
Frittata or Quiche
Add the sausage and peppers to a veggie-packed frittata or quiche with eggs, cheese and cream. Bake until puffed and golden brown.
Appetizers
The bold flavors of sausage and peppers also make tasty finger foods and appetizers for parties.
Stuffed Mushrooms
Fill mushroom caps with the sausage and pepper mixture, top with cheese and bake until hot and melty.
Meatballs
Incorporate the sausage and peppers into homemade meatballs. Serve with toothpicks for easy finger food.
Pepper Boats
Spoon the sausage and pepper mixture into halved and seeded bell peppers. Top with breadcrumbs and cheese and bake until hot.
Fritters
Make tasty fritters by mixing the sausage and peppers into a fritter batter and frying into bite-sized pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.
Flatbread
Top flatbread or naan with the sausage and peppers and broil until the flatbread is crispy. Cut into pieces for easy appetizer bites.
Soups and Stews
The bold sausage and pepper flavor also works well simmered into soups and hearty stews.
Minestrone
Add bite-sized pieces of sausage and peppers to minestrone soup along with beans, vegetables and small pasta shapes like ditalini.
Chili
Incorporate Italian sausage and peppers into a pot of hearty chili. The spicy, robust flavors pair perfectly with the beans and ground beef.
Vegetable Soup
For a lighter soup, add chunks of sausage and peppers to a brothy vegetable soup with carrots, celery, onion and tomatoes. Season with Italian herbs.
White Bean Stew
Simmer sausage and peppers in a creamy white bean stew with chicken broth, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread.
Cabbage Soup
Build flavor in a cabbage soup by browning the sausage and peppers, then simmering in broth with potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage.
Savory Salads
The bold, robust flavors of sausage and peppers also live up to their potential when served warm over fresh, crisp salads.
Pasta Salad
While the pasta cooks, sauté the sausage and peppers. Toss the mixture into the cooked pasta along with tomatoes, olives, herbs and Italian dressing. Chill before serving.
Potato Salad
Stir bite-sized pieces of sausage and peppers into a chunky potato salad along with hard boiled eggs, pickles, and mustard dressing.
Taco Salad
Transform taco salad by swapping ground beef for Italian sausage and peppers. Top with all the fixings like lettuce, cheese, beans, salsa, and sour cream.
Greek Salad
Sausage and peppers add a savory twist to a classic Greek salad. Toss with cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, onion, and Mediterranean dressing.
Cobb Salad
Top a Cobb salad with warm sausage and peppers along with egg, bacon, avocado, tomato and blue cheese dressing. The flavors pair perfectly.
Savory Breads and Rolls
The spicy, robust sausage and pepper mixture also makes a fantastic topping or filling for homemade bread.
Focaccia
Make mini focaccia breads topped with the sausage and peppers mixture plus cheese. Bake until the focaccia is golden brown.
Stromboli
Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle. Layer with sausage and peppers, cheese and vegetables. Roll up jelly roll style and bake until golden brown.
Calzones
Fill rolled out pizza dough with the sausage pepper mixture, cheese and veggies. Fold over and seal before baking until golden brown.
Bread Bowl
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Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here’s the cast iron skillet I use.
- I use a garlic press to easily mince garlic. It’s quick, and no peeling of the cloves is needed!.
- Here’s the sturdy cutting board that’s my fave.
- For extra heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes or even sriracha or hot sauce. I love it just the way it is.
- If you choose to use whole Italian sausages instead, keep in mind that they aren’t already cooked, so it will take longer to cook them. You might also need to drain some of the extra fat and cut them up later.
- People have also added shrimp for a change of pace (since they cook quickly)!
What to serve with sausage and peppers
- You could serve it with any kind of pasta, rice, or even potatoes. My Quick and Easy Garlic Butter Noodles are a great choice. You can bake a potato or mash potatoes with sour cream.
- You can eat it without the rice if you want to keep the carbs low, or you can add cauliflower rice. I’ve also seen it served in a hoagie roll (sandwich).
- To make it lighter, serve it with a salad and either my zesty Homemade Italian Dressing or my creamy Balsamic Dressing.
- With the lid on, you can keep this sausage and peppers skillet in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- It tastes great the next day! Warm it up in the microwave or over low heat on the stove.
- The leftovers could be frozen, but keep in mind that they might get soft.
Recipe: Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Skillet
FAQ
Do they eat sausage and peppers in Italy?
What’s a good side dish for Italian sausages?