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sausage and peppers skillet italian recipe

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Peppers Skillet

A fast, hearty Italian-style dinner made in one pan. Juicy browned sausage, sweet bell peppers, and onions cook together in a light pan sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect for weeknights, sandwiches, or simple bowls.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb fresh Italian sausage links hot or sweet
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 bell peppers red, yellow, orange, sliced into strips
  • 1 large white onion sliced
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped

Method
 

Heat the pan
  1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and let it shimmer.
Brown the sausage
  1. Add sausage links whole. Brown for 2–3 minutes per side until well browned. Do not move them too much.
Slice the sausage
  1. Remove sausage from the pan. Let rest briefly, then slice into rounds.
Cook the vegetables
  1. In the same pan, add sliced onions and bell peppers with a small pinch of salt. Cook 3–5 minutes until onions soften and peppers start to tender.
Add garlic and spice
  1. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze the pan
  1. Pour in chicken broth or red wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan to make a light sauce.
Finish cooking
  1. Return sliced sausage to the pan. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes until sausage reaches 160°F (71°C) inside.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Uncover and cook 2–3 more minutes to reduce excess liquid.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley and basil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

  • Use an instant-read thermometer for best results. Pull sausage at 160°F for juicy meat.
  • Do not pierce sausage while browning; it keeps them moist.
  • Low-sodium broth helps control salt since sausage already contains seasoning.
  • Great for meal prep. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well up to 3 months.
  • Serve in hoagie rolls, over rice, pasta, or polenta. Marinara is optional on the side.