This Crockpot Sausage and Peppers is a classic, hearty, kid approved dinner! Italian sausage is slow cooked with peppers and onions in flavorful sauce and served on rolls with melted provolone!
Now THIS is a sandwich I can get on board with. Ultra juicy sausage, tender peppers and onions, a toasty bun, AND ooey-gooey melted cheese — what’s not to love?!
Ingredients
This simple ingredient list makes the MOST flavorful sandwich!
- Marinara Sauce – use your favorite jarred variety or whip up a batch of homemade sauce.
- Italian Sausage Links – seared first for a crispy exterior and depth of flavor. This also helps keep the mixture from becoming too greasy as it cooks in the crockpot.
- Green Bell Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, Orange Bell Pepper, and Yellow Onion – you can’t have sausage and peppers without the peppers…and onion. 😉 Both add sweet, caramel-y flavor, color, and texture.
- Dried Basil, Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Garlic Powder, and Salt – our homemade seasoning blend enhances the flavor of the marinara sauce.
- Hoagie Rolls – toasted to perfection for serving.
- Provolone Cheese – melted over the sandwiches for a ultra melty, ooey-gooey finish.
How to make
This slow cooker recipe requires 20 minutes to prep!
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, grease with cooking spray, then add in sausage links and cook until seared.
- Grease a crockpot with cooking spray then pour in half the marinara sauce and top with seared sausages.
- Add in peppers, onions, and seasonings then top with remaining marinara.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours then, once cooked, stir to combine. Optional: remove the cooked sausages from the mixture, slice into coins, and mix back into the crockpot.
- Assemble your sandwiches by slicing the hoagie rolls in half, placing both halves onto a baking sheet, topping with desired amount of sausage/pepper mixture and two slices of provolone cheese.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and the bun is toasted then serve and enjoy!
Do you have to brown sausages before putting them in the slow cooker?
No, but I highly recommend doing so. Searing the sausages before adding them into the crockpot allows them to crisp up and caramelize slightly which adds another layer of texture and flavor. It also seals in the juices which helps keep the sauce from becoming too greasy.
Can you make sausage and peppers on the stovetop?
You sure can! Adapting this crockpot recipe for the stovetop is super easy.
- Cook your sausage in a large skillet according to package directions.
- Remove the sausage (then slice, if desired) and use the same skillet to cook peppers and onions with seasonings until the veggies are cooked through.
- Stir the cooked sausage and marinara sauce into the veggie mixture.
- Assemble your sandwiches and broil as directed!
What to serve with sausage and peppers
I love serving these sandwiches next to a salad and 1-2 additional sides like fries or chips. If I’m not serving them as sandwiches, I tend to serve these over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes!
How to store
Leftover sausage and peppers (not the assembled sandwiches) will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then heat the sausage and peppers on the stove or in the microwave before assembling sandwiches!
– Jennifer
Crockpot Sausage and Peppers
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce plus more for serving, if desired
- 2 (19 oz) packages Italian sausage links there should be 5 links per package
- 1 green bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 orange bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- ½ tablespoon dried basil
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 6 hoagie rolls for serving
- 12 slices provolone cheese for serving
Instructions
- Grease a 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray then pour half the marinara sauce into the bottom. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Once hot, grease with cooking spray then add in sausage links and cook until both sides are nicely seared (if your skillet is small, you may need to do this in 2 batches).
- Place seared sausages into crockpot.
- Top with peppers, onions, basil, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, salt and remaining marinara.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Stir to combine and taste and re-season, if necessary (I sprinkled on more salt).
- Optional, but highly recommended - remove cooked sausages, slice into coins, then stir back into the crockpot.
- Preheat broiler, then assemble the sandwiches: slice the hoagie roll in half, place both halves onto a baking sheet, top the bottom half with desired amount of sausage/pepper mixture, then two slices of cheese.
- Broil until cheese is melted and the top bun is toasted.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.