Sausage and Peppers

Browned Italian sausages nestle into a pile of silky sweet peppers and onions braised in tomato sauce. It is rustic, hearty, and endlessly versatile. Pile it into rolls or spoon it over creamy polenta for instant comfort.

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

560

Ingredients

• 8 Italian sausages (about 600g), sweet or hot
• 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange), cut into strips
• 2 medium yellow onions, sliced into half-moons
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 400g canned crushed tomatoes
• 60ml olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 125ml dry red wine or chicken stock
• Fresh basil or parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and brown the sausages on all sides, about 8 minutes total, then set them aside.
2. In the same pan, soften the peppers and onions for 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the sausage.
3. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the wine or stock and let it bubble for 2 minutes to deglaze the pan.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then return the sausages to the pan.
6. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the peppers are meltingly soft.
7. Uncover for the final 5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
8. Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with fresh herbs, and serve.

Pro tips

• Mix sweet and hot sausages for a crowd-pleasing balance of flavors.
• Do not pierce the sausages while browning — keep those juices inside.
• A red wine deglaze adds restaurant-level depth to the sauce.
• Leftovers taste even better the next day stuffed into crusty rolls.

Frequently asked questions