Crockpot sausage and peppers is a classic comfort food made easy in the slow cooker. It’s loaded with juicy Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, and onions all simmered in a rich marinara sauce until tender and flavorful.

A close-up view of a cooked sausage and peppers dish in a slow cooker, showing sliced sausage rounds, red, yellow, and green bell pepper strips, and onions coated in thick marinara sauce.

This is the kind of meal that makes your house smell amazing and fills everyone up. We love serving slow cooker sausage and peppers over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or stuffed into crusty rolls with melty provolone for sausage and pepper sandwiches.

It’s one of my go-to dishes for game day, potlucks, and cozy weekends. It’s easy, hands-off, and always gets rave reviews from friends and family.

Top-down view of sausage and peppers in sauce inside a slow cooker.

Plus, it makes a big batch—and leftovers are just as delicious the next day!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy prep with just a few ingredients.
Slow cooker does all the work after a quick sear
Make it spicy or mild depending on your sausage and sauce
Versatile: serve it on its own, on rolls, over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes
Perfect for large family gatherings, game day potlucks, and lazy weekends.

Ingredient Notes

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients for sausage and peppers laid out on a marble surface with labels: a pack of raw Italian sausages, yellow, green, red, and orange bell peppers, two yellow onions, garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, a jar of marinara sauce, a small dish of olive oil, and wooden spoons holding salt and pepper.

Italian sausage – Use spicy Italian sausage, sweet Italian sausage, or a mix of both.
Olive oil – For browning the sausage. Adds flavor and color.
Bell peppers and onions – I like to use assorted peppers for a mix of colors but you can use all green peppers if preferred. Remove the seeds and slice evenly.
Marinara sauce – Rao’s is our favorite store-bought brand, but any jarred or homemade sauce will work.
Minced garlic – Fresh is best, but jarred garlic works in a pinch.
Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper – Simple seasonings with big flavor.

How to Make Sausage Peppers and Onion in a Crockpot

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

Brown the Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add links and sear sausage on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). You’re just adding color—don’t cook through.

Add sauce to slow cooker: Pour marinara into the bottom of the crockpot. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Side-by-side images of browned sausages in a pan and marinara sauce in a slow cooker.

Add sausage, peppers, and onions: Place browned sausage into the sauce, then layer sliced bell peppers and onions on top. Give it all a stir.

Left image shows a slow cooker with browned sausages, sliced onions, and multicolored bell peppers layered over marinara sauce. Right image shows the same contents after being stirred, with vegetables and sausages coated in sauce.

Cook: Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours (recommended for best texture) or high for 3–4 hours, until sausage is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.

Pro Tip:

I recommend using low heat for 5-6 hours for this recipe, if time permits. It’s the best way to keep the sausage nice and juicy and vegetables with the perfect texture (not mushy!).

Two side-by-side images showing sausage and peppers in a slow cooker before and after slicing.

Optional: Slice sausages before serving: You can slice the Italian sausage links into 1-inch pieces and return it to the crockpot for 15 more minutes, or keep the links whole.

Serving Suggestions

This crock pot sausage and peppers recipe is delicious paired with any kind of starch:

Over mashed potatoes
With pasta or rice
In hoagie rolls with provolone (toast the rolls and melt the cheese under the broiler for 1–2 min)
Alongside a green salad or roasted veggies

Three hoagie rolls filled with sausage, peppers, and onions.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: This freezes really well. Let it cool completely and transfer any leftovers to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to Reheat: You can reheat this in the microwave, heat gently in a skillet on the stovetop, or reheat the whole batch in the slow cooker on low.

Recipe Tips

Don’t skip the browning. Ok, so it’s not a requirement, but it’s surely recommended for extra depth of flavor and color.
Slice peppers and onions evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Use low heat if you have time—it keeps the sausage juicier and veggies tender but not mushy.
Use a slow cooker with a locking lid like this 6-quart slow cooker for potlucks – it travels well and stays warm for serving.
Double the recipe in an 8 qt crockpot to feed a crowd or meal prep.

A wooden spoon holds sliced sausage, red and yellow bell pepper strips, and onion over a crockpot of sausage and peppers in marinara sauce.

Additions and variations

Swap the sausage: Try chicken sausage, turkey sausage, or even bratwurst.
Add extra vegetables. Diced potato, mushrooms, or carrots can help bulk up this dish.
Make it spicy: Use hot Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes or a spicy marinara.

More Comforting Crockpot Recipes

Recipe

Overhead image showing sliced sausage, green, red, and yellow bell peppers, and onions simmered in red marinara sauce inside a crockpot.

Recipe

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Crockpot Sausage and Peppers

Author: Jaclyn

Prep: 15

Cook: 3

Total: 3 15

Slow-cooked Italian sausage, peppers, and onions simmered in marinara sauce for a flavorful, crowd-pleasing dinner. Serve over pasta, rice, or on toasted rolls.

Ingredients

▢ 2 lbs uncooked Italian sausage, sweet, spicy, or mixed
▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil
▢ 4 bell peppers, assorted colors, seeded and sliced
▢ 2 yellow onions, sliced
▢ 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
▢ salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausages on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. You don’t need to cook them through, you are just looking to add a little color.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 lbs uncooked Italian sausage
Add marinara sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
Add sausages, peppers, onion. Stir once more.
4 bell peppers, 2 yellow onions
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (recommended) or high 3-4 hours until sausage is cooked through and veggies are tender.
If desired, remove and slice sausage into 1 inch pieces and add back to the slow cooker. Allow to cook 15 more minutes.
Serve warm on its own, on rolls, or over pasta or mashed potatoes.