This Italian sausage with peppers in marinara sauce is packed with flavor. Juicy sausage, colorful peppers, onions and mushrooms simmered in chunky marinara.
The weather is finally cooling down, which means it’s the perfect time to make something warm and savory that can simmer on the stove. This dish is an easy one-pan meal packed with flavorful sausage, tender veggies, and mushrooms simmered in a rich marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes added.
What you Need
- Italian sausage – Use sweet or spicy Italian sausage. I purchased a packet of sweet Italian sausage from Trader Joe’s. They are flavorful, not heavy and delicious!
- Sweet onion
- Bell peppers – I prefer red, yellow or orange peppers for their sweetness.
- Tomatoes – I like to add fresh tomatoes to Marinara for extra chunkiness.
- Mushrooms – I used shiitake, but cremini, portobello, or your favorite variety will work great.
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Dried oregano
- Cumin seeds
- Salt, to taste
- Sugar – To balance the tanginess from fresh tomatoes.
- Marinara sauce – Choose high-quality sauce.
- Italian parsely or basil, for garnish
How to Make Italian Sausage with Peppers in Marinara Sauce
You’ll need a large cast-iron pan or an enameled Dutch oven for this recipe.
- Cook the sausages. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for 12–15 minutes, turning occasionally until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan. Add the onions, peppers, cumin seeds, and oregano, and stir to combine. (I actually forgot to add my spices at this stage. I added them later, and it still turned out great!) Cover and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Stir in the mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic. Cover again and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the tomatoes begin to break down.
- Simmer in marinara. Stir in the marinara sauce and add salt and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Combine with sausage. Return the sausages to the pan and simmer for another 5-6 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together.
When it’s all done, you get a pot of plump sausage with sweet tender peppers, onions, and flavor packed mushrooms!
Serving Ideas for Italian Sausage with Peppers
Serve this dish in individual pasta bowls. I used my Burleigh Pottery bowls, which you’ve probably seen featured here before. They’re the perfect size and depth, and definitely among my most-used pieces.
Enjoy this dish with:
- Pasta
- Crusty, toasted bread
- Orzo (my personal favorite)
- Rice or rice pilaf
- Couscous
Italian Sausage with Peppers in Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced
- 1 pint tomatoes halved or quartered
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- salt to taste
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 cup marinara sauce (use a good-quality sauce)
- Italian parsely or basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Heat large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil and cook Italian sausage for 12-15 minutes turning occasionally until browned on all sides . Transfer sausages to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and peppers, oregano and cumin seeds, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
- Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic. Toss to combine, cover, and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the tomatoes begin to break down.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, salt and sugar. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Return the sausages to the pot and simmer for another 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Serve in individual bowls and garnish with fresh herbs.