Italian Sausage, Peppers & Tomatoes
Italian Sausage, Peppers & Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thick strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into thick strips
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
6–8 ripe plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
or 1 large can whole peeled plum tomatoes, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½–1 teaspoon granulated sugar, only if needed to balance the acidity
For the Sausage
1½ pounds Italian sausage, mild or hot
1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
To Finish
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or a mixture of both
Additional fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, optional
Instructions
Cook the Peppers
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the bell peppers in a relatively even layer.
Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring only occasionally so some of the peppers have time to develop lightly browned and charred edges.
Add the garlic during the final 1–2 minutes of cooking.
Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Add the fresh basil, toss briefly, and transfer the peppers to a bowl.
Set aside.
Prepare the Tomato Sauce
Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
Do not let the garlic become deeply browned.
Add the chopped or crushed plum tomatoes.
Season with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and a small amount of sugar if the tomatoes are particularly acidic.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and form a chunky, rustic sauce.
You want the sauce to remain juicy rather than reducing it until extremely thick.
Combine the Tomatoes and Peppers
Add the cooked peppers and any juices accumulated in their bowl to the tomato sauce.
Stir gently.
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for another 5–10 minutes so the peppers can absorb some of the tomato and garlic flavor.
Brown the Sausage
While the peppers and tomatoes are simmering, heat a separate skillet over medium heat.
Add the Italian sausages.
If they are particularly lean, add about 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Brown the sausages well on all sides, turning periodically.
Cook until they are almost completely done.
The internal temperature should reach at least 160°F / 71°C for pork sausage.
Transfer them to a cutting board and allow them to rest for a few minutes.
Cut the sausages into large bite-size pieces.
Keep the Sausage Flavor
Do not discard the flavorful drippings from the sausage skillet.
Pour the sausage pieces and a few spoonfuls of the rendered juices directly into the pepper-and-tomato mixture.
If there are excessive amounts of grease, leave some behind rather than adding all of it.
Stir gently so the sausage remains in substantial pieces.
Simmer Everything Together
Cook the combined sausage, peppers, and tomatoes over low heat for another 10–15 minutes.
The sausage juices should blend into the tomato sauce while the peppers continue becoming tender.
Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, additional basil, or crushed red pepper flakes.
Finish with Cheese
Turn off the heat.
Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano generously over the pan.
Gently stir a little of the cheese into the sauce while leaving some visible on top.
Finish with fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper.
Allow the dish to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
How to Serve
Serve the sausage and peppers in shallow bowls with plenty of the tomato-garlic sauce.
It is excellent with:
Crusty Italian bread for soaking up the sauce
Pasta such as rigatoni, penne, or spaghetti
Creamy polenta
Mashed potatoes
Roasted potatoes
Italian rolls for sausage-and-pepper sandwiches
Extra grated Parmesan or Pecorino
Flavor Profile
This dish should taste rich, garlicky, tomato-forward, slightly sweet, peppery, and deeply savory.
The peppers provide sweetness and light smokiness from their charred edges, while the plum tomatoes create a fresh, rustic sauce.
Italian sausage contributes both seasoning and rendered fat, which is why incorporating some of the sausage pan juices makes such a noticeable difference.
Fresh basil brightens everything, while grated cheese brings salty, nutty richness.
And just like the version you described, this dish becomes even better after it sits for a while. After resting—or after a night in the refrigerator—the sausage, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and basil taste even more integrated.