Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet — This easy one-skillet recipe combines Italian sausage and peppers with sweet Vidalia onions and rice to make a quick dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes! If you’re wondering what to make with Italian sausage tonight, make this!!
Table of Contents
One-Skillet Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions
I’m all about easy, one-skillet dinners that are ready in 30 minutes. My family is all about flavor and just cares about how something tastes. We were all happy with this dish and the big flavors.
Juicy sausage, sweet Vidalia onions, a hint of garlic, crisp-tender bell peppers, and tender rice.
Rather than yet another chicken and rice dish, I swapped out the chicken and instead used Johnsonville Fresh Italian Hot Sausage Links.
I used hot sausage because I wanted something to stand up and pop against the rice and it wasn’t too hot, but use mild sausage if you prefer.
Ingredients for Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet
So many Italian sausage recipes include pasta, but I wanted to pair this flavorful protein without something different. If you’ve been looking Italian sausage recipe without pasta, you’re going to love this skillet!
To make the Italian sausage with peppers and onions and rice, gather the following:
- Olive oil
- Johnsonville Fresh Italian Hot Sausage Links
- Vidalia onions
- Bell peppers
- Garlic
- Instant rice
- Chicken broth
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
What Type of Italian Sausage Should I Use?
Although I used sausage links for this recipe, Johnsonville also offers Italian sausage in a ground version, which is so convenient if you don’t want to de-case sausage links. Johnsonville’s links and ground Italian sausage — as well as their meatballs and breakfast sausage — come in a variety of flavors and spices, giving you more flavor and saving you time in the kitchen.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Sausage, Peppers & Onions
This Italian sausage meal comes together in about 30 minutes and requires minimal prep. Here’s a rough overview of how the recipe comes together:
- Cook the sausage (removed from its casings) and diced onion in a little olive oil until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are golden.
- Add the peppers and garlic to the skillet and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Stir in the instant rice and chicken broth.
- Cook until the rice absorbs all the liquid, then stir in the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Recipe FAQs
I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t say for sure. You probably can, but you’ll have to play around with the amount of liquid you add to the skillet as well as the cook time.
Or, simply add pre-cooked or leftover rice to the skillet.
Of course! If you don’t have Italian sausage on hand, feel free to substitute another type. Just keep in mind that the sausage I used is fresh, not pre-cooked, which is why I browned it together with the onions.
This sausage and rice recipe reheats well and will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating this dish in a skillet with a tablespoon or two of water or broth, just to keep the rice from drying out.
Of course! I specifically wanted to make this Italian sausage recipe without pasta, but you may omit the rice and boil pasta on the side if desired.
Recipe Video Tutorial
Tips for Making Italian Sausage and Peppers
You’re welcome to use any color of bell pepper you have on hand for this sausage, peppers, and onions skillet. And if you only have one color of peppers, that works too!
Make sure you’re using low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe, as Italian sausage often contains salt as well.
And definitely taste this dish before adding extra salt and pepper at the end since it’s naturally salty already!
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Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Johnsonville Fresh Italian Hot Sausage Links, de-cased (Johnsonville Fresh Italian Hot Ground Sausage or mild sausage may be substituted)
- 2 cups sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 large onion)
- ⅔ cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- ⅔ cup yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 2 cups dry/uncooked minute or instant rice
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ to ½ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely minced (stems discarded)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, sausage, onion, and sauté for about 8 minutes over medium-high heat, or until sausage is cooked through and onions are lightly golden browned. Stir and flip intermittently.
- Add the peppers, garlic, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Turn the heat to medium-low, and add the rice, chicken broth, and cook covered for about 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender, done, and all liquid has been absorbed.
- Turn off the heat, add the parsley, and stir to combine.
- Taste dish and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. Dish will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat gently as necessary.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Post is brought to you by Johnsonville. The recipe, images, text, and opionions expressed are my own. #SausageSunday #JohnsonvilleSausageSwap
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville Italian Sausage. The opinions and text are all mine.
This is delicious! I add a cup of sweet chilli to it just to add a bit extra spice. (I just use normal pork sausages) the family loves it.
Sounds perfect! Glad your family loves it!
Giiiiiirrrl! Your recipes are on point! My toddler loves rice and loves sausages. This one is sure to be a hit.Â
Thanks!!!!!!
Just wanted to say, this recipe has become my favorite weeknight meal! I made it for the first time a few weeks ago, and we’ve made it two more times since; it’s delicious. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it’s a dinnertime favorite!
wow all these recipes are hot, and they look yum, I need to try all of them in this winter vacation.
That looks nice. I will try it next weekend.
After reading its preparation method and ingredients I am thinking I can try it my kitchen also. My mom love to try new dishes so I thinking to give her a little surprise.Â
My daughter showed my your blog because she was fascinated by the recipes. As a single father it’s really hard for me to keep on preparing interesting meals but this one really doesn’t look so much time consuming so I will try it during the weekend. Hope she likes it! :)
This would be a HUGE hit in my house! Love that sausage.
I love one skillet dinners! This looks so delicious :)
Dani | http://www.styledvariety.com
Rice, sausage, onions, and peppers? Pretty much sounds perfect to me!
I haven’t  tried that kind of  sausage.  My family loves meals with fully cooked turkey sausage–I bet they’d like this, too. Â
I bet they would! LMK if you try it!
I love cooking with sausage – it’s such an underrated protein that really adds a ton of flavor to any meal! This looks so simple enough; I can’t wait to make it for a busy weeknight dinner!Â
It adds so much flavor and this was the perfect, fast and easy, weeknight dinner!
Okay, from the pre-cooked sausage, to the minute rice, to the easy ingredients, I’m adding this to my meal prep spreadsheet I’m making for my mom. Â And, I’m adding this to the list of things I’m making for her when I go home over Thanksgiving. Â I’m going to have to modify it, but it should be fine – throw the ingredients (minus rice) in a ziplock and freeze, then take out and cook in a slow cooker on low for the day. Â Minute rice when you get home from work, DONE.
This could probably be made ahead and frozen in a casserole dish, too, I’m guessing. Â
Just to clarify though, the sausage isn’t precooked. You have to brown that in a skillet first. Then add in the peppers, rice, broth, etc.
But the whole thing from start to finish is 30 minutes, tops, and that includes chopping the peppers and most of that is inactive, not doing any kind of work :) Just waiting. I’m sure it could be done in a slow cooker but honestly, more work and time and ‘hooplah’ than your mom would probably need for such an easy, throw together one-skillet meal. It makes plenty, of which I’m sure the leftovers would freeze great!
One skillet meal HEAVEN! This is an easy prep ahead meal to take with you on the go for lunches! I love it!
One skillet meals with leftovers for lunch or the freezer are my absolute favorite! I haven’t cooked sausage in months–I think Jon would like this for something different. This looks delicious and very flavorful (with an easy shopping list too)!
Super easy shopping list and knowing your love of veggies, you can get creative and work in whatever else you have lurking in your produce drawer :)
Jon had to work late so I offered to bring him dinner. He specifically asked for something easy to eat and not messy so I thought this was just the dish to make. Easy to make and so very good! I did throw in some diced carrots and the last of some cauliflower. I’ll definitely be making this again!
It’s the perfect dish to throw odds and ends into and your carrots and cauli sound great! Glad you guys enjoyed it!
This looks so delicious! A perfect weeknight meal!
Paige
https://thehappyflammily.com