💛💚❤️ This Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet is the perfection option when you’re wondering what to make with hot Italian sausage! 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!
Table of Contents
- One-Skillet Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
- Ingredients for Skillet Sausage, Peppers and Onions
- How to Make Sausage, Peppers & Onions
- What to Serve with This sausage, peppers, and onions skillet
- Recipe FAQs
- Recipe Video Tutorial
- Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet Recipe
- More Sausage Dinner Recipes:
One-Skillet Italian Sausage with Peppers and 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 Skillet Sausage, Peppers and Onions
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:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Johnsonville Fresh Italian Hot Sausage Links – 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
- Vidalia onions
- Bell peppers – I use yellow and red or orange, but green bell pepper is also fine.
- Garlic
- Instant rice
- Chicken broth – use reduced sodium since Italian sausage often contains salt as well
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
What Type of Italian Sausage Should I Use?
Although I used Italian 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 over medium heat until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
- Stir in the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
What to Serve with This sausage, peppers, and onions skillet
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.
This sausage and rice recipe reheats well, and leftovers 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.
I am a huge fan of All-Clad skillets, specifically this All-Clad 3-quart stainless steel skillet with a lid. It’s been a trusty workhorse in my kitchen for 10+ years!
Recipe Video Tutorial
Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Skillet
Video
Equipment
- 1 large skillet (4 quart) OR
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.
Notes
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
I found the overall dish lacking seasoning and flavor. Using instant rice really tanked the dish for me b/c it never comes out quite right … rice should be fluffy (or sticky if that’s the kind you need) but Instant rice just has that “almost not done” texture. I would consider making this again and adding seasonings (Italian, garlic powder, etc.) and using Jasmine rice (cooked) adding it later as suggested in another review.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe, Christie. I use hot Italian sausage and it definitely does not feel like the dish is missing anything in terms of seasonings. Between the hot sausage, the various cloves of garlic (I don’t need to add garlic powder when I’m already adding actual garlic), 2 cups of onions, and the various bell peppers, there’s a lot in the flavor department for us, but you can always tweak things to your liking. Many people enjoy the convenience of using minute or instant rice which is probably why it exists! But if it’s not for you, you can cook the rice separately from everything else and add it later.
Quick and easy dinner full of flavor! My family loved it! Will be making it again!
Thanks Carla for the five star review and so glad it was quick, easy, flavorful – and that you’ll definitely make it again!
Very easy, very tasty!! Will make again
Thanks for the 5 star review, Alissa! I’m glad this was very easy, very tasty and you’ll remake it!
I make this all the time at our house – two young kiddos eat it all up! I do drain most of the grease from the sausage before adding everything else. Delish!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Tiffany, and I’m so glad to hear you make it all the time and your young kids love it!
Simple and yet so delicious! We top it with just a bit of fresh shredded Asiago cheese or parm . It’s a regular on rotation!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Carrie, and I’m glad to hear this is on regular rotation for you! The shredded cheese sounds like the perfect final touch!
Hello! Is there a way to make this recipe with regular rice and not minute rice?
Thanks!
I don’t know exactly….what I would do is cook the rice separately. And in a large skillet cook the sausage with onions, peppers, garlic and oil if necessary for about 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice to that, and add some broth to loosen it all up, as needed. You’d have to play around but doing it in 2 separate skillets, then combining, is fairly foolproof.
Very good and filling, easy to make
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Very easy and delicious meal! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Kari, and I am glad it was very easy and delicious!
I tried this recipe. I added a can of French cut green beans (drained)
before I added the rice and chicken broth. It was delicious!!
Thanks for trying the recipe Linda and I’m glad the can of green beans was a nice touch and it turned out delicious!
Simple easy and delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Jackie, and I’m glad this was easy and delicious!