Save This dish combines savory sausages with a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers and sliced red onions. The ingredients are tossed with olive oil and aromatic herbs like oregano, basil, and smoked paprika before roasting at a high temperature until tender and caramelized. Optional balsamic vinegar adds a tangy finish, while fresh parsley brings brightness. It's a straightforward, hands-off cooking method that delivers balanced flavors and colorful presentation, perfect for a quick family meal or casual gathering.
The smell of roasting peppers and onions filling my tiny apartment kitchen one Tuesday evening is still so vivid. I had barely any energy left from work but needed something that felt like real food. Sheet pan dinners became my survival mode that year, and this sausage and peppers combination was the one that stuck.
My roommate walked in while this was in the oven and immediately asked what restaurant Id ordered from. When I told her it was just sausage and peppers from the grocery store, she looked at me like I was hiding some secret. We ate it straight from the pan with forks, standing over the stove.
Ingredients
- Italian sausages: I switch between sweet and spicy depending on my mood, and chicken or turkey work beautifully if you want something lighter
- Bell peppers: Using all three colors makes the dish gorgeous on the plate, and they bring slightly different sweetness levels
- Red onion: Red onion becomes almost candy-like when roasted, much sweeter than white onions would get in the oven
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic roasts alongside everything else, mellowing into those sweet savory notes
- Dried herbs: Oregano and basil are classic, but smoked paprika is what really makes this taste like it came from an Italian-American kitchen
- Olive oil: Do not skimp here, the oil helps the vegetables roast instead of steam
Instructions
- Prep your pan and oven:
- Preheat to 425 degrees and line your baking sheet with parchment, because you do not want to scrub roasted-on anything after this meal.
- Coat the vegetables:
- Toss your sliced peppers, onions, and garlic with olive oil and all those seasonings until everything is evenly coated.
- Arrange and roast:
- Spread vegetables on the sheet and nestle the sausages right on top, letting them do their thing for about 25 minutes.
- Turn and finish:
- Flip the sausages halfway through and roast another 5 minutes until cooked through and those vegetables have started to brown at the edges.
- The optional finish:
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if you want and toss everything together before serving.
Save This became my go-to whenever friends came over for casual weeknight dinners. Something about that colorful jumble of peppers and sausages makes people feel taken care of, even though I barely lifted a finger.
Making It Your Own
I have thrown zucchini rounds or cherry tomatoes onto the sheet when my garden was overflowing. Both roast beautifully alongside the peppers and onions, just keep in mind that tomatoes release quite a bit of liquid as they cook.
Serving Ideas
Most of the time I just serve this straight from the pan with some crusty bread for soaking up all those flavorful juices. It is also fantastic over rice or stuffed into a hoagie roll for an incredible sandwich the next day.
Make Ahead Strategy
Slice your vegetables the night before and keep them in a sealed container in the fridge. When you are ready to cook, just toss them with oil and seasonings and you are halfway there.
- The leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors meld together
- This reheats beautifully in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes
- The sausages can be sliced before serving for easier eating
Save Sometimes the simplest dinners are the ones that stick around the longest, and this sheet pan sausage and peppers has earned its permanent place in my rotation.
Recipe FAQs
- → What type of sausages work best?
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Italian sausages, whether pork, chicken, or turkey, offer rich flavor and work well when roasted with vegetables.
- → Can I add other vegetables?
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Yes, sliced zucchini or cherry tomatoes can be included to add variety and enhance the color and taste.
- → How do I know when it’s done?
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Vegetables should be tender with some caramelized edges, and sausages must be cooked through with no pink inside.
- → What side dishes pair well with this?
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It pairs nicely with crusty bread, rice, pasta, or even inside sandwich rolls for a quick meal.
- → Is there a way to make it spicier?
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Using spicy Italian sausages or adding a pinch of red pepper flakes before roasting can add heat.
- → Can it be prepared ahead of time?
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Ingredients can be prepped and combined beforehand; roasting is best done just before serving for optimal texture.
