Sausage and Pepper Skillet
When you need a fast, flavorful dinner that requires almost no prep and zero fuss, this 5-Ingredient Sausage and Pepper Skillet delivers every time. It’s hearty, colorful, naturally gluten-free, and cooks in one pan—making it perfect for busy nights when you just want something simple and satisfying on the table.
With just five ingredients, this dish proves that weeknight dinners don’t have to be complicated to taste amazing. Juicy sausage, tender peppers, and a touch of garlic come together in minutes, and you can serve it over rice, stuffed into hoagie rolls, folded into pasta, or keep it low-carb as is.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients but loaded with flavor.
- One skillet = easy cleanup.
- Quick cooking—ready in about 15-20 minutes.
- Versatile for meal prep, sandwiches, or a simple skillet dinner.
- Family-friendly and customizable with mild or spicy sausage.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Kielbasa (sliced smoked sausage; mild or spicy)
- 3 bell peppers, sliced (any color)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2–3 fresh garlic cloves, minced)
Feel free to add salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste—those don’t count toward your 5 ingredients.
How to Make Sausage & Pepper Skillet
- Cook the sausage:
Slice sausage into coins. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on all sides and heated through, or until lightly caramelized. Remove and set aside. - Sauté the peppers and onions:
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add sliced peppers and onions and cook until softened and slightly charred, about 7–8 minutes. - Season:
Stir in garlic powder and return the sausage to the pan. Toss everything together and cook another 2–3 minutes so the flavors meld. - Serve:
Enjoy right from the skillet or pair it with your favorite sides and rice.
Note: You can just cook everything together in the pan at the same time, if you do not want to cook the sausage first, but cooking it alone means you get a better caramelization and flavor.
Tips for Perfect Sausage & Peppers
- Use pre-cooked sausage to make the recipe fast and easy, a smoked sausage or keilbasa will add a ton of flavor.
- Slice ingredients evenly for quicker, even cooking.
- Boost the flavor by browning the sausage well—that caramelization is key.
- Want it saucy? Add a splash of marinara, balsamic vinegar, or chicken broth.
- Spice lovers can add crushed red pepper flakes or spicy Italian sausage.
What to Serve It With
This skillet is endlessly versatile. Try serving it with:
- Rice or cauliflower rice
- Mashed potatoes
- Buttered noodles
- Polenta
- Inside hoagie rolls for a classic sausage & pepper sandwich
- On top of a simple green salad
- Alongside roasted veggies
Storage & Reheating
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave in 30-second intervals.
Freeze: Freeze cooked sausage and peppers for up to 2 months.
More Easy Recipes
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs
- Caprese Chicken
- Poppyseed Chicken
- Lemon Ginger Salmon
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Sausage and Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound Kielbasa sliced smoked sausage; mild or spicy
- 3 bell peppers sliced (any color)
- 1 medium onion sliced (optional but counted as part of your 5!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2–3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through (if using raw links), or until lightly caramelized (if using pre-cooked sausage). Remove and slice if needed.
- Sauté the peppers and onions: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add sliced peppers and onions and cook until softened and slightly charred, about 7–8 minutes.
- Season: Stir in garlic powder and return the sausage to the pan. Toss everything together and cook another 2–3 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Serve: Enjoy right from the skillet or pair it with your favorite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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