Sheet Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

This recipe has Italian sausages, colorful bell peppers, and onions that come out caramelized. The best part? With just one sheet pan, cleanup is a snap!

Sheet pan sausage with peppers and onions being scooped off a sheet pan.

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

This quick and easy sheet pan dinner is the three-ingredient answer to “what’s for dinner?”

Italian sausage is roasted with chunks of sweet bell peppers and red onion for a meal that’s so much greater than the sum of its parts. Enjoy it on its own, tossed with pasta, over rice, or even stuffed into sub sandwich rolls!

A Three-Ingredient Dinner That Satisfies

I’ve turned to this sheet pan recipe time and time again. It’s a streamlined version of the classic Italian-American Sausage, Peppers, and Onions, a meal that simmers browned Italian sausages with sautéed bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices, and sometimes a splash of Marsala wine.

It’s a pretty quick as-is, but I wanted to make it even simpler, so I trimmed the ingredient list and made it an almost hands-off affair.

The key players—sausage, bell peppers, and onions—are simply thrown onto a sheet pan, tossed with olive oil, salt, and black pepper, and roasted at high heat until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender and caramelized. Both the sausage and vegetables release some of their natural juices, so you’re left with a juicy, vibrant trio that is a perfect meal for such little effort.

Overhead view of a sheet pan sausage dinner.

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

What Sausage Should I Use?

This recipe calls for Italian sausage given that it has Italian-American roots. Feel free to use either sweet or hot Italian sausage, depending on your spice tolerance. You can also use pork, chicken, or turkey Italian sausage.

Italian sausage is typically found in links or in bulk. Both will work here, but if you’re using links, remove the casing by slicing it open with a paring knife and peeling it off.

What Type of Peppers and Onions Should I Use?

I love giving this sheet pan dinner a burst of color, which is why I opt for colorful bell peppers and a red onion. Use an assortment of green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers or pick up a bag or two of mini sweet peppers, which I love because they don’t contain as many pesky seeds, so they’re even easier to prep.

Two bowls of sheet pan Italian sausage, peppers, and onions

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

How to Enjoy This Sheet Pan Dinner

There are near endless options to enjoy this recipe. On multiple occasions, I’ve simply carried the sheet pan to the dinner table, along with crusty Italian bread or pillowy focaccia and a simple green salad. We each scooped up what we like and swiped the pan juices with the bread.

That’s just one approach. Here are others:

  • Serve it over rice, farro, quinoa, polenta, or cauliflower rice.
  • Cook up a pot of pasta, such as penne or orecchiette, while the sheet pan is in the oven, then toss them together with another glug of olive oil and some finely grated Parmesan cheese, for a hearty pasta dinner.
  • Stuff it into sub sandwich rolls with a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella. Broil the sandwiches for a minute or two until the cheese melts. Serve them with warm marinara sauce for dipping and plenty of napkins.

Storage Suggestions

This recipe keeps well, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to four days. It’s a nice option if you meal prep. Make it over the weekend and rewarm in the microwave or in a 425°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Sheet pan Italian sausage, peppers, and onions in a bowl with a fork.

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

More Sheet Pan Recipes We Love

Sheet Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 large bell peppers in assorted colors, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage

  • Fresh parsley or basil leaves for garnish, chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F:

    Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.

  2. Season the bell peppers and onions:

    Place the bell peppers and onions on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread them into an even layer.

    Overhead view of chopped vegetables on a cutting board to make sheet pan sausage with peppers and onions

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

  3. Add the sausage:

    Remove the casings from the sausage, if using links. Break the sausage into bite-sized pieces and drop them in the empty spaces among the vegetables.

    Sheet pan sausage dinner on a wooden block ready for the oven.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

  4. Bake and serve:

    Bake until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned and the sausage is cooked through, stirring once halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes. To serve, garnish with parsley or basil, if desired.

    Sheet pan sausage dinner on a wooden block.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
458 Calories
35g Fat
14g Carbs
23g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 458
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 44%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 1003mg 44%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 124mg 620%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 555mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.