This Sausage, Peppers and Onions Skillet is an easy one-pan weeknight dinner made with turkey sausage, bell peppers, onions and pasta sauce.

This dish comes together quickly with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. The tender veggies and juicy sausage are coated in a rich tomato sauce, making it perfect to serve over rice, pasta, or even on its own for a low-carb option.
My mom used to make a variation of this recipe when I was a kid and I see why she loved it: it was SO easy to throw together and was something even us picky kids would eat.
This is my go-to when I need something fast and easy with almost no clean up!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- One skillet meal: Everything’s made in one skillet, so it comes together easily and there’s almost NO dishes after.
- Super easy: It’s great for busy weeknights since it comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- Perfect for meal prep: You can portion this out into individual servings for easy work week lunches.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil โ or any other neutral cooking oil like avocado or canola oil.
- Turkey sausages ยญโ use Italian sausage or pork sausage, or make your own homemade turkey sausage.
- Mushrooms โ use any veggies like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, zucchini or green beans.
- Yellow onions โ white or red onions would also work.
- Green, yellow and red pepper โ swap out for another veggie.
- Garlic โ fresh minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Red chili flakes โ cut this out altogether or just use half if youโre not a big fan of spice.
- Jarred pasta sauce โ canned crushed tomatoes would also work.

How to make sausage, peppers and onions

Step 1: Cook the sausage.
Fry the sausages in a little olive oil until ready.
Step 2: Slice sausage.
Slice the cooled sausage into coins.

Step 3: Cook the mushrooms.
Sautรฉ the mushrooms until the juices release.
Step 4: Sautรฉ the onions and peppers.
Cook the onions and peppers.

Step 5: Add in the rest of the ingredients.
Toss in the sausages, spices and pasta sauce.
Step 6: Cook the mixture.
Cook until sausages are fully cooked and veggies are softened.

Recipe Tips and Variations!
Here are some of my top tips and variation for making these Easy Sausage, Peppers and Onions:
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh bell peppers and onions give the best flavour and texture.
- Donโt overcrowd the pan: Sautรฉ in batches if needed to ensure everything cooks evenly and gets a nice sear.
- Use a non-stick skillet: Prevent sticking and make cleanup easier by using a well-oiled or non-stick pan.
- Change the protein: Substitute the meat with chicken sausage, turkey sausage, or even plant-based sausage.
- Make it creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for a richer flavor.
- Spice level: Add crushed red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage for more heat.
Frequently asked questions
Is this dish keto-friendly?
Yes, as long as you use a low-carb sausage and omit any starchy sides like rice or bread, this dish fits a keto lifestyle.
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Yes! Swap the sausage for plant-based sausage alternatives or add hearty veggies like mushrooms, eggplant, or tofu for a vegetarian twist.
Can I make this in the oven instead?
You sure can! Bake the sausages for 10 minutes first, then slice up and add to a baking sheet with the veggies, garlic, salt & pepper and tomato sauce. Bake the mixture for 10-15 minutes until the veggies are tender, then serve and enjoy.

What to serve with this dish
Here are some ideas on how you can serve this delicious dish:
- With grains: Serve it with a side of Spanish rice, brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- With pasta: Toss it with your favourite cooked pasta noodles.
- With a side dish: Enjoy it on its own with baby potatoes or quinoa salad.
- As a sandwich: Add to your favourite sandwich bun with cheese!
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store in airtight containers in the fridge for 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Sprinkle some water over top, then microwave for 1-2 minutes. If reheating from frozen, microwave for 6-7 minutes, stirring halfway through.

More easy skillet recipes
Meal prep tools
- These glass meal prep bowls are so great for microwaving and reheating your sausage and peppers safely.
- I get all my meat from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.

Easy Sausage, Peppers and Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 turkey sausages (1 lb of sausage)
- 1 (8oz) package mushrooms, quartered
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 1 each green, yellow and red pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp each Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (cut in half or leave out if you don’t like spicy)
- 1/2 cup jarred pasta sauce
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over med-high heat in large frying pan. Add turkey sausages and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and slice when cool.
- Without wiping pan clean, add mushrooms to skillet and saute until juices start to release, about 5 minutes. Add onions and peppers, cooking another 2 minutes or so.
- Add sausages back in, along with garlic, salt & pepper and red chili flakes. Add pasta sauce. Cook mixture another 2-3 minutes until sausages are fully cooked and veggies are softened.
- Divide among 4 meal prep bowls or enjoy for dinner. Leftovers will last up to 5 days in the fridge – enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Beth Montagna says
Hi Taylor,
Thank you for the recipe. It was wonderful!!
I served it tonight with riced cauliflower which is my substitute for rice.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect!
Looking forward to trying your chicken marsala skillet recipe!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Beth! Thanks so much for leaving a review ๐
Dr. Neil Glennie says
Excellent and flexible recipe. I am a former Torontonian now living in New Orleans. Keep up the good work on Bloor Street. Now, if you can just get non-Torontonians to pronounce it.
Taylor Stinson says
Haha thank you for dropping by, Neil! So happy you enjoyed ๐
Monica says
This was amazing! So easy to make! I added in chicken to go with the sausage. I only had pasta sauce to use, which turned out great. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. My Fiancรฉ and I both made it โtogetherโ over FaceTime tonight! Will definitely be making this again.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Monica! ๐
Tracy L Bennett says
I’m very interested!! (In ALL of the recipes) on my way to the grocery store, gonna try the Sesame chicken tonight and the Sausage and peppers tomorrow night!! Exciting!! New Subscriber for sure!!!
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you so much Tracy!!! You just made my day ๐ Let me know how you like this recipe!!
Kerri E Hallahan says
What would I do without this site??? This recipe was made exactly as you have it and it is amazing!! Another week of healthy, meal prep lunches that I’ll look forward to every day!! Thank you ! Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
Kerri your comment has made my day!!! Thank you so much I’m so happy I could help ๐
Lisa Harzawy says
If you’re looking for cheaper spices such as your fennel, check out your local Asian or Mediterranean markets. They usually have them much much cheaper and better quality than supermarkets. I can get a fairly nice bag of fennel for $2-$3. Don’t worry, most everyone is very nice and it is a really neat outting where you can see things you’ve never known even existed. =)
Taylor Stinson says
Great tip, thanks Lisa!
Renee Schouten says
Hi there,
Is there a button to put the 4 servings up to 6?
Thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Renee – if you hover over the serving number in the recipe card it will give you the option to increase the number of servings to 6 ๐
Renee Schouten says
Hi Taylor,
I hovered over it but it did not change!
Ray says
Great recipe, making this tonight – it reminds me of the Sausage Sauce Piquant my grandma used to make. Delicious.
Tomiko says
Made this yesterday for my meal prep and had it tonight for the first time. Definitely a favorite. I had to use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce because I forgot to pick some up at the store so it was a little bland. Nothing some Tabasco couldn’t fix!
Taylor Stinson says
So happy to hear you liked it Tomiko!!! ๐
Allison Lee says
Tried this meal as my first to make from the blog tonight and it was delicious! Super easy to make! Since I don’t like mushrooms I substituted them for carrots to give the dish some more color and get an extra veggie in! Wasn’t too sure about the amount of onion the recipe called for, but it came together beautifully! Definitely a do-over! I cannot wait to try more meals now!
Taylor Stinson says
Yay!!! So happy you liked this recipe Allison!!! I actually make it all the time myself, I just made it last week haha. Thanks so much for sharing with me ๐