Sheet Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

This quick and easy three-ingredient dinner on the pan is the answer to the question, “What’s for dinner?”

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

I kept coming back to this sheet pan recipe. It’s a streamlined take on the classic Italian-American sausage, peppers, and onions, a meal that simmers browned Italian sausages with sautéed peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices, and sometimes a splash of Marsala wine.

It’s pretty quick as it is, but I wanted to make it even easier, so I shortened the ingredients list and made it almost a no-fuss affair.

The key players – sausage, peppers and onions – are simply tossed onto a sheet pan, tossed with olive oil, salt and black pepper and roasted over high heat until the sausage is cooked through and the veggies are tender and caramelized. Both the sausage and veggies release some of their natural juices, so you have a juicy, vibrant trio that’s a perfect meal for so little effort.

Which sausage should I use?

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

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

What kind of peppers and onions should I use?

I love adding a pop of color to this sheet pan, which is why I opted for colorful bell peppers and a red onion. Use your choice of green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or grab a bag or two of mini bell peppers, which I love because they don’t have as many pesky seeds so they’re even easier to prepare.

Here’s how to enjoy this Sheet Pan Dinner

There are almost endless ways to enjoy this recipe. On several occasions, I’ve simply carried the sheet pan to the dinner table, along with crusty Italian bread or soft focaccia and a simple green salad. We each scooped what we liked and whisked the pan juices with the bread.

That’s just one approach. Here are others:

• Serve over rice, farro, quinoa, polenta, or cauliflower rice.
• Cook up a pot of pasta like penne or orecchiette while the pan is in the oven, then toss them together with another drizzle of olive oil and some finely grated parmesan for a hearty pasta dinner.
• Fill it with a sprinkling of grated mozzarella in sub-sandwich rolls. Grill 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 will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s a good option when preparing meals. Make it over the weekend and reheat in the microwave or in an oven at 425F for about 10 minutes.

More sheet pan recipes we love

• Sheet Pan English Breakfast
• Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos
• Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli with Miso Butter
• Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Carrots and Cauliflower
• Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Pork Chops