Italian Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients

• 454 gItalian sausages
• 3 mediumred peppers, sliced
• 2 mediumonions, sliced
• 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 4garlic cloves, unpeeled and whole
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme (or 10 ml dried oregano)
• to tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Coat the ingredients

   Put the sausages, sliced peppers, onions, garlic and thyme in a medium bowl or a large resealable bag. Add the olive oil and toss to coat.

2. 2

   Heat the oven

   For the oven method, preheat the oven to 220°C. Arrange the sausages and pepper mixture in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking tray.

3. 3

   Bake until cooked

   Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the sausages reach an internal temperature of 71°C for pork or 74°C for chicken or turkey.

4. 4

   Mash the garlic

   Carefully take the garlic cloves out of their skins; they should slip out easily. Mash them with a fork and stir them into the rest of the dish.

5. 5

   Check the seasoning

   Taste and add more salt if needed before serving.

6. 6

   Prepare the grill

   For the grill method, set all burners to medium-high, close the lid and heat the grill to about 220°C, roughly 15 minutes. Clean the grate with a grill brush.

7. 7

   Wrap the vegetables

   Set the sausages aside. Put the peppers, onion and garlic mixture on a large sheet of foil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil around the mixture to seal it well, then pierce the top of the packet a few times with a fork or small knife.

8. 8

   Grill the vegetables

   Place the foil packet on the grill, close the lid and cook for 15 minutes.

9. 9

   Grill the sausages

   After 7 minutes, put the sausages over indirect heat, close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Open the grill, turn the sausages and move them to direct heat for another 3–4 minutes, until nicely charred and at an internal temperature of 71°C for pork or 74°C for chicken or turkey.

10. 10

    Combine and serve

    Remove the foil packet and sausages from the grill. Carefully open the packet, slip the garlic cloves out of their skins, mash them with a fork and stir them into the pepper mixture. Serve with the sausages.

11. 11

    Adjust the seasoning

    Taste the dish and add more salt if needed before serving.

What are Italian sausage and peppers?

This American-style dish brings together Italian-style sausages, peppers and onions, cooked until the vegetables soften and the sausages brown. It draws on Italian-American cooking, where sausages and peppers are a familiar pairing.

This version keeps the ingredient list simple and gives you a choice of oven or grill. Whole garlic cloves turn soft as they cook, then are mashed into the vegetables for a savoury finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 481 calories, 17g protein, 7g carbs, 43g fat.

The sausages provide most of the protein and fat, while the peppers and onions contribute the carbohydrates. To balance the plate, serve a portion with a green salad or another vegetable side.

Choose your cooking method

Oven: roasting the sausages and vegetables together is convenient and gives the peppers and onions direct contact with the hot tray. Spread them out in one layer so they cook evenly.

Grill: the vegetables cook in a foil packet while the sausages go directly on the grate. This keeps the vegetables together and lets the sausages develop char.

Why the garlic stays whole

Whole, unpeeled cloves protect the garlic from scorching during the relatively long cooking time. Once cooked, the cloves should come easily out of their skins.

Mash the soft garlic and stir it through the peppers and onions so its flavour is distributed throughout the dish.

Check the sausages carefully

Colour alone is not a reliable way to judge whether sausages are cooked through. Check the centre with a food thermometer: the recipe specifies 71°C for pork and 74°C for chicken or turkey.

The vegetables should be tender, and grilled sausages should have a good char. If they need more time, continue cooking and check the temperature again.

Keep the vegetables in one layer

On a baking tray, avoid piling up the peppers and onions; a crowded tray can make them cook less evenly. Use a large, rimmed tray as directed.

For the grill, seal the foil folds well and pierce the top of the packet a few times as the method specifies. Take care when opening it, as hot steam may escape.

Make it a meal

Serve the sausages and pepper mixture as they are, or add bread to catch the juices. For a more substantial plate, pair them with potatoes or cooked grains.

A simple green salad or another lightly dressed vegetable makes a fresh contrast to the rich sausages and sweet, softened peppers.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the peppers and onions into similarly sized pieces so they soften at a similar pace.
• Use a rimmed baking tray to keep the cooking juices contained.
• Keep the sausages aside while arranging the vegetables in the grill foil packet.
• Use a food thermometer to check the centre of the sausages.
• Open the foil packet carefully, keeping your hands and face clear of the steam.
• Mash the garlic only after cooking, then mix it through the vegetables.

Variations

• Use oregano: swap the fresh thyme for 10 ml dried oregano.
• Choose chicken sausages: cook them to the stated 74°C internal temperature.
• Choose turkey sausages: use the same 74°C internal temperature target.
• Add bread: serve with bread to mop up the cooking juices.
• Serve with potatoes: add cooked potatoes for a more filling plate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the tray: spread the ingredients in one layer so they cook more evenly.
• Skipping the temperature check: use a thermometer to confirm the sausages reach the specified temperature.
• Leaving the garlic unmashed: remove it from its skin and mash it so it blends into the vegetables.
• Opening the foil quickly: open it carefully because hot steam may escape.
• Forgetting to turn the grill sausages: flip them before moving them to direct heat for the final 3–4 minutes.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 3–4 days. Reheat in a pan or oven until piping hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions