Bring on the easy and comforting recipes! And you won’t be let down with this sausage peppers and potatoes skillet! Being from outside Philadelphia, I loved sausage and peppers growing up and this is such a fun spin on it.
This sausage peppers and potatoes recipe was born from a random night of fridge foraging. If you don’t know what fridge foraging is, it is routing through your fridge and pantry, seeing what you have on hand, and creating a meal with things you have available.
Fridge foraging is one of my favorite ways to cook and we do it in our house 80% of the time! It allows you to get creative, not waste food, and follow your intuition!
I opted for chicken sausage to help boost the protein, but any kind you like will work. Ground sausage works or you can get links from the butcher and remove it from the casing, which is what it did.
It’s loaded with flavor, packed with protein and veggies, and makes a healthy balanced meal! Plus it’s made in one pan and ready in about 45-50 minutes, making it great for a weeknight dinner. Or you can make it for meal prep and reheat it throughout the week!
Why we love this sausage peppers and potatoes skillet recipe
- one pot meal with just 9 ingredients!
- makes a macro-balanced dish – it’s full of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fiber for a complete meal.
- super comforting and cozy and something the whole family will love!
- great for meal prep – the leftovers taste great and it works well for meal prep.
Sausage peppers and potatoes ingredients
- ground Italian sausage – I like using chicken sausage for more protein, but any kind of sausage will work.
- olive oil
- potatoes
- onion
- fresh garlic
- bell peppers
- Italian seasoning
- marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
How to make sausage peppers and potatoes skillet
- Brown your sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and let it get hot. Add your sausage, salt, and pepper, and break it up. Sauté for 6-7 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the grease behind, and place in a bowl.
- Cook your potatoes. There should be some leftover pork grease in the pan. Add oil if needed and let it get hot.* Add potatoes with a little more salt and pepper and stir to combine. Spread evenly in the bottom of your pan and cook for 10-15 minutes until browned and almost cooked through. I covered them with a lid and stirred them 1-2 times.
- Saute your veggies. With the potatoes still in the pan, add onion and garlic to the pan, mix to combine, and saute for another 4-5 minutes. Next, add the peppers and Italian seasoning and mix to combine. Saute for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Assemble. Add the cooked sausage, pasta sauce, and some salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Let everything warm through, about 1-2 minutes. Finally, sprinkle shredded cheese over the mixture and let melt, for about 1-2 minutes. If needed, you can cover the pan with a lid.
- Enjoy! Top with fresh herbs if using and enjoy!
Dicing your potatoes
A huge tip for success in this recipe is dicing your potatoes uniformly so they cook evenly. I try to get mine in 1/2-1-inch pieces. The larger they are cut, the longer they will take to cook, so keep that in mind.
Make it low-carb
To keep this dish low-carb, feel free to skip the potatoes altogether. You can serve it over cauliflower rice if you like. In addition, you can also sub out the potatoes for something lower in carbs like cauliflower florets.
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – allow to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- freezer – I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but it should work well. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- reheating – to reheat, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop. You might need to add a little more liquid (water or broth) if using the stove.
Substitutions and additions
- ground sausage – you can mild or spicy and chicken sausage, pork sausage, or turkey sausage. If you don’t like sausage, try ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- olive oil – any kind of neutral oil will work.
- potatoes – I used Yukon gold potatoes as they have a creamy texture, but russet potatoes will work instead. You can also try sweet potatoes or butternut squash if you have that on hand.
- garlic – garlic powder will work instead. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Italian seasoning – feel free to use a mix of dried basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme if you don’t have Italian seasoning. You just need 1 tablespoon total of dried herbs. The ratio of the herbs shouldn’t matter too much.
- marinara sauce – use your favorite kind!
- cheese – use whatever kind of cheese you like, or you can leave it off to keep it dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30.
And here are some additions you can add:
- vegetables – zucchini, summer squash, or mushrooms would be great. There is never anything wrong with adding more veggies!
- spices – one of the easiest ways to change the flavor of the meal!
More healthy skillet recipes
- shrimp fajitas
- ground turkey sweet potato skillet
- healthy chicken pad thai
- cheesy beef taco skillet
- philly cheesesteak skillet
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Sausage Peppers and Potatoes Skillet
equipment
ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage, but pork will also work. Use hot or mild depending on spice preference)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (or more if needed)*
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1/2-1 inch pieces**
- 1 cup diced onion (120 grams)
- 5 cups diced bell peppers (600 grams – I used red, yellow, and green)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: fresh basil, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes….
instructions
- Brown your sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and let it get hot. Add your sausage, salt, and pepper, and break it up. Sauté for 6-7 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the grease behind, and place in a bowl.
- Cook your potatoes. There should be some leftover pork grease in the pan. Add oil if needed and let it get hot.* Add potatoes with a little more salt and pepper and stir to combine. Spread evenly in the bottom of your pan and cook for 10-15 minutes until browned and almost cooked through. I covered them with a lid and stirred them 1-2 times.
- Saute your veggies. With the potatoes still in the pan, add onion and garlic to the pan, mix to combine, and saute for another 4-5 minutes. Add the peppers and Italian seasoning and mix to combine. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Assemble. Add the cooked sausage, pasta sauce, and some salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Let everything warm through, about 1-2 minutes. Finally, sprinkle shredded cheese over the mixture and let melt, for about 1-2 minutes. If needed, you can cover the pan with a lid.
- Enjoy! Top with fresh herbs if using and enjoy!
Candie says
Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe, Kelly. So quick, easy, and adaptable. I substituted zucchini for the potatoes and it was so delicious . I enjoy watching the meal preps, how Kelly presents each dish. The nutrition info is great! Also, how cool that she shares pics of her family and fur babies!
Caitie says
Made this tonight and it’s delicious! I melted the cheese under the broiler for a few minutes also. It has easy ingredients to cook but packed with flavor. Thanks Kelly!
Michaela says
Is it supposed to be regular pork sausage or Italian sausage?
Kelly Nardo says
I use Italian sausage. You can use pork or chicken. I hope that helps!
Nancy Brizzi says
Love this! Quite easy to put together. I’m making this for the 2nd time in 2 weeks, so it’s definitely in the rotation now!
Kelly says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for trying it Nancy and glad you enjoy it!