Easy Instant Pot Sausage And Peppers Recipe
Sausage and peppers is a classic meal that works well on a number of different occasions. Whether you're serving it at a family gathering or bringing it as a side to a barbecue, the meal always seems to hit the spot. While there are tons of ways to make this dish, recipe developer Hayley MacLean opted to use the help of an Instant Pot, cutting down the cook time to just 20 minutes. The Instant Pot is a BFF in the kitchen, and every time we use it, we're in awe of the magic that it does.
This recipe also includes some sliced onions and garlic, adding even more flavor to the sausage and peppers. Trust us, it's incredible! "My favorite part of this recipe is its versatility," MacLean says. "It can be used as a lunch when served as a sandwich or as a hearty dinner with pasta or rice. Plus, the flavors are so savory and rich, it is a really comforting dish!" What more could you want?
Keep reading to find out how to make this yummy Instant Pot sausage and peppers recipe that's off-the-charts good.
Gather the ingredients
Lets start by grabbing all of the necessary ingredients for this delicious Instant Pot sausage and peppers. First, you will need some olive oil and mild Italian sausage in its casing. In total, grab about five links.
You will also need various bell peppers — red, yellow, green, and orange (or a mix of whatever's available) — that you'll slice thinly. While you're in the produce section, grab an onion and some garlic as well.
You also need a can of diced tomatoes, some tomato paste, and chicken broth. The last few items on your list are Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Brown the sausages in the Instant Pot
Take out your Instant Pot to kick off the cooking process. Turn the setting to sauté on medium, and then add in the olive oil. Once the oil starts simmering, add the sausages and brown them. "The sausages only take a minute or two to brown on each side. It's very quick!" MacLean shares. "I would just make sure to watch out for the sausage splitting or browning too much — you don't want burned bits in the pan!"
When the links are brown, remove them from the Instant Pot and set them to the side. You will need them shortly.
Sauté the peppers and onions
Once you take the sausages out of the Instant Pot, it's time to add the veggies. Throw in the bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Remember that you should have sliced the onions and peppers ahead of time. Cook the veggies for about two to three minutes until they've softened.
"While the onions and peppers are sautéing, they only need to be stirred occasionally to avoid cooking them too much on the bottom while staying raw on the top," MacLean says. "Both of these vegetables release a lot of moisture when being cooked, so it is hard to burn them during this step, but occasional mixing is important for even cooking."
Then, throw in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and deglaze the pot, scraping the brown pieces from the bottom.
Add the Italian seasoning and chicken broth
Add in the Italian seasoning, followed by the chicken broth and salt and pepper. Give the whole thing a few good stirs to combine everything together. These four items might not seem like a lot, but they will add some great flavor to this dish and it's a very important step in the process.
Now, slice the sausages to your desired size (we recommend decent-sized chunks) and throw them back into the Instant Pot. This time, you will want to avoid stirring.
Pressure cook the sausage and peppers
Turn the Instant Pot to pressure cook and leave it on high for 10 minutes. Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure and then cooks for 10 minutes, allow the pressure to naturally release for about 10 minutes before you release the remaining pressure. This is super simple and the only hard part is waiting. But doesn't your kitchen smell amazing?
Next, remove the lid and mix the sausages and peppers well. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the dish from the Instant Pot onto a serving tray of your choice.
Serving suggestions and leftovers
As far as serving options, the possibilities are endless. MacLean suggests serving it on hoagie rolls or on a bed of rice or pasta. "The traditional way to eat this is as a sandwich, as shown here, or over grains," she suggests. "But another way to enjoy this dish is by keeping the sausages whole when cooking and serving it as a dish on its own with a side of a fresh green salad and some crusty bread to sop up all the delicious juices!"
If you have any left, don't worry. "Leftovers are good for three to four days due to the cooked pork in the recipe," MacLean shares. "However, you can also freeze your leftovers and reheat them when ready to use for longer storage!" Yum!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 24 ounces mild Italian sausage in casing
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté on medium and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the sausages and brown them on most sides. Once brown, remove the sausages from the Instant Pot.
- Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the Instant Pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and deglaze the pot, scraping the browned bits from the bottom.
- Once deglazed, turn off the Instant Pot and add the Italian seasoning, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Stir the pot.
- Slice the sausages to the desired size and add them back to the Instant Pot. Do not stir.
- Turn the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- When done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before quickly releasing the remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and mix well. Remove the sausage and peppers with a slotted spoon and serve.
| Calories per Serving | 567 |
| Total Fat | 46.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 104.1 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 6.9 g |
| Sodium | 1,093.2 mg |
| Protein | 22.5 g |
