This Crock Pot Italian Sausage and Peppers recipe is brimming with an amazing combination of robust flavors. Simmered in a homemade marinara sauce, it’s truly the perfect classic Italian-American comfort food, with an easy slow cooker twist.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Sausage and Peppers Recipe

• Classic Italian dish made super easy
• Sweet Italian sausage, peppers and onions slowly braised in low carb marinara
• Minimal prep work, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner
• Family friendly

Slow cooker recipes are the perfect way to have a hot, hearty and home cooked meal on the table with very little prep work. Since I have been on a crock pot recipe kick lately with this Crock Pot Ranch Chicken, Crock Pot Butternut Squash Chili and this Mississippi Pot Roast, I decided to turn my favorite sausage and peppers dish into a slow cooker version. The results are simply outstanding!

The best part of this recipe is, you just sauté the sausage, throw them in with other ingredients and allow the crock pot to do the rest of the work for you. Because it cooks slowly, the seasonings and all those flavors in the homemade marinara have time to infuse the sausage, onions and peppers creating a wonderful one pot meal that’s ideal busy weeknight dinners, potlucks, or game day parties.  

Enjoy this sausage and pepper recipe with a low carb hoagie bun for a quick and easy lunch or picnic, or you can serve them with any of your favorite Keto side dishes like Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower or a simple side salad with this Creamy Italian Dressing.

What’s in Keto Crock Pot Italian Sausage and Peppers

• Italian sausage 
• Keto Marinara Sauce
• Red bell pepper
• Yellow bell pepper
• Yellow onion
• White wine (or chicken broth)
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Parsley
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Slow cooker
• Large skillet
• Kitchen Tongs
• Measuring Spoons

How to Make Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers

Heat a large skillet to medium, then add in the olive oil and sausage.

Brown on all sides, then pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the peppers, onions and garlic in the bottom of your crock pot insert.

Tip: Looking for even more time saving ideas? You can cut up all your veggies the night before and keep them in a freezer bag in the fridge until you’re ready to add them to the crock pot.

Sprinkle in the basil, parsley, salt and red pepper flakes.

Pour the marinara sauce over the top.

Add in the sausages with white wine, then cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

Remove the lid and stir everything together and serve in a Keto friendly bun or with your favorite side.

Can I Freeze Cooked Sausage and Peppers?

You sure can! Just place your leftovers in airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap placed on top of the food before placing the lid on. The extra layer of plastic wrap will help protect them from freezer burn.

Can You Eat Italian Sausage on the Keto Diet? How Many Carbs are in Italian Sausage and Peppers?

This is a very Keto friendly dish at just 7 net carbs per serving.

To make sure you’re using Keto friendly ingredients, you should always read the label that the sausage is packaged in. Look for brands that have no added sugars.

Another carb-saving advantage to this recipe is, it uses a Homemade Keto Marinara. Store-bought brands of marinara usually have too much added sugar, and since it’s so easy to make your own, you can have healthy and tastier marinara in no time. I love to make extra and use it as a dipping sauce for this Crispy Fried Eggplant.

Can I Eat Bell Pepper on Keto Diet?

When eaten in moderation, bell peppers are one of my favorite ways to add a whole lot of flavor to savory recipes.

Even though the exact amount of carbs for bell peppers depends on the color of the pepper, on average they have approximately 5 net carbs per cup. When served with rich meats like this sausage, bell peppers are so flavorful, you seldom eat an entire cup in one meal. So in most cases the carb impact is minimal.

The wonderful thing about peppers isn’t just how delicious they are, but also that they pack impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B-6. To read more about each type of pepper, there’s a wealth of information about them on Healthline.com.

Can I Use Other Sausage in This Recipe?

Absolutely! Though Italian sausage and marinara go hand in hand, you can use smoked sausage, andouille, or any of your favorite link style sausages.

Slow Cooking Italian Sausage FAQs

Can You Cook Sausages from Raw in a Slow Cooker?

A slow cooker is designed to cook all types of meats and veggies from a raw state. Keep in mind that slow cooking is almost like braising so in order to get a lot of color on the sausage, you’ll want to brown them on the sauté function of your crock pot, or in a separate skillet.

Can You Put Frozen Sausage in the Crockpot?

Absolutely! You will need to adjust the cooking time quite a bit to make up for the time it takes the sausage thaw to when it actually begins to cook. You should count on an additional 30 minutes to start with, but it could take a little longer depending on the size of the sausages and how your crock pot cooks.

Do You Have to Brown Sausage Before Slow Cooker?

They do not require browning before cooking. However, by searing them before adding them to the slow cooker, you give them nice color which means more flavor. It’s a personal preference, but I always give mine a quick sear beforehand.

More Keto Sausage Recipes

• Fried Cabbage and Sausage
• Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Pie
• Sausage and Pepper Breakfast Casserole
• Keto Jambalaya
• Smoked Sausage and Cauliflower Soup
• Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche