Low carb sausage and peppers brings savory sausage and sweet bell peppers to your dinner plate. Find a satisfying recipe worth adding to your weekly menu!

Golden-brown sausage, sweet peppers with lightly blistered edges, and buttery-soft onion tangled in garlicky pan juices make this low carb sausage and peppers worth getting your biggest skillet out for!

What This Sausage and Peppers Tastes Like?

This version has juicy sausage, tender pepper strips that still hold their shape, and enough garlic to announce that dinner is happening.

Red bell pepper brings sweetness, green pepper adds a slightly sharper flavor, and a modest amount of onion softens into golden strands around everything else.

A tablespoon of tomato paste gives pan juices a richer, rounder flavor without turning dinner into a skillet of tomato sauce. Don’t skip that final splash of vinegar, because it cuts through sausage’s richness and makes sweet peppers taste brighter, especially once everything has spent a few minutes cooking together.

You’re keeping carbohydrates lower by serving sausage and vegetables without a roll, pasta, or added sugar. Peppers and onions still contain natural carbohydrates, so your sausage label and portion size matter if you’re tracking them closely.

Ingredients

• 1 pound raw Italian pork sausage links, sweet or hot
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided: Start with 2 teaspoons for sausage and reserve 1 teaspoon for vegetables, using it only if needed.
• 2 large bell peppers, about 12 ounces total before trimming: Preferably 1 red and 1 green, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips approximately ½ inch wide.
• ½ medium yellow onion, about 3 ounces: Slice from root to stem into ¼-inch-thick strips so pieces hold together during cooking.
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced: About 1 tablespoon.
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste: Use plain tomato paste without added sugar.
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano.
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional: Skip these if your sausage already has plenty of heat.
• ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth: Plus 1–2 tablespoons extra if your pan becomes dry before sausage finishes cooking.
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar: Plus another teaspoon if needed after tasting.
• Up to ¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste: Sausage and broth contribute salt, so you may need less.
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, optional, for serving.

Servings: 4
Total time: 45–50 minutes

How to Make Low Carb Sausage and Peppers

Set out your sliced peppers, onion, minced garlic, and measured seasonings before heating anything, then pat sausage links dry with paper towels so their surfaces can brown properly.

Keep links whole for now, and resist poking holes in their casings, since you want those juices inside your sausage instead of splattering around your stove.

Have a plate ready for partially cooked links, and use a clean board and knife when you slice them after they’re fully cooked.

Heat a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add 2 teaspoons olive oil and swirl it across the base.

Lay sausage links in a single layer with a little space between them and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes until several sides have a rich golden-brown crust.

Listen for a steady sizzle rather than aggressive crackling, and lower heat slightly if casings darken too quickly. You’re developing color at this stage, so don’t expect sausage to be cooked through yet.

Transfer sausage to your waiting plate and inspect your skillet before adding vegetables. Leave about 1 tablespoon fat behind, spooning off any obvious excess; if your sausage was lean and your pan looks almost dry, add reserved olive oil.

Keep brown bits stuck to the bottom because they’ll flavor your sauce, but remove any black, burned pieces, which will taste bitter.

Add peppers and onion, spread them across your skillet, and increase heat to medium-high.

Leave them alone for about 2 minutes so some edges pick up color, then cook for another 6–8 minutes, stirring every minute or two until peppers begin to bend and onion softens with a few golden edges.

Don’t salt heavily yet, because sausage will season everything when it returns. If vegetables are scorching before softening, reduce heat to medium; if they’re releasing water, let that moisture evaporate before adding anything else. Your spoon can take a short break between stirs!

Reduce heat to medium-low, push vegetables slightly aside, and add garlic to an area with a little fat. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until it smells fragrant, then mix in tomato paste, oregano, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.

Cook for 1 minute, stirring so paste coats vegetables and changes from bright red to a slightly darker brick color. Don’t skip this brief cooking step, because it gives tomato paste a fuller flavor, but keep garlic moving so it doesn’t burn.

Pour in ⅓ cup chicken broth and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon, then return sausage and any collected juices to your skillet. Nestle links among vegetables, bring broth to a gentle simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low before covering.

Cook for 7–10 minutes, turning links once halfway through, until a thermometer inserted into each link’s center reads 160°F (71°C). Thick links may need a few extra minutes; add a tablespoon or two of broth if your pan dries out.

If you substitute raw chicken or turkey sausage, cook it to 165°F (74°C) instead, following safe minimum internal temperature guidance.

Move fully cooked sausage to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes while you simmer vegetables uncovered over medium heat.

Watch for loose liquid to reduce into a light coating that clings to pepper strips, which usually takes 2–4 minutes. You should still see a little glossy sauce when you tilt your skillet; if it becomes dry or sticky, stir in a tablespoon of broth or water.

Aim for tender peppers with recognizable edges, rather than strips that collapse when you pick them up.

Slice sausage on a slight diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces, return it to your skillet with any resting juices, and toss gently over low heat for about 30 seconds.

Turn off heat, stir in 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and chopped parsley, then taste a bite containing both sausage and pepper before adding salt.

If it tastes rich but needs a brighter finish, add another teaspoon vinegar; if it already tastes balanced, leave it alone. Spoon onto plates while hot and finish with optional Parmesan!

Serving Suggestions

• Over cauliflower rice: Cook it separately until excess moisture evaporates, then spoon sausage, peppers, and pan juices over each portion. Wet cauliflower rice will dilute that glossy sauce.
• With sautéed cabbage: Thinly sliced cabbage cooked with olive oil and black pepper makes a generous base for sausage slices.
• Alongside a crisp green salad: Romaine, cucumber, and a sharp lemon dressing provide a fresh contrast to rich sausage.
• Over zucchini noodles: Briefly sauté noodles and drain any released water before adding sausage and peppers.
• Straight from a shallow bowl: Divide sausage and vegetables evenly among four bowls and spoon remaining juices over each one. Add parsley and optional Parmesan just before eating!

Bring this low carb sausage and peppers to your table while garlic still smells wonderful and pepper strips are glossy with savory juices, then make sure every plate gets a few beautifully browned sausage slices.

With sweet vegetables, a little fennel, and that bright vinegar finish, this is a dinner worth slowing down for, even if you’re eating it standing beside your skillet while everyone asks when food will be ready!

Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!