Kielbasa with Peppers is an easy and flavorful weeknight meal with red and yellow peppers, onion, and delicious sausage cooked in the oven.
This super easy Dinner Recipe cooks everything at the same time, in the same pan, for a quick and low effort meal that tastes amazing. For more simple sheet pan meals with sausage, try my Sheet Pan Sausage and Sauerkraut and Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers Sammies!
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Sabrina’s Kielbasa with Peppers Recipe
If you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal that’s easy and delicious, this Kielbasa with Peppers checks every box. There’s barely any prep work and it only takes about 20 minutes to cook. It’s a one-pan dish too so that means the clean up is super easy!
Mild, smoky sausage and sweet, colorful peppers are a classic combination that isn’t too bold but still very flavorful. Aka, it’s a kid friendly dish that can be served lots of ways. You can serve it up in hoagie rolls, toss it with buttered noodles, or alongside your favorite potato dishes. Check out my How to Serve section for more ideas!
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Kielbasa: Kielbasa is a flavorful and filling smoked sausage with a garlicky, smoky spiced flavor. It is made with cloves and marjoram so the spiced flavor is warm and slightly sweet.
- Bell Pepper and Onion: I used red and yellow bell peppers for this recipe. Red pepper is sweeter than other types of bell peppers and yellow pepper has a similar flavor, though slightly less sweet. The yellow onion will also be a little sweet once you roast it, but will bring those wonderful savory flavors and make your home smell delicious while it cooks.
- Seasonings: The base ingredients of this recipe are already quite flavorful. So, I kept the seasonings very basic by tossing the veggies in oil, black pepper, and kosher salt. If you want to add more flavor, check my Variations Section for my recommendations.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Baking Sheet: Use a baking sheet to lay out all of your sausage and peppers. It can be a classic cookie sheet or any other wide, rectangular pan that will allow the veggies room to spread out and brown in the oven.
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife: Grab your favorite sharp kitchen knife and cutting board to slice your veggies and sausage. The board will protect your counter and keep your knife safe.
How to Make
Time needed: 25 minutes.
- Prep Veggies
Preheat the oven, then slice the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and onion into bite-size pieces.
- Seasoning
Toss the diced vegetables with kosher salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil.
- Prep Kielbasa
Slice the kielbasa into 1-inch slices WITHOUT cutting all the way through. Leave the last part attached so the sausages are in one large piece. Then, place the sausage on a baking sheet and place the vegetables around the kielbasa. Brush the remaining oil over the sausage.
- Baking Time
Bake the kielbasa for 18-20 minutes until it’s crispy and sizzling and the peppers and onions are softened and browning. Serve hot with some crusty bread or a potato side dish.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 16 ounces smoked kielbasa sausage
- 1 red bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 yellow onion , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the kielbasa into 1-inch slices (important note) but do not cut all the way through, the kielbasa should stay in one large piece.
- Place onto baking sheet.
- In a large bowl toss together the bell peppers, onion, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil.
- Place the vegetables around the kielbasa.
- Brush the remaining oil over the kielbasa.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until the kielbasa is crispy and sizzling and the peppers and onions are softened and browning.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: Kielbasa vs. Sausage
Kielbasa is a kind of smoked sausage with a delicious and distinct flavor. Polish cuisine is typically made with pork sausage, though it can be a mix of beef and pork. You’ll find it has a different flavor and texture from other sausages because of the way it is smoked. The texture can be a little more firm than most sausage, almost like a salami.
Can this be made ahead of time?
You can easily make the Kielbasa and Peppers ahead of time. Simply prep the dish by cutting the vegetables and the kielbasa and placing them in a baking dish. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake them. Going from fridge to oven might take the cold sausage and peppers longer to cook, so you may need to add a couple minutes to the cooking time.
Nutritional Facts
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- Even Slices for Even Cooking: When slicing your veggies and your Kielbasa, do your best to cut similar sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
- Easy Cleanup: If you’d like to make cleanup super easy for this 1-pan meal, you can line the pan with parchment paper or foil. Just wrap up the paper or foil and throw it in the trash when you’re finished.
How to Serve Kielbasa
This sausage and peppers dish is a great start to a delicious weeknight dinner. You can keep it pretty light and easy with some Garlic Bread on the side or make a heartier meal. Here are some suggestions:
- Rice: Rice is an easy, healthy way to make this dish more filling. Plus it cooks in about the same amount of time.
- Grains: Whole grains like couscous and quinoa are another healthy option! My Buttery Garlic Quinoa tastes indulgent but is still low calorie!
- Potatoes: I would suggest a stove-top potato dish like Steamed Baby Potatoes or Garlic Mashed Potatoes. If you do want to do roasted potatoes, I would dice them into small 1-inch pieces and add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
- Hoagies: Butter and toast hoagie rolls, then add the sausage and peppers along with other tasty toppings and spreads. Sauerkraut, garlic aoili, brown mustard, provolone cheese, and BBQ Sauce all taste great with smoked sausages like Kielbasa.
How to Store
- Store: After cooking, don’t leave this recipe out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To keep leftovers, you can store Kielbasa with Peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: You can heat up in the microwave covered. If reheating on the stovetop, you can use a teaspoon of olive oil in the pan to help it heat better.
- Freeze: You can also seal the Kielbasa and Peppers in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Let the sausage and veggies thaw in the fridge, then reheat them in the oven or on the stovetop over medium heat before serving.
Frequent Questions
Kielbasa isn’t the lightest protein option but cooking them in the oven is healthier than cooking them in oil on the stovetop. This recipe is also a great way to get a healthy dose of vegetables into your day with bell peppers. If you want a healthier version, you can use turkey sausage or chicken sausage for the meat.
Smoked Kielbasa has been fully cooked when it is sold in the store. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about handling raw meat. However, like hot dogs, you will want to heat it all the way through before eating it.
Variations
- Peppers: You can use any color of peppers besides just yellow and red peppers. You could also add other kinds of peppers like poblano peppers or jalapeno peppers to add some spicy flavor.
- Sausages: You can use this same basic recipe with different kinds of sausages. Italian sausage, Andouille Sausage, Mexican Chorizo, and German Smoked Sausage are all tasty options to try cooking with your veggies.
- Seasonings: Try tossing the peppers and onion in different kinds of seasonings like Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, parsley, minced garlic or fresh herbs. Kielbasa is made with marjoram, which is similar to thyme and is more common so that is a great herb to add.
- Kielbasa and Baby Potatoes: Instead of cooking the sausage with peppers, you can use baby potatoes. Dice the potatoes into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Toss them in oil and seasonings. Lay the sausage and potatoes over the baking sheet. Cook at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sausage is sizzling. Stir once halfway through the cooking time.
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