Pot Sausage & Peppers

Try this Pot Sausage & Peppers recipe, or contribute your own.

Save
Pot Sausage & Peppers Save
Pot Sausage & Peppers

Step-by-step

  • Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting. Let it heat up for about 3 minutes and then add in the sausage (as full links) and sear for 3-5 minutes turning it over about every minute so the sides are lightly browned, but not fully cooked. You’ll likely have to do this in two batches. Remove and place on a cutting board when done and let cool for a few minutes
  • Then, add the butter to the pot and scrape/deglaze the bottom to get up as much sausage as possible that may have stuck to it. Once the butter’s melted and bubbling, add in the peppers and onions and stir well until all is coated with the butter and oil. Stir and set for 10 minutes. (NOTE: It will feel like it’s filled to the brim, but these veggies will cook down and release water). As you stir, make sure you continue to deglaze the bottom of the pot from the water the veggies release. We want it nice and clear
  • As the veggies are sautéing in the pot, carefully slice the sausage links into 1/2? size pieces. You’ll see the edges will be lightly cooked and the center still raw. That’s exactly how it should be and it also makes it easier for the sausage to keep it’s form to slice it AFTER searing since the outer edges close to the casing will have cooked a bit. Place the sliced sausage into a bowl
  • Meanwhile back to the pot, add the garlic, oregano and Italian seasoning and stir for another minute. Follow up with the white wine (or broth) and then place the sausage directly on top of the veggies and DO NOT STIR THEM IN
  • Secure the lid and hit the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button and then hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release when done
  • If you wish the broth to have a creamy, Parmesan consistency, stir in the Parmesan and cream cheese/Boursin until melded. This is optional but gives it a wonderfully unique twist

When working with a single 6-quart electric pressure cooker, the primary constraint is volume management. Two pounds of sausage and four whole bell peppers initially fill the inner pot to absolute capacity, creating legitimate concern that the lid will refuse to seal, yet high-water-content vegetables like Vidalia onions and bell peppers shrink by roughly half during the initial ten-minute sauté phase as they release their internal moisture.

Judging Doneness Visually

Because probing irregular meat casings with an instant-read thermometer often yields unreliable measurements, look for distinct visual transformations instead. The sliced Italian sausage rounds are ready when the exposed pork centers turn opaque and firm to the touch, losing their raw pink hue entirely, while the surrounding bell pepper strands should be tender enough to drape softly over a fork without completely collapsing into mush. Achieving this specific texture relies on executing a manual high-pressure cook time of precisely five minutes followed immediately by a quick release of steam, preventing the residual heat from overcooking the pork.

  • Adding the dry white wine before scraping up the browned fond will trigger the burn notice; always deglaze the stainless steel insert thoroughly with butter first.
  • Stirring the dairy into the simmering liquid too quickly will cause separation, so fold the grated parmesan and cream cheese in gently at the very end.