Sausage, Peppers, and Onions Pizza

Name: Sausage, Peppers, and Onions Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature; ¾ lb (340 g) sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing if in links; 1 large (220 g) red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips; 1 large (220 g) yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips; 1 large (200 g) yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moons; ¾ cup (180 ml) canned tomato sauce (or marinara sauce); 2 cups (200 g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, lightly packed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced (optional); ½ teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic American pizza loaded with browned Italian sausage, roasted bell peppers and onions, and melted mozzarella over a tangy tomato sauce base. The sausage is cooked until crispy, the peppers and onions caramelize slightly in the oven, and everything comes together on a golden, chewy crust.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 3 min
Total: 41 min
Makes: 1 pizza (4 slices)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 lb (450 g) pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature
¾ lb (340 g) sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing if in links
1 large (220 g) red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
1 large (220 g) yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
1 large (200 g) yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
¾ cup (180 ml) canned tomato sauce (or marinara sauce)
2 cups (200 g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, lightly packed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced (optional)
½ teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning (optional)

Equipment (4)

14-inch (35 cm) round pizza pan or baking sheet
Large skillet or 12-inch (30 cm) sauté pan
Wooden spoon or spatula
Pizza cutter or chef's knife

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a baking sheet inside to heat
Use room-temperature dough or allow chilled dough to sit out for 15 minutes before stretching
Have all toppings prepped and ready to assemble before the oven reaches temperature

1
Brown the Sausage
- Heat the large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the Italian sausage (breaking it into small pieces as it cooks with a wooden spoon) and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and cooked through with no pink remaining.
- The sausage should reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Pour off excess fat into a small bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Transfer the browned sausage to a plate.
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Ready when: Sausage is deeply browned with no pink inside, reaches 160°F (71°C) internal temperature, and begins to crisp at edges
Tip: Don't stir constantly—let the meat sit for 1–2 minutes at a time to develop good browning and crisping.
2
Cook Peppers and Onions
- In the same skillet, add the sliced bell peppers and onion to the sausage fat (add the 1 tablespoon olive oil if you prefer).
- Cook over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are just tender and the onions become translucent and slightly golden at the edges.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the minced garlic (if using) for the last 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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Ready when: Peppers are tender-crisp, onions are soft with light browning, and garlic is fragrant
Tip: Don't overcook the peppers—they'll continue to soften in the oven, so aim for tender-crisp here.
3
Stretch Dough and Add SauceOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place the pizza dough on the hot baking sheet (remove it from the oven carefully using oven mitts).
- Gently stretch or press the dough into a 14-inch (35 cm) round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.
- Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about ½ inch (1.3 cm) at the edges, using about 0.75 cup (180 ml).
- If desired, sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the sauce.
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Ready when: Dough is stretched into an even, thin round with a thick crust edge
Tip: If the dough springs back, let it rest for 2–3 minutes and stretch again gently—don't force it.
4
Layer Toppings
- Distribute the browned sausage evenly over the sauce, then scatter the cooked pepper and onion mixture over the sausage.
- Finally, distribute the shredded mozzarella evenly across the entire pizza, covering the toppings.
- Season the cheese lightly with salt and pepper.
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Ready when: All toppings are distributed and mozzarella covers the pizza evenly
Tip: Don't overload with toppings—they should be in a single layer for even cooking and a crispy crust.
5
Bake the PizzaOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place the assembled pizza in the preheated oven on the hot baking sheet.
- Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10–12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in spots, and the edges are crispy.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden brown, cheese bubbles and browns in spots, edges are crispy
Tip: If the crust is browning too fast but cheese isn't melted, cover loosely with foil for the last 2–3 minutes.
6
Cool and Serve
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes.
- This allows the cheese to set slightly so slices won't slide off the toppings.
- Transfer to a cutting board, slice into 4 equal pieces with a pizza cutter or chef's knife, and serve hot.
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Ready when: Pizza is rested and ready to cut into clean, intact slices
Tip: A pizza cutter works best for clean, even slices—a rocking motion with a chef's knife also works well.

Good to know

Tips

Preheating the baking sheet creates a crispier, golden-brown crust by providing immediate, even heat from below.
For extra flavor, use half sweet and half hot Italian sausage, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce.
If your oven runs cool, increase the temperature to 500°F (260°C) or place a preheated pizza stone on the bottom rack for even more heat and a crispier crust.
Fresh basil or a light drizzle of garlic oil after baking adds a bright, aromatic finish.

Make ahead

You can prep the peppers, onions, and sausage up to 4 hours ahead; store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble and bake the pizza when you're ready to eat.

Storage & reheating

Leftover pizza keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, or in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until warmed through and the crust is crispy. Not recommended for freezing after baking, though unbaked assembled pizza can be frozen (wrap tightly and bake from frozen, adding 3–4 minutes to baking time).

Substitutions

sweet Italian sausage → Hot Italian sausage, ground beef, or Italian beef crumbles. Hot sausage will add more spice; ground beef is milder and less flavorful but still delicious.
red bell pepper → Green bell pepper or a combination of both. Green peppers are slightly more bitter and firm; red and yellow are sweeter and softer.
canned tomato sauce (or marinara sauce) → Marinara sauce, pizza sauce, or crushed canned tomatoes mixed with a pinch of salt and garlic. Marinara is pre-seasoned; if using plain crushed tomatoes, season to taste.
low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded → Part-skim mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and provolone. Part-skim mozzarella melts well but may brown faster; provolone adds a sharper, smokier flavor.