Smoked Sausage with Peppers and Farro

$7.30 recipe / $1.83 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.50 from 16 votes
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There’s something about the smell of smoked sausage with peppers and onions that just makes my mouth water. That combination never really gets old. Luckily, there are a million ways to incorporate that delicious combo into different meals. Today I turned it into a quick skillet dinner with the cooked farro that I’ve been transforming all week. This Smoked Sausage Skillet with Peppers and Farro is like a dinner shortcut. It comes together quickly, delivers big flavor, and will keep you full.

A bowl full of smoked sausage with peppers, onions, and farro. A fork pierced through a piece of sausage in the center

What is Farro?

Farro is a high fiber, high protein grain, often considered on of the “ancient grains.” It has a nutty flavor and chewy texture, similar to wheat berries. Farro is cooked the same way as other grains, by boiling in water until tender. For detailed instructions, read my tutorial on how to cook farro.

Can I Use A Different Grain?

If you don’t like farro or can’t find it, don’t worry! You can actually substitute two cups of cooked pasta in this recipe with great results. Or, if you’re more of a rice person, simply make the sausage, pepper, onion, tomato mix, and then spoon it over a bowl of cooked rice. Doing the low carb thing? Well, the sausage, pepper, onion, and tomatoes is quite delicious on its own. I kept stealing spoonfuls of it before I stirred in the farro! :)

What Kind of Smoked Sausage is Best?

You can really use any type of smoked sausage in this dish, from andouille, to kielbasa, or even a smoked turkey sausage. If you can’t find a smoked sausage, this dish would probably be pretty good even with something like Italian sausage.

Close up overhead view of a skillet full of smoked sausage with peppers, onions, and farro.
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Smoked Sausage with Peppers and Farro

4.50 from 16 votes
Use farro or any cooked grain in this simple and satisfying weeknight meal. Smoked Sausage with Peppers is a classic flavor combination that always wins!
Smoked sausage, peppers, and farro in a skillet.
Servings 4
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.12)
  • 1/2 lb. smoked sausage ($2.50)
  • 2 bell peppers ($2.00)
  • 1 yellow onion ($0.31)
  • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes* ($1.09)
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
  • Freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a mill) ($0.03)
  • 2 cups cooked farro ($1.00)
  • 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (optional) ($0.20)
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Instructions 

  • Thinly slice the onions and bell peppers. Slice the smoked sausage into 1/4 inch thick medallions.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and sauté until browned. Drain off the excess fat.
  • Add the sliced onions and bell peppers to the skillet. Continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
  • Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, some freshly cracked pepper, and the cooked farro. Stir until evenly combined and allow to heat through (5-7 minutes). Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve topped with chopped parsley.

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Notes

*I used diced tomatoes that were flavored with onion, bell pepper, and celery. Plain diced tomatoes will also work, as will fire roasted diced tomatoes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 328.1kcalCarbohydrates: 35.18gProtein: 13.53gFat: 14.13gSodium: 813.6mgFiber: 4.98g
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Side view of a bowl full of smokes sausage with peppers, onions, and farro. A fork in the middle

How to Make Smoked Sausage with Peppers and Farro – Step by Step Photos

Sliced Onion and Peppers on a cutting board

Begin by thinly slicing one yellow onion and two bell peppers. I used green because they were less expensive, but you can use other colored peppers if you prefer.

Sliced Smoked Sausage on a red cutting board

Also slice 1/2 lb. of smoked sausage. I used pork sausage, but you can use turkey if you prefer. This was “hot” smoked sausage, but it doesn’t have to be. If you WANT spicy, but can’t find hot smoked sausage, simply add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the skillet.

Browned Sausage in the deep skillet

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and heat over a medium flame. Add the sliced sausage and sauté until it is browned. Drain off the excess fat.

Add Peppers and Onions to skillet

Add the sliced peppers and onions to the skillet…

Wilted Peppers and Onions in the skillet with sausage

And continue to sauté until the onions are wilted. The moisture from the peppers and onions should help dissolve some of the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. This is where I’m smelling the smells and going absolutely crazy.

Can of Diced Tomatoes with Celery

Add a 15oz. can of diced tomatoes to the skillet (with the juices). I used diced tomatoes that are flavored with green pepper, celery, and onion, but you could also use a fire roasted diced tomato, or even just a plain jane diced tomato.

Diced Tomatoes Oregano Pepper in skillet

In addition to the tomatoes, add 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).

Add Cooked Farro to Skillet and Heat Through

Finally, add 2 cups cooked farro (or cooked pasta), stir to combine, and heat through. Taste and adjust the salt if needed (I did not add any). The farro will absorb some of the flavorful tomato juices and get all deeeelicious.

Top Smoked Sausage Skillet with Parsley

Top the smoked sausage skillet with chopped fresh parsley just before serving (optional).

Close up of smoked sausage with peppers and farro in the skillet with a wooden spoon

It’s sooo good (and so easy)!

Smoked sausage and peppers with farro served in a bowl, on an orange napkin, fork on the side
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  1. I made this for the second time tonight. This time with much nicer sausage. I think it’s organic and humanely raised. Not that the other one wasn’t humanely raised. Anyway, this is so incredibly easy delicious and cheap I love it. Thank you both for all of your wonderful recipes. You truly make cooking a joy

  2. We love smokes sausage at our house and I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love the addition of tomatoes with the sausage and vegetables. I couldn’t find faro locally so I ordered some from Bob’s Red Mill and it’s organic. As soon as it gets here, you can bet we will be having this dish fro dinner.

  3. This is a great example of a dish that is way more than the sum of its parts! I made it for dinner earlier this week and was blown away by how delicious it was. Great for making on weeknights (especially if you cook the farro ahead of time) and includes veggies, protein and whole grains.

  4. I used a 28 oz can of whole tomatoes instead, and 12 oz if smoked chicken sausage, and 2.5 cups of cooked farro : this recipe was delicious, easy to prepare, inexpensive and somewhat healthy, excellent

  5. I tried this recipe on yesterday and it was absolutely delicious! Quick, easy, yummy and also healthy for the MAJOR WIN. I couldn’t find farro at my local store so I opted for wheat spaghetti noodles.

    Thank you for your dedication to these posts and for helping the beginner cooks who are also on a budget. <3

  6. The Smoked Sausage Skillet with Peppers is out-of-this world DELICIOUS!! Unfortunately, I was having a difficult time finding farro, so I used bow tie pasta instead. I will definitely make this dish again, and thank you so much for the recipe, Beth!!! :-)

  7. Already had a version of this planned for supper.

    Peppers, onion, mushroom, potatoes, and farmer sausage… Old bay seasoning and a little more oregano. Oven roasted, served over rice.

    From prep to served in a little over an hour.

  8. I make something similar for my family when time is short. I roast the sausage, peppers, onions, and potatoes with a little oil, some grill seasoning and a piece or two of fresh rosemary. It is quick, easy and smells almost as good as it tastes. In the summer I prepare it on the grill, I just pre cook the potatoes a bit in the microwave.

  9. I’ve been enjoying your “farro:” series, look forward to every post. I like the fact that a batch of cooked farro can be frozen and then used for a quick and healthy dish like this one. I have four kids and cook from scratch (because I like it, and because it is more budget friendly). Always happy to add a new quick and healthy recipe to the rotation. Thanks, Beth!

  10. I’ll try this recipe for sure. I’ve been substituting a lot of the recipes with cold pressed coconut oil and honestly, I feel like it works a lot more efficiently than vegetable oil and olive oil. If you ever want to try it out, it’s pretty awesome stuff. The flash point is higher too, so your food won’t spoil as quickly when cooked in it and it doesn’t leave a coconut taste, even though it smells like it should or would. Thanks for sharing so many great recipes!

  11. You are right. I’ve made this for years with pasta, usually bow tie. We just call it: sausage and peppers and onions, oh my! (To the tune of lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Teehee)

  12. This recipe goes well over a bowl of quinoa as well, if you don’t want to eat it with rice or farro.

  13. Mmmmmmmmm!! My mouth is watering right now!! This recipe would be perfect to make for lunch!! :-)