This easy and delicious grilled Polish sausage recipe combines smoky sausage with vibrant, sweet bell peppers for a quick, satisfying meal that won't heat up the house. Serve them in buns for the perfect easy weeknight meal!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Grilled Polish Sausage Recipe
- What You'll Need for Grilled Sausage and Peppers
- How to Make Grilled Kielbasa and Peppers
- Recommended Equipment
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Variations
- Storage and Reheating
- Expert Tips
- What to Serve with Polish Sausage
- More Easy Dinners to Try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Grilled Polish Sausage Recipe
This sausage and peppers recipe is a staple in my house during grilling season. Why?
When it's too hot to cook inside, this is an easy meal, it's quick, and everyone loves it - simple as that! Having easy recipes on hand is always a good idea, so ditch the hot dogs and pick up some sausages to make this family favorite instead.
With a kiss of smoke, these flavorful, juicy sausages are typically already cooked, so there's no need to boil or bake in the oven. Paired with peppers that are grilled until sweet and lightly charred, it's a dish that's wonderfully simple and just plain delicious.
Did you love this easy recipe? Please leave a comment below! I love hearing from you.
What You'll Need for Grilled Sausage and Peppers
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- Sausage Pick your favorite Polish sausage brand. These sausages are found at almost any grocery store. You can also find fresh sausages at a local butcher or meat purveyor.
- Oil You can use olive oil or vegetable oil here. Flavor-wise, I always prefer olive oil.
- Bell Peppers I recommend selecting a mix of different colored bell peppers. Red peppers tend to be sweeter, while green are more vegetal, and orange and yellow fall in the middle with a bit of a brighter taste than the other two. You can swap these for mini sweet peppers if you like, but keep a close eye on them, as they'll cook much faster.
- Salt and Pepper Kosher salt is my salt of choice. Its unique shape coats food more evenly, and, because it is less salty per teaspoon than table salt or sea salt, it is harder to oversalt your food. Some freshly ground black pepper is also great here!
- Buns If you're making sausage and pepper sandwiches, be sure to select a bun large enough to hold the sausages (preferably not hot dog rolls).
Toppings for Polish Sausages
I like to serve this dish with different flavors to see what folks like best. Here are some of the toppings I've found guests enjoy:
- Horseradish Sauce
- Classic Polish Mustard
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey Mustard
- Yellow Mustard
- BBQ Sauce
- Sauerkraut
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Hot Sauce
How to Make Grilled Kielbasa and Peppers
Step One: Chop the bell peppers and toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step Two: If you are using kielbasa that is already smoked, you are mainly just heating the sausage through and getting a nice char on the exterior. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (350 degrees F).
Step Three: Spray the grill grates with nonstick spray, or brush with a bit of oil. Then, add the peppers to the basket and place Polish sausage links on the hot grill.
Step Four: To grill the perfect Polish sausage, cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the lid on (for gas grill) or lid off (for charcoal grill). Occasionally stir the peppers around in the grill basket and flip the sausages, checking for doneness and ensuring they aren't getting too dark.
Step Five: Measure the sausage to ensure it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove from the grill to rest for a few minutes before serving. The bell pepper is ready when it's cooked through and lightly charred.
Step Six: Serve on a bun with the grilled peppers and any desired toppings.
Recommended Equipment
Grill or Grilling Pan - this is my current grill and I love it!
Grill Basket or Cast Iron Skillet
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Kielbasa is traditionally from Poland and directly translates to "sausage" in Polish. There are a few different types of Polish sausage. Kielbasa zwyczajna is the type of sausage most Americans associate with Polish sausage. This is a smoked sausage that's made from pork, garlic, and spices, like marjoram and coriander.
Biala kielbasa refers to fresh Polish sausages or white kielbasa. This is made mostly of pork, with beef or veal sometimes added, and uses the same spices as Kielbasa zwyczajna.
While there are many markers that can define health, sausage contains protein and B vitamins which are beneficial. In moderation (as with all things), they can certainly be enjoyed as a part of a healthy life.
Bell peppers provide vitamin C, iron, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits, which are all good for your health. For full nutritional information, check the recipe card below.
Many brands of kielbasa, particularly smoked varieties, come pre-cooked. However, if you are cooking fresh Polish sausage, be sure to cook the sausage to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Variations
- Different Sausage Bored of Polish sausage? You can easily switch things up by getting some Italian sausage, chicken sausage, or any type of sausage you'd like. Just be sure to check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
- Grill Pan If the weather isn't amazing or you don't have a grill, you can make these sausages on a grill pan indoors over medium-high heat and cook peppers in a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan over medium heat.
- Onions Yellow onions or sweet onions are a great addition to this meal if you're a fan of grilled onions. You can add the onions directly to the grill pan with the peppers.
- Sauerkraut Sausage and sauerkraut are a natural pairing. I like to keep a jar of sauerkraut in the fridge and add it to my sausage sandwiches when the mood strikes.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge Store leftover sausage and peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer While it is safe to freeze cooked sausage and peppers, I do not recommend it. The texture of the dish will not be ideal when it is defrosted.
Reheating To reheat the leftovers, you can use the microwave (watch for splatter!) or reheat them in the pan with a bit of oil. Preheat the grill to low heat and cook the sausage for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
Expert Tips
- For nice grill marks, place the sausage on the grill and don't move it for several minutes. When rotating the sausage, use one deliberate movement and switch it to the other side. This will help create distinct grill marks.
- You can easily scale this recipe. If you're planning to have the entire family over or entertain a crowd, you can easily scale this recipe by hovering over the number next to "Servings" in the recipe card below and sliding the arrow to the number of servings you would like to make.
- The best way to avoid the sausages bursting is to create small slits in their side to allow the juice to drip down into the grill.
- Bring a baking sheet with you out to the grill so you can easily carry your ingredients and tools in one trip!
What to Serve with Polish Sausage
I like to serve a platter of these sausage and pepper sandwiches at a variety of gatherings, from BBQs to casual dinners. To accompany them, I love to serve:
Potato Salad This delicious German potato salad has fresh herbs and a warm bacon vinaigrette you'll really enjoy.
Sweet Potatoes I love serving some sautéed sweet potatoes with this dish. Steamed, baked, or grilled sweet potatoes are perfect, too!
Other Salads This simple and easy Greek green salad is always a hit. This burrata caprese is also quite popular, as is this cucumber and beet salad with feta and dill.
Summer Sides These marinated tomatoes are a summer favorite, and this sweet and savory watermelon feta salad is hard to beat.
Sauerkraut and Onions Some grilled onions and a bit of sauerkraut is something all you need to make this a meal.
Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions This is another favorite topping! Filled with deeply savory flavor, these mushrooms and onions are perfect for sausage.
Scrambled Eggs Sometimes I like to serve up leftover sausage and peppers with our eggs in the morning! It's a delicious breakfast that's super easy to make. These scrambled eggs with sliced chilis are a favorite.
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More Easy Dinners to Try
📖 Recipe
Grilled Polish Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- If you are using kielbasa that is already smoked, you are mainly just getting heating the sausage through and getting a nice char on the exterior. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (350 degrees Fahrenheit), placing the grill pan for the peppers on the grill grates while it heats up.
- While the grill is heating, chop the bell peppers and toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spray the grill grates with nonstick spray, or brush with a bit of oil. Then, add the peppers to the basket and place Polish sausage links on the hot grill.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the lid on (for gas grill) or lid off (for charcoal grill). Occasionally stir the peppers around in the grill basket and flip the sausages, checking for doneness and ensuring they aren't getting too dark.
- Near the end of the cook time, you can place the open buns on the grill to add some color, or you can toast them in a toaster, a pan, or in an air fryer.
- Measure the sausages to ensure they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove them from the grill to rest for a few minutes before serving. The bell pepper is ready when it's cooked through and lightly charred.
- Serve sausages on a bun with the grilled peppers and toppings of choice.
Notes
- You can also make this on the grill pan using the same temperature. It will cook in about 4-6 minutes per side. Cook the peppers separately in a skillet. If using fresh, raw sausages, be sure to check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F before serving.
- This recipe also works for Italian sausage.
- Fridge Store leftover sausage and peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer While it is safe to freeze cooked sausage and peppers, I do not recommend it. The texture of the dish will not be ideal when it is defrosted.
- Reheating To reheat the leftovers, you can use the microwave (watch for splatter!) or reheat them in the pan with a bit of oil. Preheat the grill to low heat and cook the sausage for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
Connie says
I love the addition of bell peppers, they really went well with the sausages!
Genevieve says
Thank you, Connie!
Marie says
Wonderful and easy!