The Real Secret To Giada De Laurentiis Sausage And Peppers

Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis wants to bring some Italian street life into your kitchen with her recipe for sausage, pepper, and onion sandwiches. The recipe was born on De Laurentiis' TV show Everyday Italian and now lives online, on her Giadzy website.

This original sausage and pepper recipe involves about 40 minutes of serious cooking time. You need to work the onions, peppers, tomato paste, Marsala wine, and so forth into a nice sauce, using the same pan you cooked the sausages in and making sure to deglaze those flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom.

Now, De Laurentiis has updated the recipe for the slow cooker. The new recipe skips the wine, which isn't recommended in slow cookers anyway because the alcohol doesn't burn off (via The Kitchn). Otherwise, it's somewhat similar to the original sausage sandwich recipe – minus a lot of the work.

The slow-cooker version of Giada De Laurentiis' sausage and pepper recipe, also on Giadzy, asks you to combine the cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions, and other ingredients with a rind of parmesan cheese and the sausages. Set the cooker on low, set the timer for six hours, and walk away.

Don't expect De Laurentiis' slow-cooker sausages to turn out a lot like the older recipe that uses a skillet. The sausages in the cooker will absorb the tomatoey, cheesy broth that forms, making them extra tender and flavorful. Another difference you're sure to appreciate: Instead of the 40 minutes spent over a hot pan making the original recipe, you'll spend about five minutes chopping peppers, onions, and garlic before leaving the rest up to the magic of the slow cooker.

People commenting on @thegiadzy's Instagram feed approved of the recipe. Some of them said they had already made it several times. Another said that, given the timing of the recipe's drop a few days before the big game, they might make it as a Super Bowl treat. For another commenter, however, the recipe appeared just a little too late. "I needed this recipe 6 hrs ago cuz I just put a tray of sausage, peppers, and onions in the oven!" @hmvitts said. "I am positive this recipe is a few steps up from what's in my oven right now!"