Italian Sausage Marinara Sliders in the Crockpot for Holiday Dinners

Name: Crockpot Italian Sausage Marinara Sliders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb sweet Italian sausage links; 1 medium yellow onion, sliced; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 24 oz marinara sauce; 1 tbsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 12 slider rolls, split and toasted; 6 slices provolone cheese, halved; 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped for garnish

These slow cooker Italian sausage marinara sliders are a stress-free feeding solution for busy holiday weeks, game days, and casual family dinners. Sweet Italian sausage links simmer low and slow in a rich garlic tomato sauce filled with bell peppers and herbs. Spoon the tender sausage straight from your crockpot onto toasted slider rolls, top with provolone cheese, and serve hot to a hungry crowd.

Crockpot Italian Sausage Marinara Sliders, an easy crockpot dinner recipe

Prep: 10 minCook: 4 hrTotal: 4 hr 10 minServes: 8

Ingredients

2 lb sweet Italian sausage links
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz marinara sauce
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 slider rolls, split and toasted
6 slices provolone cheese, halved
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Place the sliced yellow onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced garlic into the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot.
Arrange the raw Italian sausage links over the vegetables in an even layer.
Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the sausages and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours (or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours) until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160 F.
Remove the sausage links, slice into thick coin pieces or bite-sized chunks, and return them to the crockpot sauce to coat thoroughly.
Spoon the warm sausage and marinara mixture onto toasted slider rolls, top each bottom bun with half a slice of provolone cheese, close the rolls, and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil before serving.

Tips

For extra bubbly melted cheese, place assembled slider bottoms with cheese under the oven broiler for 1 to 2 minutes before capping with top buns.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat sauce and sausage gently on the stovetop or microwave before assembling fresh sliders.
You can swap sweet Italian sausage for spicy Italian sausage if your family prefers extra heat.