Grilled Sausage and Pepper Foil Packets
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Loaded with juicy Italian sausages, roasted sweet peppers, browned onions, and melt-in-your-mouth smashed garlic, this campfire foil packet is an absolute winner!
Sausage and peppers is one of those meals that feels like pure comfort food to me—something I grew up eating (most Wednesday nights) and still crave today.
This foil packet version is the perfect way to bring this Italian-American classic to the campground. You can prep the whole thing at home, toss the packets on the grill grate or over the fire, and then just relax while dinner cooks itself.
It’s low-effort, high-reward camping food that lets you focus on hanging out with friends and family instead of fussing over the meal. Serve with pasta, roasted potatoes, skillet mac and cheese, or just crusty bread for soaking up all the tomato sauce and garlicky goodness.
Growing up on the East Coast, Italian-American meals were heavily featured throughout my childhood—with sausage and peppers being one of the more prominent. I hope you enjoy our campfire adaptation!
-Michael
Tips for making this camping
- In terms of heat, low and slow is the way to go. Place the packet on the grill grate above coals or embers and adjust the height as needed.
- Use a pair of heat-resistant gloves—like these from Grill Armor. They’re the best for manipulating foil packets!
- Use heavy-duty foil or double up with regular foil to prevent tears and leaks. This is especially important when cooking over open flames.
- Create a “handle” by leaving extra foil on the sides to make flipping and moving packets easier.
- Check for doneness by carefully opening one corner (watch for steam!) and testing sausage temperature with an instant–read thermometer.
Pre-trip Prep
- You can prepare these foil packets entirely ahead of time. Make sure you have a good crimp seal around the foil edges, place them in a waterproof zip-top bag, and store them in your cooler.
- Raw sausages will keep in the cooler for 2-3 days when properly stored.
- Pre-cut all vegetables at home to save time and cleanup at camp.
Recipe variations
- You don’t have to limit yourself to Italian sausages here—brats, kielbasa, chicken sausage, or another favorite will all work with this method.
- To make this vegetarian or vegan, substitute with plant-based sausage, or add extra vegetables and white beans for protein.
Foil Packet Sausage & Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers red & green, sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 4 tablespoons pizza sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 package Italian sausages (1 pound/4-5 sausages)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the sliced peppers, sliced onion, smashed garlic, pizza sauce, olive oil, seasoning, and salt. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables.2 bell peppers, 1 onion, 8 cloves garlic, 4 tablespoons pizza sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Tear off 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (10-12 inches long). If using regular foil, double-layer for extra strength
- Place the foil on a flat surface. In the center, divide the vegetables and sauce between the packets to create a bed for the sausages.
- Divide the sausages between the packets, placing them on top of the vegetables. If using large sausages, you can slice them into 2-inch pieces for faster cooking1 package Italian sausages
- Top the packets with the remaining sheets of foil, and fold down in 1/2-inch folds to create a tight seal. Leave some room inside for steam circulation.
- Place the packet on a grill grate over medium coals or embers. Cook for about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through. For direct coal cooking, place on coals and rotate every 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully open one corner of the packet (watch for hot steam!) and check that sausages have reached an internal temperature of 160°F and vegetables are tender.
- Let cool for 2-3 minutes before fully opening, then serve & enjoy!