Hot Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Name: Hot Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 pound hot Italian sausage (casings removed); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup white rice (cooked to package instruction (do not overcook)); 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 yellow onion (chopped (1/3 cup)); 4 bell peppers (cleaned stems and seeds removed); 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon reduced sodium Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; 1/4 cup Italian blend shredded cheese; Garnish: fresh italian flat leaf parsley (roughy chopped)

March 13, 2019

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These hot Italian sausage stuffed peppers are as colorful as they are flavorful. Stuffed bell peppers with rice, hot Italian sausage, aromatics, and topped with melty cheese. This easy stuffed bell pepper recipe is a quick and easy dinner and meal prep recipe.

close up photo of stuffed yellow pepper in a baking dish filled with sausage and rice

Why this recipe works

stuffed pepper ingredients uncooked on cutting board. Bell peppers lined up in back, spices in jars, ad herbs

Bell peppers are the perfect vegetable to stuff with ingredients. Stuffing bell peppers are great for meal prepping, low carb eating, and an extra layer of flavor to accompany other ingredients.

How-to cut a bell pepper

steps removing seeds out of a bell pepper

First you need to cut and clean the peppers. You can either stuff them vertically or horizontally. I’ve done them both ways. With both, you want to remove the seeds, stem, and the white flesh inside (it can make the pepper bitter). I use a pairing knife to shave the white flesh out or you can use your fingers and pull it out.

Bell pepper color

hollowed out bell peppers on top of wooden cutting board

You can use any combo of bell pepper colors. I typically do not use green bell peppers because they are the least ripe of the bunch, but since you’re putting them in the oven to cook you probably won’t notice that much of a flavor difference.

Cooking the stuffing

Hot Italian sausage: Hot Italian sausage typically comes in a link. Remove the skin prior to cooking and as you cook break it into smaller pieces. For smaller pieces, you can chop on a cutting board after cooking. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to leave the juices behind, it will help flavor the rest of the ingredients!

Onion: Put the onion into the sausage juices and you’ll see them immediately take on that color and all the flavor. Sauté until they begin to soften, then add in the minced garlic.

Fire roasted tomatoes: I like to use fire roasted instead of plain diced tomatoes, because it gives an extra layer of flavor to the dish. Herbs: I add in some dry herbs: thyme, basil, and oregano. Then a secret ingredient… Worcestershire sauce! (just a touch).

large skillet on the stove top with rice, hot italian sausage, and tomatoes inside

Rice: Next, I add back in the hot Italian sausage and rice I cooked on the side. I add in a little chicken broth because you don’t want the stuffing to dry out when you put them in the oven to bake.

Stuffing Peppers

red bell pepper with a flat section shaved into the back for stability

Bell pepper tip: Since bell peppers are rounded, you want to secure them so they don’t roll and the stuffing falls out. Take your pairing knife and carefully shave a flat spot on the bottom so the pepper sits flat in the baking dish.

7 bell peppers in a baking dish with stuffing inside and unmelted cheese sprinkled on top

Spoon the filling into each pepper and top with some cheese. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the peppers are easily pierced and tender. Remove the foil at the end to brown the cheese under the low broiler.

Final Dish

baking dish filled with sausage stuffed bell peppers

Carefully remove the Italian sausage stuffed peppers from the oven and top with fresh parsley.

Storing the bell peppers

close up of red stuffed bell pepper in a baking dish

You can store the bell peppers in the refrigerator for 3 days to enjoy throughout the week. You can also freeze them individually for meal prepping purposes.

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