The Best Hearty & Easy Sausage Stuffed Peppers
A classic recipe for a hearty sausage-stuffed peppers dinner. Large bell peppers are hollowed out and filled with a savory mixture of cooked Italian sausage, sautéed onions, mushrooms, garlic, and fresh herbs. The filling is bound together with cooked rice or quinoa and a generous amount of shredded cheese. The peppers are then baked in a casserole dish, first covered to ensure they become tender, and then finished uncovered with an additional layer of melted cheese on top.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 pound uncooked Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheese, divided
- 1 and 1/2 cups cooked rice or quinoa
Instructions
- Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the cores and seeds. Arrange the peppers cut-side up in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Make the Filling: Heat the olive oil and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add the sausage, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes, breaking up the sausage with a spoon, until it is almost fully cooked. Drain off most of the excess grease.
- Stir in the chicken broth and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese and all of the cooked rice.
- Stuff and Bake: Spoon the filling into each prepared pepper, filling them to the top.
- Optionally, pour about 1 inch of warm water into the bottom of the pan around the peppers to help them steam and stay moist.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35-38 minutes, or until the peppers are nearly fork-tender.
- Remove the dish from the oven, uncover it, and sprinkle the peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with additional parsley, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Using pre-cooked rice or quinoa is a key time-saving step for the filling.
- The two-stage baking process—covered first, then uncovered—ensures the peppers become tender while allowing the cheese on top to melt and brown nicely.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/sausage-stuffed-peppers/