Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I make these sausage stuffed peppers all the time when I want a dinner that feels hearty but doesn’t take much effort. The Italian sausage brings tons of flavor, the rice soaks up the tomato sauce, and the bell peppers turn sweet and tender in the oven. Everything bakes together in one dish, so cleanup is easy, and the peppers are fully self-contained, which makes them great for meal prep. They’re a crowd-pleaser for the whole family, and they reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeded
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup marinara sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
- ¼ cup water or broth, for the baking dish
Directions
- Prep the peppers. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the tops off the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, and trim the bottoms slightly if needed so they stand upright. Chop the usable parts of the tops and set them aside.
- Par-bake the peppers. Place the peppers upright in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes to soften them slightly while you make the filling.
- Brown the sausage. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the aromatics. Add the onion, chopped pepper tops, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Make the filling. Stir in the rice, diced tomatoes, ½ cup of the marinara, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella and the Parmesan.
- Stuff the peppers. Remove the peppers from the oven. Pour the water or broth into the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it in firmly and mounding it on top.
- Add the sauce. Spoon the remaining ½ cup marinara over the stuffed peppers.
- Bake covered. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Add the cheese. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella over the tops, and bake uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are tender.
- Rest and serve. Let the peppers cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
Servings and Timing
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 55 minutes
- Total time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 6 stuffed peppers (1 per person as a main dish)
Variations
- Make it low-carb: Replace the rice with cauliflower rice, and skip the par-baking if you prefer crisper peppers.
- Try different sausage: Use ground turkey, chicken sausage, or spicy chorizo.
- Add heat: Stir in red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños.
- Swap the grain: Quinoa, farro, or orzo work well in place of the rice.
- Make it vegetarian: Replace the sausage with black beans, crumbled tempeh, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Change the cheese: Provolone, fontina, or pepper jack are great alternatives.
Storage/Reheating
Let the peppers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave one pepper for 2 to 3 minutes. To freeze, wrap the cooled, baked peppers individually and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can also assemble them ahead and refrigerate unbaked for up to 1 day.
FAQs
Do I need to par-bake the peppers?
It isn’t required, but a short head start helps the peppers finish tender at the same time the filling is hot and the cheese is melted.
How do I keep the peppers from falling over?
Trim a thin slice off the bottoms so they sit flat, and nestle them snugly together in the baking dish so they support each other.
Can I use uncooked rice?
I recommend cooked rice for best results. Uncooked rice may stay hard unless you add extra liquid and bake much longer.
Which color bell pepper is best?
Any color works. Red, orange, and yellow peppers are sweeter, while green peppers have a slightly more bitter, classic flavor.
What should I serve with them?
They go well with a simple green salad, garlic bread, roasted vegetables, or a side of pasta.
Conclusion
These sausage stuffed peppers are one of my favorite easy dinners because they’re hearty, flavorful, and beautiful on the plate. Everything cooks in one dish, and the leftovers are even better the next day. Give them a try, and I think they’ll become a regular in your dinner rotation. Let me know how yours turn out!
Print
These sausage stuffed peppers are tender bell peppers filled with savory Italian sausage, rice, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, then topped with melted mozzarella and baked until bubbly. They are hearty, colorful, and easy to prep ahead, making them a great weeknight dinner, meal prep option, or crowd-pleasing main for family gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: undefined
- Category: undefined
- Method: undefined
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeded
- 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup marinara or tomato sauce, plus 1/2 cup for the baking dish
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Slice the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. If needed, trim a thin slice from the bottoms so they stand upright. Arrange the peppers upright in the dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup marinara, salt, pepper, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella, and the Parmesan until well combined.
- Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it in lightly and mounding it slightly at the top.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes, until the peppers begin to soften.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella over the peppers, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden and the peppers are tender.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- For softer peppers, parboil the seeded peppers in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes before stuffing.
- Drain the sausage fat if it releases a lot of grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan for flavor.
- Use leftover cooked rice for convenience, or substitute quinoa, cauliflower rice, or orzo.
- Choose peppers that sit flat and are similar in size so they bake evenly.
- Swap the Italian sausage for ground turkey, ground beef, or chicken sausage.
- Add a handful of baby spinach or chopped mushrooms to the filling for extra vegetables.
- To make ahead, assemble the stuffed peppers, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot.
- To freeze, wrap baked and cooled peppers individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: undefined
- Trans Fat: undefined
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
