Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Do you struggle to get a hearty and reasonably healthy meal on the table for dinner? One that the whole family will love, and that you can make easily, or prep ahead to save time?

Well if so, I have the perfect recipe for you; Italian sausage stuffed peppers!

The filling is ultra savory and hearty (not to mention it can be customized and made ahead of time), and the peppers are a convenient and deliciously edible vessel.

Topped with gooey cheese, these stuffed peppers are sure to be a hit with anyone you serve them to!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Bell peppers – you can use any color of bell pepper that you like best. We like red the most.
• Italian sausage – if your grocery store or butcher has bulk Italian sausage, pick up a pound of that. If not, you can get Italian sausage links (that are in a casing), and carefully use a sharp knife to slice down the length of the sausage and peel away the casing. Now the meat will cook and crumble just like ground sausage.
• Onion – we prefer to use a yellow onion, but a white onion will also work.
• Garlic – instead of fresh garlic cloves, you can use about 1 Tbsp of pre-minced or garlic paste, or you can try using garlic powder (about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp).
• Diced tomatoes – we like to use the tomatoes that have basil, garlic, and oregano added for extra flavor, but any type will work well.
• Cream cheese – this recipe was tested with full fat cream cheese that was softened a bit and cubed.
• Spices – we like to use Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, but you can also use 1/2 tsp each of dried oregano, basil, and thyme (plus the salt and pepper called for) if you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand.
• Rice – it’s very important that you use cooked rice, and any variety will work. We typically use white rice.
• Mozzarella cheese – you can shred your own, but for this recipe it’s not necessary… the pre-shredded stuff will work just as well.

How to make Italian sausage stuffed peppers?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Cook sausage. You don’t need any fancy tools, but a potato masher or one of those “meat chopper” tools do make things easier to crumble.
2. Cook onion and garlic. You’re just looking for them to be translucent and soft, not browned.
3. Add other filling ingredients. This is the tomatoes, cream cheese, and spices.
4. Simmer. Just to thicken up the mixture a bit.
5. Stir in rice. Make sure the rice is cooked, NOT uncooked.
6. Fill peppers. There’s no set amount needed in each pepper, just try to put an equal amount in each one.
7. Add to baking dish.
8. Top with cheese. Just a small handful.
9. Bake. Baking is done in two stages, part covered, and part uncovered.

Variations of this recipe

• Protein – if you’d like to switch it up a little, you can use half Italian sausage and half ground beef, or all beef. You could also use ground turkey. If you’re not using any Italian sausage, I recommend adding some additional spices (just more of the ones called for), to make up for the lack of flavor in the meat.
• Tomatoes – for some extra flair, try using fire-roasted diced tomatoes, or an Italian seasoned can of diced tomatoes.
• Cream cheese – instead of cream cheese, you could try using about 1/3-1/2 cup heavy cream, or for a more lasagna-type of taste, you could use ricotta cheese.
• Rice – you can use any cooked rice that you have on hand, or that you prefer. This recipe was not developed to use uncooked rice.
• Peppers – please feel free to use any bell peppers that you like.
• Cheese – we like to use shredded mozzarella cheese to top these stuffed peppers, but some provolone, parmesan, Italian blend, or even cheddar will work well.

Making stuffed peppers ahead of time

I think these peppers taste best when made right before serving, but you can absolutely prep these ahead of time!

• Filling – the filling can be made, cooled, and kept refrigerated for a day or so.
• Peppers – the peppers can be prepped, sliced in half, and kept refrigerated for a day or so.
• Cheese – if you’re shredding your own cheese, that can be done ahead of time and kept refrigerated.

Storage

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and enjoyed within 4-5 days.