Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 276kcal

Author: Davinah

1 lb Italian Sausage pork, hot or mild, casing removed to use the ground meat
2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup Yellow Onion sliced thinly
4 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
1/4 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1.5 cups Tomato Basil Sauce Marinara Sauce
2 cups Pizza Blend Cheese shredded or shredded mozzarella (ok to use more for photos and cheesiness)

3 Bell Peppers red and green bell peppers for color, cut in half-lengthwise with the seeds removed
1 tbsp Olive Oil divided evenly between the peppers
¼ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt divided evenly between the peppers
½ tsp 24 Herbs Sprinkle Seasoning (Salt-free) divided evenly between the peppers - any mixed herb seasoning will do. Please see the link for color.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds. You can keep the top stem for presentation if you wish.
Place the peppers in a baking dish facing up.
Drizzle oil, spices and salt on the bell peppers. You can use a brush to spread it evenly, but that’s not needed.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bell peppers are crisp tender.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Brown the sausage meat (it will look like a ground meat crumble), then set aside.
In the same pan that you browned the sausage meat, add the olive oil, onions and mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Saute the vegetables until translucent & tender.
Add the tomato sauce and meat back to the pan and heat the sauce though.

Use a ladle to top the bell peppers with the pizza filling.
Top the bell peppers with cheese,then pepperoni and olives.
Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese and brown/crisp the pepperoni. Top with fresh parsley.

Use a cheese that melts well: A packaged pizza blend keeps things simple. Low-moisture mozzarella gives you that classic stretch, an Italian blend adds more depth, and mild cheddar works if that’s what you have.
Don’t over-roast the peppers the first time: You want them just tender before stuffing so they stay sturdy and don’t collapse once filled.
Brown the sausage well: Let it develop some color instead of just cooking it through. Those browned bits add noticeable flavor. They also help flavor the vegetables and sauce.
Use the air fryer strategically: Like in my buffalo chicken stuffed peppers, you can roast and finish them there to speed things up and get more browning on top.
Customize the toppings: Keep it simple with just cheese, or layer on pepperoni and olives like pizza. It’s an easy way to change the vibe without changing the base recipe.
Let them rest for a few minutes before serving: The filling firms up slightly, making them easier to plate and serve.