This post features a guest chef – my husband, Ed! I had intended to prepare these stuffed peppers but our plans changed and it worked better with his schedule to make them on our second try. I am grateful that my mother-in-law, Josephine R, passed on her love and knowledge of cooking to both Ed and his sister, LuAnn. It’s great fun to have a partner in the kitchen (and life!).
I prefer red, orange or yellow peppers or a combination of both to green peppers. For stuffed peppers I find green ones to be a bit too bitter while red, orange or yellow have the right kind of savory sweetness.
We used a mild Italian sausage in this recipe. Adding fresh fennel brings out the dried fennel that’s found in Italian sausage. Don’t worry, the fennel flavor isn’t too strong. You could also use the same amount of ground beef, chicken, pork or turkey but the Italian sausage provides a bit more flavor. Feeling crazy, try some hot Italian sausage or a mixture of sweet and hot.
I had recently read about RightRice and decided that this was a good recipe to test it out so we substituted it for cooked brown or white rice. RightRice is made with plant-based proteins (lentils, chickpeas and peas) plus some rice. It has more protein, fiber and fewer carbohydrates than white rice. It comes in plain and a few flavors – we used the Mediterranean blend for this recipe. It’s super easy to prepare. Boil water, add the rice, cover, remove from heat, let sit for 12 minutes and it’s done. It was a good substitute – nobody would ever know. I found it at Whole Foods.
We used a BelGioioso Freshly Shredded Four Cheese Blend (Parmesan, Asiago, fontina and mild provolone) to top these stuffed peppers. You can also use shredded mozzarella or provolone (or a combination).
These peppers are great for a cold winter evening as they definitely fall in the ‘comfort food’ category. Thank you, Ed, for preparing a great meal or should I say meals. This recipe serves four, so we froze half of the peppers to have at a future date.
Looking for some more stuffed pepper inspiration? Try Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers (there’s no phyllo pastry so they’re gluten-free/wheat-free) or Stuffed Peppers with Sausage and Tomato Sauce which is a nod to how Ed’s mother made stuffed peppers.
| Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers | | Print |
- 4 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb (about ½ a small bulb) (see Notes)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- ¾ cup dry white wine, divided (see Notes)
- 1-14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooked brown or white rice or RightRice (see Notes)
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino romano
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, provolone or shredded mixed Italian cheese blend
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and carefully remove core, seeds and ribs using a paring knife. Arrange the peppers, cut-sides up, in a 9-by-13-inch glass pan or other baking dish in which they fit snugly.
- In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the fennel and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 3 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
- Add ½ cup wine, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid in the pan is reduced by about half.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices, Kosher salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Divide the mixture among the peppers. Pour the remaining ¼ cup wine into the bottom of the dish and wrap tightly with foil.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife easily pierces the peppers. Remove the foil and spoon any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the pan onto the peppers. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the peppers.
- Bake (uncovered) for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
- Allow the peppers to cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
* Can’t find (or don’t want to use) fennel, you can substitute celery in its place.The fresh fennel enhances the dried fennel flavor found in the sweet Italian sausage.
* In place of white wine, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
* RightRice is made with plant-based proteins (lentils, chickpeas and peas) plus some rice. It has more protein, fiber and fewer carbohydrates than white rice. It comes in plain and a few flavors – we used the Mediterranean blend for this recipe.
* You can stuff the peppers, put them in the baking dish, wrap in aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Then add the wine and continue to follow the directions.
* Once the cooked peppers have cooled, you can freeze them. I recommend freezing them in a baking dish with a bit of liquid. Wrap in aluminum foil. Heat wrapped baking dish in a 350°F oven for 60 to 75 minutes or until cooked through.
Source: Variation on recipe from New York Times Cooking
These look delicious!! Agree with you Nicole- it is indeed LOVELY to have a husband that cooks and prepares wonderful meals!! Cheers to Ed & Joel!! We are lucky ladies!
Hope – Thank you! We are indeed lucky ladies. Cheers to our husbands.