Stuffed bell peppers are a timeless comfort food, bringing together vibrant vegetables, savory sausage, and cheesy goodness in one delicious package. This recipe is perfect for a family meal, offering both heartiness and flavor. Let’s dive into making these scrumptious stuffed peppers that are sure to please everyone at the table.
Ingredients
- ● 3 bell peppers ($3.97)
- ● 2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided ($0.08)
- ● 1 lb Italian sausage ($4.99)
- ● 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.38)
- ● 3 garlic cloves, minced ($0.24)
- ● 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.10)
- ● 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- ● 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided ($0.06)
- ● 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- ● 1 cup marinara sauce ($0.71)
- ● 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice ($0.21)
- ● 3/4 cup chicken broth ($0.15)
- ● 1 cup shredded mozzarella ($1.25)
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Wash and dry each bell pepper, then cut them in half horizontally. Carefully remove the stem from the top half of each bell pepper using a sharp paring knife.
2️⃣ Prepare Peppers: Place the bell pepper halves in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Brush each pepper with 1 Tbsp of oil and season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp cracked black pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to soften. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3️⃣ Cook Sausage: While the peppers are baking, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the Italian sausage until fully cooked.
4️⃣ Add Aromatics: Once the sausage is browned, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
5️⃣ Prepare Filling: Add the uncooked rice, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 1 tsp of salt, and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir to combine. Cover the skillet with a lid, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.
6️⃣ Stuff Peppers: Remove the lid from the skillet and fluff the rice. Stir the mixture and fill each bell pepper with the sausage and rice filling, packing it in tightly.
7️⃣ Add Cheese and Bake: Top each stuffed pepper with shredded mozzarella cheese. Loosely cover the dish with tented aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. The peppers should be tender but not mushy.
8️⃣ Broil: Remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Broil the stuffed peppers for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly browned. Watch closely to prevent over-browning. Garnish with parsley if desired, and enjoy!
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Calories: 454 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 33g
- Sodium: 1461mg
- Fiber: 3g
This recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers is a fantastic choice for a satisfying family dinner. With its blend of savory sausage, fluffy rice, and gooey mozzarella, it’s comfort food at its finest. Serve these peppers up hot and watch them disappear in no time!