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This Sausage Stuffed Peppers recipe is an all-time family favorite! You’ll love what an easy dinner idea this is, especially since it makes a great make-ahead recipe too. Just pop it in the oven when you get home and dinner is good to go!
These stuffed peppers are SO good I could eat them every night. My family loves them too and I’m always happy when I can add a new dish to our rotation.
It’s not always easy to find recipes that my girls agree on but they both always devour this one. In fact, they love them so much, I decided to try these Shrimp Stuffed Peppers and these Taco Stuffed Peppers, and I have to tell you, they love them ALL.
Why We Love This Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Texture: One of the things that makes this great recipe so special is the addition of mushrooms. They add so much flavor and texture that pairs perfectly with the sausage and rice. And the peppers cook just until tender but still have a little bit of crunch, making them completely irresistible.
Healthy: It’s always a plus when you make a tasty AND healthy meal for your family. These peppers with mushrooms have the perfect blend of protein, carbs and dairy.
Awesome for leftovers: You can easily double this recipe and have dinner for a couple of nights. This sausage stuffed pepper recipe is even better the next day. And they are no trouble to reheat. You can just stick them back in the oven or reheat them in the microwave.
What’s Needed for Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Portobello mushrooms
- Ground pork sausage
- Green bell peppers
- Red and yellow sweet mini peppers (mini)
- Onion (chopped)
- Cooked rice (white rice or brown rice)
- Cheddar cheese
How to Make the Best Stuffed Peppers
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350
Step 2. Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove the seeds. If any of the peppers lean enough to tip over, cut a small piece off the bottom of each pepper to make them level. Set aside.
Step 3. Next, chop three or four small, sweet peppers. Not only do they add taste, but they make the recipe fun by adding a little color.
Step 4. Add chopped onion for even more flavor.
Step 5. Chop the portobello mushrooms into small pieces.
Step 6. Combine sausage, mushrooms, red and yellow peppers and onion in a large skillet.
Step 7. Cook over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through. Drain the excess fat from the sausage mixture with a slotted spoon.
Step 8. In a mixing bowl, combine sausage mixture with rice.
Step 9. Spray the bottom of the pan with non-stick olive oil cooking spray.
Step 10. Fill the green peppers with the rice mixture, then place peppers in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes.
Step 11. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese.
Step 12. Bake uncovered for approximately 5 more minutes (until cheese is melted).
Step 13. Remove from oven and garnish with mushrooms and parsley (optional)
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You sure can. To do so, prepare the recipe the same way except topping them with cheese. Instead of placing them in a baking dish, you’ll put them in your crockpot that you’ve sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a crockpot liner.
Cook on low for about 5 hours or on high for 3 hours or until the peppers are tender. Top them with cheese about 30 minutes before they are done.
Are Bell Peppers Healthy?
They certainly are and according to this article on Healthline:
“Bell peppers are rich in many vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C and various carotenoids. For this reason, they may have several health benefits, such as improved eye health and reduced risk of several chronic diseases. All in all, bell peppers are an excellent addition to a healthy diet”
Can I Make Stuffed Bell Peppers in Advance?
Another thing I love about this recipe is that you can make them ahead of time and put them in the fridge for later. If I know we’re going to be out and about, I’ll make them early in the day, cover them with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge.
Then when we get home (and there’s a million other things to do), I can just pull the stuffed peppers out of the fridge and throw them in the oven.
Stuffed Pepper Variations
One of the best things about this recipe for stuffed bell peppers is all the different ways you can make them. Here are some great options to consider:
- Meats: Change up the type of sausage and use ground turkey sausage, chicken sausage or hot Italian sausage. You could even use ground beef or a combination of half sausage and half ground beef.
- Cheeses: You’ll want to top the peppers with a good melty cheese like cheddar, but you could mix in some parmesan cheese into the meat mixture then top them with your favorite gooey cheese like pepper jack, mozzarella or Swiss.
- Peppers: This recipe uses green bell peppers, but using tri-colored peppers, that include yellow bell peppers, red bell peppers and orange bell peppers, make a gorgeous presentation.
- Mushrooms: You can use any mushroom you like for this recipe, or even a combination of several. Baby bella, white button and cremini are all great choices.
- Sauces: The mixture in these peppers does not include any type of sauce. But if you want a looser filling, you can add some cream cheese or for a tomato filling, you can mix in tomato paste or tomato sauce to the rice mixture. You want just enough to loosen up the filling to the consistency you prefer without it being too runny.
- Herbs and spices: One of easiest ways to change the flavor of these peppers is to add in your favorite herbs and spices. To add a little heat, you can add a few red pepper flakes or chili powder. If you are serving them to the whole family and need them to have a milder flavor, you could make them Italian style with some fresh basil or dried Italian seasonings.
- Rice: You can use any kind of rice you like most. White rice, wild rice or brown rice all work great with this recipe.
Want More Easy Dinner Recipes?
- Meatless Baked Ziti
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Tuna Casserole
- Easy Homemade Lasagna
Sausage Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 green bell peppers
- 8 ounces mild ground sausage
- 6 ounces portobello mushrooms chopped
- 1/3 cup sweet red peppers chopped
- 1/3 cup sweet yellow peppers chopped
- 1/3 cup onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups white rice cooked, can substitute brown rice
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove the seeds. If any of the peppers lean enough to tip over, cut a small piece off the bottom to make them level. Set aside.4 green bell peppers
- Combine sausage, mushrooms, red and yellow peppers and onion in a frying pan.8 ounces mild ground sausage, 6 ounces portobello mushrooms, 1/3 cup sweet red peppers, 1/3 cup sweet yellow peppers, 1/3 cup onion
- Cook over medium heat until sausage is cooked through.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sausage mixture with rice.1 1/2 cups white rice
- Spray the bottom of a glass baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Fill the green peppers with the rice mixture and place in pan.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese.1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake uncovered for approximately 5 more minutes (until cheese is melted).
- Remove from oven and garnish with mushrooms and parsley (optional). Enjoy!
Where is the baking temp? Perhaps i overlooked it?
Hi Leslie! Sorry about that! I just changed the type of recipe cards I use and that didn’t seem to transfer over. It’s 350. Thanks so much for letting me know so I could fix it. Hope you enjoy 🙂