Pepperazzi Parade hero image

Pepperazzi Parade

Oven-Roasted Bell Peppers Stuffed with Italian Sausage and Tomatoes, Finished with Mozzarella Pearls

1 hour
Serves 4
DinnerItalian
Herb's take

A riff on classic Italian-American baked stuffed peppers, this dish gets a juicy boost from whole tomatoes and a gooey finish from mozzarella pearls. You’ll learn how to coax flavor from canned tomatoes and discover why finishing with fresh mozzarella creates cheese-pull magic.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. 02
    Slice the tops off the bell peppers, remove seeds and membranes, and arrange peppers upright in the baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast for 15 minutes.
  3. 03
    Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. 04
    Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  5. 05
    Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Sauté until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
  6. 06
    Stir in the chopped whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  7. 07
    Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked rice and grated parmesan to the sausage mixture, stirring well. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
  8. 08
    Remove the peppers from the oven. Spoon the sausage-tomato-rice mixture into each pepper, packing it in fully.
  9. 09
    Divide mozzarella pearls evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers.
  10. 10
    Return the dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
  11. 11
    Let peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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