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–+ servings
A Delicious Recipe For Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe

Meg van der Kruik
This easy stuffed bell peppers recipe is brimming with the big, bold flavors of wild rice, hot Italian sausage, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and red wine!
2.81 from 42 votes
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Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 48 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • large baking dish
  • aluminum foil

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided.
  • 1 yellow onion diced small.
  • 1 clove garlic minced.
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 ounces spicy Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup red wine, divided (we used Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1 ( 14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 bell peppers any color halved, through the stem. Remove the seeds and ribs with a sharp knife, then season all over with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  • 1 (8-ounce) package of cooked long grain white rice or sweet rice We used Jasmine rice. You could also use 2 cups of leftover or frozen rice of your choice.
  • 1 cup cooked California wild rice see our blog post for tips on how to quickly cook perfect wild rice in the Instant Pot!
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided.
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, divided.
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set the baking dish aside.
  • Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. When heated through, add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and oregano. Cook until the garlic is fragrant -about 1 minute.
  • Add the sausage to the pan with the onion mixture and cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces. Cook for 3 -5 minutes until no longer pink.
  • Add 1/4 cup red wine to the pan, 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 crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste then bring to a boil just to heat through. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/4 cup of red wine to the bottom of the baking dish. Then prepare, season, and arrange the peppers cut side up in the baking dish. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the white rice and California wild rice with half of the mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and the sausage mixture. Stir to combine then taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
  • Divide the mixture between the prepared pepper halves, cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and divide the cheese amongst the tops of the peppers and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes so the cheese can melt and begin to brown.
  • Allow the peppers to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with any remaining parsley right before serving. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

1 (8-ounce) package of wild rice expands to equal approximately 2 cups of cooked rice. 
Keyword bell peppers, chunky olive oil dip, crushed tomatoes, easy stuffed bell peppers, jasmine rice, Mozzarella, red wine, sweet rice, tomato, wild rice
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