Stuffed Mini Peppers make for a super simple, but elegant appetizer, with Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, and a tomato dipping sauce.
Appetizers make for fun food. Appetizers make for fun and easy entertaining. Some nights, appetizers make for a quick dinner.
It’s true. I am not afraid to serve a Snacky Dinner when life is busy — or even when it’s not. In fact, serving up a meal of appetizers or tapas can be cause for celebration or just a simple way to get people fed.
Either way, it’s absolutely delicious. Especially when these Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers are included in the spread.
What are mini sweet peppers?
Sweet mini peppers are a hybrid of regular peppers, sold in three colors: red, yellow, and orange.
What goes with mini sweet peppers?
Sweet mini peppers are delicious eaten fresh, roasted, grilled or stuffed. They are good dipped in Dill Dip or sliced on salads.
Can you eat the seeds in mini bell peppers?
The seeds of mini bell peppers are edible, but if you prefer, you can remove the seeds.
For this recipe, I prefer to cut out the core and seeds, but leave the stem end in place so that the filling doesn’t leak out when cooked.
How to Make Stuffed Mini Peppers
Should peppers be cooked before stuffing?
Mini peppers are fairly tender when they are fresh, so you don’t need to cook them prior to stuffing. After baking, they still have a bit of crispness which helps them hold the filling.
Can you use other peppers?
This recipe is delicious made with yellow banana peppers, which are a bit spicier—and harder to find—than mini sweet peppers. They are worth the hunt, though.
If you like spicy, you can use jalapeños in place of the sweet peppers.
Can you make these stuffed peppers spicier?
These are pretty mellow sausage stuffed peppers, thanks to the mild Italian sausage. If you’d like to ramp up the heat a notch, you can use hot Italian sausage instead.
What are some fillings you can use for stuffed peppers?
While these sausage stuffed mini peppers are delicious, there are plenty of other ingredients you can stuff them with, such as:
- herbed cream cheese
- bacon and shredded cheese
- cooked rice and sour cream
- cooked quinoa and tomato sauce
- tuna salad, topped with cheddar cheese
- herbed cream cheese
- bacon and shredded cheese
- cooked rice and sour cream
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
For this recipe you’ll need:
- mini peppers (about 8 to 10, depending on how big they are)
- bulk Italian sausage
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- tomato sauce
- garlic powder
- dry basil
If you prefer, you can use any jarred or homemade marinara sauce for dipping the cooked peppers.
How do you make stuffed mini peppers?
This recipe is super simple to prepare!
- Assemble the needed ingredients: peppers, sausage, shredded cheese, tomato sauce, garlic powder, and dried basil.
- Slice each pepper in half lengthwise, through the stem. Trim the stem short. Core and seed the pepper, but leave the cap in place to hold the filling.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Place the pepper halves on the prepared baking sheet.
- Divide the sausage among each pepper half and stuff the pepper half with sausage.
- Divide the cheese among the pepper halves. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
- While the peppers are baking, prepare the dipping sauce. Combine the tomato sauce, garlic powder, and basil. Heat this in the microwave or atop the stove until warm.
- Serve the baked peppers with the dipping sauce.
- Store any leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven as desired.
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 mini peppers
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice the peppers in half, lengthwise, leaving the stem intact. Trim the stem short. Remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers. Place the pepper halves on the prepared tray.
- Divide the Italian sausage among the pepper halves, stuffing each one with as much sausage as it will hold.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the sausage.
- Bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the sausage is cooked and the cheese is melted and browned in spots.
- While the peppers are cooking, prepare the dipping sauce. Combine the tomato sauce, garlic powder, and basil. Warm in the microwave or atop the stove.
- Serve the peppers with the dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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