Stuffed Peppers without Rice

This stuffed peppers without rice recipe is an absolute game-changer for pizza lovers looking for that extra flavor in their meals. The recipe uses red bell peppers for the base, then stuffed with pepperoni, a succulent meat mixture, a homemade tomato sauce, and topped with mozzarella cheese.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 14 ounces sugar free pizza sauce
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 large red bell peppers
• 4 ounces pepperoni
• 2.5 cups grated mozzarella cheese

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" casserole dish or large baking sheet with olive oil
2. 2Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, breaking sausage apart with a spatula as it cooks. Cook until sausage is nicely browned.
3. 3While the sausage cooks, cut 10 pepperoni slices in half and the remaining pepperoni into fourths.
4. 4Cut peppers in half and removing the seeds and the stem end.
5. 5When sausage is nicely browned, push it to the side and add the onions and garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
6. 6Add the dried oregano and sauce into the sausage mixture, turn heat to low, and simmer until the sauce is reduced and thickened.
7. 7Turn off heat, let the mixture cool slightly, then add the chopped pepperoni and 2 cups grated Mozzarella, stirring gently so it's well-mixed with the sausage mixture.
8. 8Fill each pepper with the pizza mixture. I found it's easiest to hold the pepper in your hand over the pan while you fill and then add it to the baking dish.
9. 9Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add grated cheese and four pepperoni halves to the top of each pepper. Place back in the oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely browned, peppers are cooked.
10. 10Serve hot and enjoy!