Stuffed Peppers without Rice

Ingredients

• 454 g (1 lb)Italian sausage
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)olive oil
• 1 smallonion
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)minced garlic
• 397 g (14 oz)sugar-free pizza sauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp)dried oregano
• 3 largered bell peppers
• 113 g (4 oz)pepperoni
• 250 g (2.5 cups)grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly coat a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) casserole dish or a large baking sheet with olive oil spray.

2. 2

   Brown the sausage

   Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Break up the sausage with a spatula as it cooks, and continue until well browned.

3. 3

   Cut the pepperoni

   As the sausage cooks, halve 10 pepperoni slices and cut the remaining pepperoni into quarters.

4. 4

   Prepare the peppers

   Halve the peppers and remove their seeds and stem ends.

5. 5

   Cook onion and garlic

   Once the sausage is browned, move it to one side of the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.

6. 6

   Simmer the sauce

   Stir the dried oregano and pizza sauce into the sausage mixture. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

7. 7

   Mix the filling

   Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to cool slightly. Add the chopped pepperoni and 200 g (2 cups) of the grated mozzarella, stirring gently to combine.

8. 8

   Fill the peppers

   Spoon the pizza mixture into each pepper half. The recipe suggests holding a pepper over the pan while filling it, then transferring it to the baking dish.

9. 9

   Bake and finish

   Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and top the peppers with the remaining grated cheese and four pepperoni halves per pepper. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the peppers are cooked.

10. 10

    Serve hot

    Take the peppers from the oven and serve hot.

What are stuffed peppers without rice?

Stuffed peppers are a familiar home-cooking dish in many cuisines, with fillings that vary by region and household. This Italian-inspired version skips rice and leans into pizza flavours instead, combining sausage, tomato sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella.

The filling is cooked before it goes into the pepper shells, so the oven time is mainly for cooking the peppers and browning the cheese. That makes the dish particularly appealing to anyone after a substantial, cheesy meal without a grain-based stuffing.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 602 calories, 28g protein, 15g carbs, 47g fat.

The sausage, pepperoni, olive oil and mozzarella provide most of the fat, while the sausage and cheese also contribute protein. The peppers and pizza sauce supply most of the carbohydrates. Pair a pepper with a generous serving of salad or other non-starchy vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Build a savoury filling

Sausage first: browning it well gives the filling a deep, savoury base. Break it into small pieces so it is easy to spoon into the pepper halves.

Sauce next: simmering the pizza sauce with the sausage, onion, garlic and oregano thickens the mixture. A thicker filling is easier to portion and less likely to run out of the peppers.

Prepare the pepper shells

Even halves: cut each pepper lengthways and remove the seeds and stem end. Try to make the halves stable enough to sit in the baking dish without tipping.

Choose peppers that are large and reasonably even in shape, so there is room for the filling. Red peppers bring a sweeter flavour, as specified in this recipe.

Watch the oven stages

First bake: the peppers go into the oven for 20 minutes before the final cheese and pepperoni topping is added. Keep the filling inside the pepper cavities as you arrange them in the dish.

Finish: return them to the oven for 25 minutes, checking for browned cheese and peppers that are tender when pierced. The stated oven stages total 45 minutes, so allow more time than the 40 minutes listed as the total time.

Check the topping quantities

Mozzarella: the recipe puts 2 cups into the filling and reserves the remaining ½ cup for the topping. Sprinkle the reserved cheese evenly so it melts across the peppers.

Pepperoni: the method specifies four halves for each pepper, though the earlier instruction to halve 10 slices may not provide enough pieces for all six peppers. Check the available slices before topping and use the pieces you have.

Serve with something fresh

These peppers are rich and filling on their own, so a crisp green salad or simply dressed leafy greens make a fresh contrast. For a more substantial plate, serve with bread to catch any sauce left in the dish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Brown the sausage thoroughly before adding the onion and garlic.
• Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it thickens without catching on the pan.
• Let the filling cool briefly before stirring in the mozzarella.
• Arrange the pepper halves snugly in the dish to help them stay upright.
• Check the peppers with a knife near the end of baking to judge their tenderness.

Variations

• Add chilli flakes: stir them into the sauce for a little heat.
• Use green peppers: swap them for the red peppers for a less sweet flavour.
• Try provolone: replace some of the mozzarella with provolone for a different cheese flavour.
• Add mushrooms: cook chopped mushrooms with the onion until softened.
• Make it herbier: add fresh basil after baking for a fragrant finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pale sausage: let it brown before adding the other ingredients to build a more savoury filling.
• Runny filling: simmer the sauce until it has reduced and thickened before stuffing the peppers.
• Tipping pepper halves: choose a snug baking dish and position the halves so they sit securely.
• Overbrowned topping: check the peppers during the final bake and remove them when the cheese is browned and the peppers are cooked.
• Not enough topping pieces: count the pepperoni slices before baking, as the stated cutting instruction may not yield four halves for each pepper.

How to store

Refrigerate cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven at 180°C until hot throughout, or microwave individual portions until steaming.

Frequently asked questions