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italian sausageeasy

Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Costco Italian sausage and Rao's marinara make the best stuffed peppers you've ever had — one pan, six peppers, dinner for the whole week.

Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Servings
6
Cost / Serving
$4.83

Quick Answer

Cook Kirkland Italian sausage with onion and rice, mix with Rao's marinara, stuff into halved bell peppers, top with mozzarella, and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes. One pan feeds six and reheats well all week. Total 65 minutes.

These stuffed peppers use Costco Italian sausage as the star filling — it's already seasoned with fennel and garlic, so all you do is brown it, mix with rice and Rao's marinara, stuff into bell peppers, and bake. The result is a complete meal in an edible bowl. Make a batch of six and you have dinner covered for most of the week.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Place upright in a baking dish. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt.

  2. 2

    In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, breaking it up, until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook 3 more minutes.

  3. 3

    Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cooked rice, 1 cup marinara, Italian seasoning, and ½ cup mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. 4

    Spoon the filling into each pepper, packing it down firmly and mounding it slightly at the top.

  5. 5

    Spoon remaining marinara over the tops of each pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

  6. 6

    Bake covered for 35 minutes until peppers are tender. Remove foil, top with remaining mozzarella, and bake uncovered 10 more minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.

  7. 7

    Rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pre-cook the bell peppers before stuffing?+
No — this recipe bakes the peppers from raw. Covering the dish with foil for the first 35 minutes traps steam and cooks the peppers through. If you prefer very soft peppers, add 10 minutes to the covered bake time.
Can I make stuffed peppers ahead of time?+
Yes. Assemble the stuffed peppers up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate unbaked. When ready to cook, add 10–15 minutes to the total bake time since they're starting cold.
Can I freeze stuffed peppers?+
Stuffed peppers freeze well, baked or unbaked. Freeze individually on a sheet pan first, then transfer to a bag. Reheat baked peppers in a 350°F oven for 30–40 minutes from frozen.
Which color bell peppers are best for stuffed peppers?+
Red, orange, and yellow peppers are sweeter and more forgiving in the oven — they stay slightly firmer and taste milder. Green peppers are more affordable and have a stronger flavor that some people prefer. All work well.
What can I substitute for rice in stuffed peppers?+
Cauliflower rice, cooked quinoa, orzo, or finely diced zucchini all work as rice substitutes. Cauliflower rice makes these low-carb; quinoa adds extra protein. The key is using something that absorbs the marinara flavor.

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