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Flavorful Stuffed Banana Peppers with Italian Sausage

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A comforting and balanced recipe featuring mildly sweet banana peppers stuffed with savory Italian sausage, herbs, and melty cheese, roasted to tender-crisp perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium banana peppers, fresh
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or mild), casings removed
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-seasoned)
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Red pepper flakes, optional pinch

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Rinse and pat dry banana peppers. Cut off stems and slice each pepper lengthwise, leaving one side intact to create a pocket. Remove seeds and membranes carefully.
  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine cooked sausage mixture, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, and beaten egg. Stir until evenly combined but not mushy.
  6. Stuff each banana pepper half generously with the sausage mixture, pressing gently to hold but not overstuffing.
  7. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish and arrange stuffed peppers side by side. Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
  8. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until peppers are tender and filling is golden and bubbling.
  9. Let peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.

Notes

Do not overcook peppers to keep them tender-crisp. Remove seeds carefully to control heat. Brown sausage thoroughly to avoid greasiness. Use egg and breadcrumbs to bind filling; add more breadcrumbs if mixture is too wet. Cover with foil while baking to keep moist. Let rest before serving. For extra crisp, broil 2-3 minutes at the end. Substitute turkey sausage or plant-based sausage for leaner or vegetarian options. Gluten-free breadcrumbs can be used to make gluten-free.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed banana peppers, Italian sausage, easy dinner, baked peppers, sausage recipe, comfort food, weeknight meal

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/flavorful-stuffed-banana-peppers-with-italian-sausage-easy-recipe/