Stuffed Cubanelle peppers
Cubanelles stuffed with a garlicky mixture of Arborio rice, sausage, mozzarella, parsley, and Pecorino Romano cheese, topped with marinara and more mozzarella, and baked until bubbly.
Servings: 8 peppers
Ingredients
- 8 large cubanelle peppers tops cut off and seeds removed
- 5 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice cooked, can sub plain white rice
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f and set the rack to the middle level. In a large pan saute the sausage over medium heat until browned (about 7-10 minutes), then remove and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add in the olive oil and onions and sautee for 3-5 minutes until softened, then add in the garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes longer. If desired, add the optional hot red pepper flakes at this time and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sausage, rice, parsley, Pecorino Romano, half the mozzarella cheese, and a 1/2 cup of marinara sauce. Mix together well and set stuffing aside.
- Pour the marinara sauce a 1/2-inch high into a large baking dish and add the water. Mix together.
- Season the interior of each pepper with salt and pepper. Stuff the peppers and place them lying flat in the baking dish. Add a thin layer of sauce to the top of the peppers and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
- Puncture a hole with a knife or toothpick into the bottom of each pepper. This will prevent the peppers from bursting. Cover the baking dish with parchment paper then aluminum foil tightly and bake the peppers for 60 minutes.
- Remove the foil and check the peppers. If they are sufficiently tender you can remove them from the oven or continue cooking for 10-15 minutes longer if necessary. If you like you can broil the top for 30-60 seconds before serving, but watch carefully. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use this easy 15-minute marinara sauce, make your own, or a use store-bought version.
- Seasoning the interior of the peppers is very important so that they come out flavorful and not bland.
- The stuffed pepper's cooking time will vary. If they are not soft enough just let them cook for another 10 minutes or so depending on how tender you like them.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.3g | Protein: 19.7g | Fat: 24.9g | Saturated Fat: 7.5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 836mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7.9g | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg