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Creamy Stuffed Banana Peppers with Italian Sausage

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A comforting and easy dinner recipe featuring banana peppers stuffed with a creamy Italian sausage mixture, topped with melted mozzarella cheese and roasted to perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium banana peppers, fresh and firm
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, bulk or casings removed (mild or spicy)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 100g)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 25g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Slice the banana peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes carefully, keeping the pepper hulls intact.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Transfer the cooked sausage mixture to a mixing bowl. While still warm, stir in softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Fill each banana pepper half generously with the sausage mixture using a spoon or small scoop.
  7. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over each stuffed pepper.
  8. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until peppers are tender but slightly firm and cheese is melted and lightly browned.
  9. Let the peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

If peppers brown too fast on top, loosely cover with foil halfway through roasting to keep moist and prevent burning. Chill filling for 15 minutes before stuffing if too loose. Use vegan cream cheese and dairy-free cheese for dairy-free option. For a vegetarian version, substitute sausage with sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, and smoked paprika.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed banana peppers, Italian sausage, creamy stuffed peppers, easy dinner, weeknight meal, cheesy stuffed peppers

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