Sausage-Stuffed Peppers with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
By Matthew FairmanPublished on April 21, 2020
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
5 large red bell peppers 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed1 onion, chopped1 cup long-grain white rice 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning 2 cups chicken broth 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)½ cup panko bread crumbs ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons finely chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 2 tablespoons brine
Before You Begin
Look for large bell peppers that weigh at least 8 ounces each.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using paring knife or scissors, halve bell peppers lengthwise through stem. Using paring knife, remove seed pod at base of stem, leaving stem intact.
- Toss bell peppers and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil on prepared sheet, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Arrange bell peppers cut side down. Broil until bell peppers and garlic are spotty brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook sausage and onion in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until sausage is cooked through and onion is softened and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add rice and Creole seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Off heat, stir in Monterey Jack until melted and combined. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine panko, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon oil in bowl. Discard stems from 2 bell pepper halves; chop stemmed halves coarse (you should have 1 cup chopped bell pepper; reserve excess for another use). Process chopped bell pepper, 2 tablespoons panko mixture, cherry peppers and brine, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside sauce.
- Arrange remaining bell pepper halves cut side up on baking sheet and divide sausage and rice mixture evenly among halves, packing in mixture and mounding it slightly. Sprinkle remaining panko mixture over top, pressing lightly to adhere. Bake until bell peppers are heated through and panko mixture is well browned, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve with sauce.
- After filling bell peppers in step 6, do not sprinkle panko mixture on top. Let bell peppers cool, transfer them to large plate, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Transfer sauce and panko mixture to separate airtight containers. Refrigerate all ingredients for up to 24 hours. To serve, extend baking time by about 10 minutes and cover with foil for final 10 minutes of baking if tops begin to get too dark.
to make ahead
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
5 large red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 2 tablespoons brine
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 large red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 2 tablespoons brine
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 large red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 2 tablespoons brine
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While other recipes call for blanching the peppers before stuffing to soften them, we wanted to add flavor during the softening step—so we decided to char them. We halved the peppers through the stems (for stability and ease of stuffing); tossed them with olive oil, salt, and pepper; and then broiled them until they were lightly browned, which enhanced their sweetness and added caramelized complexity. To create an irresistible filling, we steamed rice in a flavorful base of browned onion and sausage, and then we stirred in a handful of creamy shredded Monterey Jack cheese for cohesiveness. A crispy topping of panko bread crumbs and Parmesan added delicious textural contrast, while a bright, spicy roasted red pepper sauce cut the richness of the stuffed peppers with a vibrant accent.
Before You Begin
Look for large bell peppers that weigh at least 8 ounces each.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using paring knife or scissors, halve bell peppers lengthwise through stem. Using paring knife, remove seed pod at base of stem, leaving stem intact.
- Toss bell peppers and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil on prepared sheet, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Arrange bell peppers cut side down. Broil until bell peppers and garlic are spotty brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook sausage and onion in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until sausage is cooked through and onion is softened and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add rice and Creole seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Off heat, stir in Monterey Jack until melted and combined. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine panko, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon oil in bowl. Discard stems from 2 bell pepper halves; chop stemmed halves coarse (you should have 1 cup chopped bell pepper; reserve excess for another use). Process chopped bell pepper, 2 tablespoons panko mixture, cherry peppers and brine, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside sauce.
- Arrange remaining bell pepper halves cut side up on baking sheet and divide sausage and rice mixture evenly among halves, packing in mixture and mounding it slightly. Sprinkle remaining panko mixture over top, pressing lightly to adhere. Bake until bell peppers are heated through and panko mixture is well browned, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve with sauce.
- After filling bell peppers in step 6, do not sprinkle panko mixture on top. Let bell peppers cool, transfer them to large plate, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Transfer sauce and panko mixture to separate airtight containers. Refrigerate all ingredients for up to 24 hours. To serve, extend baking time by about 10 minutes and cover with foil for final 10 minutes of baking if tops begin to get too dark.
to make ahead
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