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4.9 from 225 votes

BEST Ever Easy Stuffed Peppers (5 Ingredients)

Easy, cheesy, sausage and rice stuffed bell peppers - just five ingredients and ready in 20 minutes for the perfect weeknight meal!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 peppers
Calories: 513 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 8 bell peppers tops cut off and seeds and membranes removed
  • 1 pound mild or spicy ground Italian sausage for alternative protein options, see notes
  • 3 cup cooked Spanish style rice or white rice, see note
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • cilantro or green onions for topping optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large baking dish and arrange bell peppers standing up. (If they want to tip over you can always cut off the very bottom 1/8 of an inch or so to flatten them out and help them stand!) Transfer to preheated oven and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. (Move ahead with Step 2 while peppers are baking!)
  2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook sausage for 5-6 minutes, breaking apart with a spatula or spoon as it cooks, until well browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a platter, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
  3. Add rice, water, and tomatoes to the pan, give it a good stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to LOW, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  4. Stir sausage and 1/2 cup of the cheese into the pan. Spoon mixture into the baked peppers and top with remaining cheese. 
  5. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with green onions or cilantro if desired and serve. 

Notes

  • Sausage alternatives: This recipe also works well with ground beef, ground chicken, and ground turkey! For any of these options whisk together the following seasonings and add to the pan while browning (step 2): 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb blend
  • Save time: You can use pre-cooked rice or minute rice and skip the rice boiling step. 
  • Pepper tops: Don't waste the pepper tops! Feel free to chop them up and include them in the rice mixture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 513kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 63g (21%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 54mg (18%) Sodium 469mg (20%) Potassium 483mg (14%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 3861IU (77%) Vitamin C 152mg (169%) Calcium 126mg (13%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8peppers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 513

% Daily Value*

Calories 513kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 63g 21%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 469mg 20%
Potassium 483mg 10%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 3861IU 77%
Vitamin C 152mg 169%
Calcium 126mg 13%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.