Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Banana Peppers Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 banana peppers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 0.5 cup chopped onion
• 0.5 cup chopped celery
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2.5 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 1.5 cups bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Cut off the tops of the banana peppers. Remove the ribs and seeds; rinse the peppers thoroughly. Finely chop the edible portion of the pepper tops and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the banana peppers, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until they are tender but still firm, approximately 5 minutes. Drain the peppers well and set them aside.
3. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the reserved chopped pepper, diced onion, and celery in the hot butter until they become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and minced garlic. Season generously with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, dried basil, dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the grated Parmesan cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix in the hot sausage, mild sausage, bread crumbs, and 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce mixture until everything is thoroughly combined.
6. Carefully fill each pepper with the sausage mixture using a piping bag or a sausage stuffer for even distribution. Place the stuffed peppers in a 3-quart casserole dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce mixture evenly over the peppers.
7. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbly and the sausage is completely cooked through, approximately 1 hour. Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 593 kcal
• Fat Content: 43 g
• Fiber Content: 5 g
• Sugar Content: 4 g
• Sodium Content: 2125 mg
• Protein Content: 25 g
• Cholesterol Content: 123 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 29 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 16 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g