Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Grilled Stuffed Peppers
Grilled peppers filled with savory sausage and rice make a generous plate, especially beneath their melted cheese topping. The peppers keep a little smoky character around the soft filling. Fresh basil on top makes the first forkful especially appealing, with tomato sauce tucked inside.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken · Turkey
- Cuisine
- American · Italian
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Brown the filling meat
Break up the sausage as it cooks with the Italian seasoning until browned and cooked through.
2. Grill empty peppers first
Grill the halved peppers on both sides before filling, stopping while they still retain some crispness.
3. Lower the grill heat
Reduce the grill to medium before returning the filled peppers for their longer cooking stage.
Get to know the ingredients
Peppers
Halve red bell peppers from top to bottom and remove seeds and membranes before their first grilling.
Sausage
Use bulk chicken or turkey Italian sausage, or remove sausage meat from its casings before browning.
Rice
Use cooked brown rice, stirring it into the filling off the heat with the first cheese portions.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 10 steps completeMake room for Grilled Stuffed Peppers
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Melt cheese and add basil
Melt the remaining cheeses over the peppers near the end, then finish with fresh basil and serve hot.
A little more help as you go
Keep a transfer dish
Use the baking dish to move peppers between the grill and filling stage without losing the mixture.
Move peppers periodically
Shift the peppers around occasionally while they finish grilling, keeping the lid down between moves.
A few questions you might have
Can I use pork sausage?
Yes, regular pork sausage can replace chicken or turkey sausage if those are unavailable.
Can I use something besides brown rice?
Farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice or slightly undercooked orzo are the other filling options provided.
Can I use foil under the stuffed peppers?
Yes, nonstick-sprayed foil or a grilling mat is an option for supporting them on the grill.
How do I reheat leftover peppers?
Warm them gently in a baking dish in the oven or slowly in the microwave.
Can I freeze cooked stuffed peppers?
Yes, freeze airtight for up to three months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Any more cooking tips?
If you can’t find turkey or chicken sausage, try swapping regular pork sausage. You also can use plain ground chicken or turkey, though if you do, I suggest amping up the spices by adding a bit of additional Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. TO STORE : Leftover peppers can be stored in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. TO REHEAT : Gently rewarm stuffed peppers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or slowly in the microwave (I sometimes cut the peppers in half first when microwaving to help them cook more evenly). TO FREEZE : Place grilled peppers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: wellplated.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.