Simple Italian Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Italian stuffed peppers packed full of so many delicious flavors that you’ll surely love. These peppers are easy to prep for a weeknight meal or the perfect option for a meal train for a new mom.

A cheesy, orzo, Italian sausage mixture with some Italian spices and tomato sauce. What’s not to love?

Tips for making:

1. Prep the mixture ahead of time and assemble when you’re ready to bake. I usually cook the sausage and orzo a night or two before I make these peppers and just toss the ingredients in when making the filling mixture. This will save about 10 minutes and some dishes.
2. Try to find similar sized peppers so they fit in the baking pan and cook evenly.
3. Feel free to swap the protein to fit your diet. Alternative protein options I would recommend are ground beef or ground turkey. I’d suggest adding extra Italian seasoning and/or some red pepper flakes to the meat mixture if you choose not to use the Italian sausage.
4. Rice and quinoa can also be used as an alternative for the orzo. Pick your favorite grain, but stick the same measurements!
5. Baste the peppers with the tomato sauce mixture every 15 minutes. This will keep them from drying out while baking. I do this with store bought peppers too for this very reason.
6. Sprinkle the tops of the peppers with cheese the last 15 minutes. This is just enough time for the cheese to melt and turn golden brown.

Italian Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Delicious bell peppers stuffed with a cheesy, orzo, Italian sausage mixture that makes for an easy weeknight dinner. These orzo stuffed peppers are easy to meal prep or are the perfect option for a meal train.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• ½ onion chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• ½ cup orzo cooked
• 3 bell peppers halved and seeded
• 2 8oz can tomato sauce divided
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided
• salt and pepper
• ⅔ cup Italian cheese blend

Instructions

 

• Saute onions and minced garlic until translucent. Set aside in a medium sized bowl.
• Using the same skillet, cook Italian sausage until brown. Drain grease and add to onion mixture.
• While the sausage is cooking, cook orzo according to package¹. Combine with sausage and onion mixture.
• To the bowl, add 1 8oz. can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Cut bell peppers in half, removing and discarding the tops, seeds, and membranes. Arrange in a baking dish with hallow sides facing upwards. Fill peppers evenly with sausage / orzo mixture. Bake immediately or refrigerate to cook at a later time.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F.
• In a small bowl, mix together 1 8oz can tomato sauce and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Spoon over peppers, leaving some to baste.
• Bake peppers for 1 hour, basting with remaining sauce every 15 minutes until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top before returning to the oven for the last 15 minutes. Broil for the last 4-5 min until the cheese becomes golden brown.
• Garnish with freshly chopped herbs. Enjoy

Notes

1. Rice or quinoa can be used as a substitute for orzo.

Keyword easy dinner, meal prep, meal train, Orzo, orzo stuffed peppers, sausage, Stuffed peppers

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I’d love to hear from you once you get the chance to make this recipe. Leave a comment below with your review or any modifications you made! And don’t forget to tag @rightbackspatula on Instagram if you take any pictures!