Italian Stuffed Peppers

We have a version of this dish in mini pepper bites as an appetizer. They are so colorful and flavorful and won over friends and family. In fact, they are so good that we both agreed stuffing larger peppers (and adding rice) would be a genius dinner move! Serve with a side salad. Done!

4 bell peppers of various colors

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 pound Italian sausage
2 cups of cooked rice

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz marscapone cheese

2 Tablespoons minced parsley

Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice off the stem of each pepper, then slice each pepper in half. Take out any seeds inside. Toss the peppers with the red wine vinegar. Over medium high heat, warm one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and add the Italian sausage and onion. Using a spoon, break the sausage into small crumbles and cook for about 7- 8 minutes until cooked through and brown. Add garlic and cook for another minute. If there is any excess oil in the pan, drain it. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the marscapone cheese. Stir until melted and combined, then add your cooked rice and parsley. Spoon mixture into peppers and place them on a baking dish sprayed with oil. Once all peppers are filled, sprinkle them with shredded/grated parmesan cheese. Bake 15 minutes. Then, for crispy brown top, put them under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping an eye on them. Enjoy 💫