Filled banana peppers with spicy sausage

My hot sausage filled banana peppers are an Italian favorite that I look forward to every summer.

My dad has always been a fan of home gardening, and it seems like his bounties are getting bigger every year. He’s always planting something new, but what stays the same are the cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and my favorite – the banana peppers.

When we grew up, we ate our stuffed peppers over buttered rice with lots of parmesan. I often dream about how the rice absorbs these spicy flavors … it’s amazing.

While rice may not be on the menu for the keto diet, we can easily substitute diced cauliflower or miracle rice for those same flavors.

Naturally hot, keto friendly, my hot sausage filled banana peppers are hot, tender, and make you come back for more.

The best part is the heady taste they exude – a total Italian classic!

Filled pepper variations

Depending on where you live or the time of year, you may not have access to banana peppers. Try changing the pepper and see what kinds of unique flavors you can create. This recipe goes just as well with jalapenos, paprika, cubanelle, or any other favorite – Hungarian waxy paprika.

I will sometimes use ground beef or mild sausage in the meat mix for something else. Definitely use a fatty meat over lean meat in this scenario to keep the peppers moist and flavorful.

Crushed rinds add a texture similar to breadcrumbs and can be added to lighten the meat mixture.

Some other interesting add-ins:

cream cheese
Bacon cubes
Chopped nuts
fresh herbs

The spice is in the seeds

The spice content of most peppers is concentrated in the seeds. If you find a tasty pepper that is just too hot for your taste, remove all of the seeds.

And most importantly, use gloves when you know what’s good for you! You don’t want to get the heat in your eyes.
While the banana pepper isn’t a super hot pepper, it can pack in a surprising amount of heat.

Can I freeze my stuffed peppers?

Absolutely, this is one of the great recipes because it freezes so well. I often make large quantities and freeze in aluminum trays. That way we can enjoy them all winter long!

Prepare the stuffed banana peppers

This recipe is pretty simple and straightforward. The hardest part for me is making sure I don’t touch my eyes after working with the peppers!

Step 1. Prepare the pepper

When wearing disposable gloves, use a knife to cut the tips and remove large ribs from inside the peppers. I like to do this over a baking sheet so I don’t make a big mess.

Any banana pepper will do, but I’ll try to pick them around medium sized. I try to keep them as consistent as possible so that they cook evenly and the amount of ingredients match the recipe.

Step 2. Fill your pepper with the sausage

If the meat doesn’t all fit in the pepper, it’s perfectly fine if it hangs out to the side.

If you’re adding your own seasoning to the meat, put everything in a large bowl and combine before stuffing.

Step 3rd layer and cover in a pan with tomato sauce

Pour half of the sauce into the baking dish and layer your stuffed pepper. Pour the rest of the sauce over it.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4. Wrap your stuffed banana peppers and bake them

Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the peppers are forked.

Step 5. Cover with cheese and bake until golden brown

To speed this up, I turn the oven to 400 degrees so it turns brown and bubbly.

This recipe calls for half a cup of cheese, but I usually add more.

Crunchy mozzarella cheese mixed with tomato sauce and banana peppers is such a delicious combo.