Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chicken Italian Sausage, Rice, and Spinach
Servings 6pepper halves
Ingredients
1cupof uncooked jasmine ricecooked per instructions
2tspolive oil
½sweet yellow oniondiced
5chicken Italian sausage linkscasings removed
2clovesof garlicchopped finely
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepperto taste
1tspfennel seedscrushed
½tspdried oregano
Pinchof crushed red pepper flakes
½cupof baby spinachchopped
2tbspfresh basilchopped (plus more for garnish)
1 ½cupsof marinara saucedivided
3bell peppers1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 red
Parmesanshredded
Instructions
Prepare rice, per instructions.
While rice is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Add the chicken Italian sausage, casings removed. Using a potato masher, mash the sausage while it cooks until crumbled. Add the minced garlic, oregano, fennel, and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until sausage is cooked, stirring often. Add prepared rice, spinach, and basil along with 1 cup of marinara sauce and mix thoroughly. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large glass baking dish, add 1-1 1/2 cups of water. Cut the bell peppers in half, lengthwise, then remove the seeds. Scoop meat mixture into each pepper half until it’s heaping full and place into baking dish. Add a spoonful of the remaining marinara sauce to each pepper then top with sprinkled Parmesan cheese. Bake covered in tin foil for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve. Enjoy.