Stuffed Italian Long Hot Peppers (Sausage and Cheese)
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Make these easy and delicious stuffed Italian long hot peppers for your next get together! Or enjoy as a quick meal along with a big salad. Very few ingredients and comes together in minutes… these crunchy and savory peppers are a big favorite around here! If you want a bigger meal, consider these ahhh mazing pizza inspired stuffed bell peppers.
Can’t find Italian long hots? Although not the same, try using Cubanelles (Cuban peppers), Cowhorn peppers, or Mesilla peppers.
Ingredients
One of the reason I LOVE this recipe is because it’s so simple yet it packs so much flavor!
- Italian sausage – Pork, chicken, turkey, or plant-based. Because the peppers are spicy, I tend to use sweet not hot sausage.
- Grated cheese – Parmesan (Parmesano-Reggiano is the best), or Pecorino Romano (Sheep’s milk cheese, which has a strong, tangy flavor).
- Bread crumbs – I use unseasoned and often make my own breadcrumbs from leftover sourdough bread.
- Italian long hots – these are readily available in the Philadelphia area and I also grow my own in the summers. Feel free to substitute with Cubanelles, Cowhorn peppers, or Mesilla peppers to name a few.
- Provolone cheese – I use mild sliced cheese from the deli and cube it. You may also use sharp cheese and shred it.
Steps
Wash and dry peppers, then slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
Combine breadcrumbs with grated cheese in small bowl and then remove sausage from casing and place in a separate bowl.
Add diced provolone to sausage and combine with fork or by hand.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil.
Using a small spoon, stuff each half of the long hot peppers with the sausage-provolone mixture and place each pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Top with some salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb-grated cheese mixture evenly over each pepper.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the peppers and then place on grill or in the oven and cook until the top is browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Alternatively, you may cook on grill over medium high heat.
Serve as is or with a dipping sauce like marinara or pizza sauce
Substitutions
- Peppers – Italian long hots are hard to find in many areas of country. Substitute with Mesilla, Cowhorn, or cubanelle peppers or simply use long sweet banana peppers (add some hot pepper flakes or use hot sausage in stuffing).
- Cheese – Parmesan can be used in place of Pecorino Romano; mozzarella can be used in place of provolone
- Sausage – May use pork, chicken, turkey, or plant-based Italian style sausage.
- Vegetarian – Use plant-based sausage or use cooked and chopped mushrooms.
- Vegan – Use plant-based meat or mushrooms in place of sausage and use plant based cheese.
Variations
- Cheese (mozzarella, provolone) and prosciutto – drizzle with balsamic glaze
- Garlic (fresh or roasted) and cheese – served with Italian bread
- Any of the above topped with marinara or pizza sauce
Storage
Store any leftover peppers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
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📖 Recipe
Stuffed Italian Long Hots (Sausage and Cheese)
Ingredients
- 6 Italian long hot peppers washed, seeded, and cut in half (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 pound Italian sausage pork, chicken, turkey or plant based
- 6 ounces provolone cheese diced
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
- olive oil
- salt, pepper
For Serving
- marinara or pizza sauce optional, for dipping
- chopped parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Wash and dry peppers, then slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Combine breadcrumbs with grated cheese in small bowl and then remove sausage from casing and place in a separate bowl.
- Add diced provolone to sausage and combine with fork or by hand.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil.
- Using a small spoon, stuff each half of the long hot peppers with the sausage-provolone mixture and place each pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Top with some salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb-grated cheese mixture evenly over each pepper.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the peppers and then place on grill or in the oven and cook until the top is browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, you may cook on grill over medium high heat.
- Serve as is or with a dipping sauce like marinara or pizza sauce
Notes
- Peppers – Italian long hots are hard to find in many areas of country. Substitute with Mesilla, Cowhorn, or cubanelle peppers or simply use long sweet banana peppers (add some hot pepper flakes or use hot sausage in stuffing).
- Cheese – Parmesan can be used in place of Pecorino Romano; mozzarella can be used in place of provolone
- Sausage – May use pork, chicken, turkey, or plant-based Italian style sausage.
- Vegetarian – Use plant-based sausage or use cooked and chopped mushrooms.
- Vegan – Use plant-based meat or mushrooms in place of sausage and use plant based cheese.
Nutrition
Recipe from Philadelphia Bank & Bourbon Chef Thomas Harkins
Hi Marie!
My peppers are a little wider and bigger and I worry that the sausage won’t cook through. Can I precook the sausage and then stuff them?
Thanks,
Claudia
Hi Claudia,
If you’re concerned you can cook it halfway through sure – enjoy!
Hello! So I just had to pick a bunch of cowhorn peppers because they are just so big! Can I make this recipe and freeze it afterwards?! If so what should I do to make sure I froze properly?!! Thank you looks amazing
You can BUT the peppers would be super soft and tender after defrosting. This isn’t a problem if the pepper walls are on the thicker side but if too thin they might really fall apart. Here are some freezing tips if you decide to try: After cooking, cool stuffed long hots completely.
Wrap each long hot individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Place wrapped long hots in a freezer-safe bag or container, remove as much air as possible.
Label with date and contents.
Freeze flat. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.