Martha Stewart Stuffed Peppers with Couscous and Chicken Sausage

Martha Stewart Stuffed Peppers with Couscous and Chicken Sausage are easy to pull off. The couscous cooks right inside the peppers, soaking up diced tomatoes as they bake. Melty Monterey Jack goes on top for a healthy family dinner that takes just 80 minutes.

Red bell peppers hold the filling best since they’re sweet and sturdy for baking. Stuff them up to 24 hours ahead for easy weeknight meal prep, and add water to the dish so they steam tender.

Martha Stewart Stuffed Peppers with Couscous and Chicken Sausage

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

375

kcal

Tender red peppers with a fluffy couscous filling, savory crumbled chicken sausage, and a golden cap of melted Monterey Jack straight from the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 12 ounces fresh chicken or turkey sausage, removed from casing
  

• 1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes
  

• 3/4 cup couscous
  

• 4 red bell peppers (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
  

• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
  

Directions

• Cook the aromatics: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Brown the sausage: Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 cup water; cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous.
• Fill the peppers: Spoon the couscous mixture into the pepper halves. Arrange peppers in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water to the dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake covered: Bake until peppers are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Add cheese and finish: Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted and peppers are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet, OXO wooden spoon set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What kind of sausage works best for stuffed peppers?

Use fresh, uncooked chicken or turkey sausage removed from the casing, not precooked links. Fresh sausage crumbles like ground meat and mixes evenly with the couscous. Italian pork sausage or spicy chorizo both work if you want bolder flavor, though the calorie count goes up.

Can you make stuffed peppers ahead of time?

You can stuff the peppers up to 24 hours before baking. Keep them covered in the fridge and wait to add the 1/2 cup of water to the dish until you are ready to bake. Add about 5 extra minutes of oven time since they will go in cold.

How long do leftover stuffed peppers last in the fridge?

They keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, set them in a baking dish with a splash of water, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes. The couscous dries out in the microwave, so the oven method is worth the extra time.

Can you use rice instead of couscous in this recipe?

Swap in 2 cups of cooked white or brown rice for the 3/4 cup dry couscous. Since cooked rice does not need to absorb liquid the way dry couscous does, cut the water in step 2 down to 1/2 cup so the filling does not turn soggy.

Why do you add water to the baking dish?

The peppers go into the oven raw, so they need steam to soften. Without the 1/2 cup of water in the dish, the bottoms dry out and the peppers stay too firm. The foil traps that steam for the first 35 to 40 minutes, which is enough to get them tender all the way through.