Sausage and Orzo Stuffed Sweet Peppers are a colorful, easy gluten-free recipe (depending on orzo type used) bursting with flavor and simple to make! Great for a delicious dinner any time.
Perhaps a vestige of the 1970’s dinner table, but I do love a good stuffed pepper. However unlike the ’70’s, this recipe is much more vibrant, both in color and flavor. Grocery stores are brimming with beautiful peppers right now in every shade; green, purple, red, orange and yellow. Choosing colors other than green makes for an exciting visual presentation of this Sausage and Orzo Stuffed Sweet Peppers, soon to be your new favorite fast weeknight comfort food recipe!
Stuffing peppers can become anything from a finely honed consideration of favorite flavors and textures, or a ‘clean out the fridge’ endeavor. I personally love combining a variety of shapes and textures to keep it interesting. Traditionally stuffed peppers include rice however these babies use Orzo, a delicate rice-shaped pasta that has a lighter texture than rice. Orzo has only recently become available as gluten-free orzo which is cause for celebration in my book. Once you try it you’ll think of loads of uses for it I’m sure.
What’s in a Stuffed Pepper? Are Stuffed Sweet Peppers Healthy?
Sausage and orzo stuffed sweet peppers truly provide a full meal, containing protein and carbohydrates in a deliciously filling form. Breakfast sausage, ripe tomatoes, corn kernels, garlic, herbs, Monterey Jack cheese and more combine to make this wonderful celebration of the season. It’s a perfect option for your back to school meal planning! As with any recipe stuffed peppers are as healthy as their ingredients and this version is full of great nutrition, seasonal ingredients and low in saturated fat.
The fall brings into play another advantage of stuffed peppers in that making a big batch of them presents little extra effort to making only a few. They are a hearty dish to serve at football parties, gatherings or simply for a delicious dinner. I think of these sausage and orzo stuffed sweet peppers in the same way I do a spicy sauage skillet lasagna or even an early fall ratatouille. An easy recipe full of great flavor and fresh vegetables.
A recipe note: sweet peppers vary incredibly in size. I used very large peppers in this recipe, each with a cavity that would hold over a cup of stuffing. I have shared the volume of stuffing the recipes makes and offered two different pepper amounts depending on the size available in your area. The stuffing shrinks a bit while it cooks so don’t be afraid to stuff amply!
How to Make Sausage and Orzo Stuffed Sweet Peppers:
Stuffing peppers is very easy to do. The sausage is sauteed and combined with the other ingredients including the prepared orzo. Once mixed together the sweet bell pepper is stuffed from the top after the stem has been removed. It is sprinkled with cheese and baked until the pepper itself is soft and cooked, then the entire stuffed pepper is eaten.
Beth @ The First Year says
What time is dinner? 🙂
Toni Dash says
Any time you can make it Beth!
Christie - Food Done Light says
Orzo is one of my favorite ingredients. Then you added sausage another favorite. This dish is perfect for me.
Toni Dash says
I just discovered some gluten-free Orzo which has been the first I’ve had it in about a decade. It is a perfect filler for peppers along with the other ingredients I think. And I’m with you on the sausage Christie!
Tonia from TheGunnySack says
Those look fantastic! I love how colorful the peppers are and they make such a great “bowl”!
Toni Dash says
I agree Tonia! Makes me think I need to come up with more options for these while they are in season.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
This stuffed peppers recipe is so perfect for the weather right now.. definitely going to be recreating the recipe!
marla says
Love this healthy recipe…Pinned!!
Jeanette says
OK that looks delicious! We usually do rice when we do stuff shells but I like the idea of orzo. I’m going to pin this one because it looks so good and I am looking for different restaurants.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I love this idea for stuffed peppers. I’ve made regular stuffed peppers and sloppy joe stuffed peppers, but I’ve never tried this variation before.
Erin F says
Oh, wow, I was totally thinking about this the other day! I brought in a bag full of peppers from the garden and this was the very first thing that came to mind! Bookmarking for later!
Erin F says
Oh, wow, I was totally thinking about this the other day! I brought in a bag full of peppers from the garden and this was the very first thing that came to mind! Bookmarking for later!!
Connie says
I love stuffed peppers. These look really yummy. I will be giving these a try for sure.
Liz Mays says
Yum! We’ve started stuffing our peppers with orzo too. It works so well! I need to try this recipe!
Rachel Ferrucci says
We love stuffed peppers! I usually use rice but I love the idea of of orzo and need to try that!
Amy Desrosiers says
I also love the idea of using Orzo instead of rice. I want to try these as well.
Maureen says
These look like delicious stuffed sweet peppers, I will have to give them a try. I am always on the lookout for new ideas to create and these look so yummy!
Kelly Hutchinson says
Stuffed peppers remind me of my mom. She used to make them all the time. I have never tried them with orzo. Yum!
Chavonne Harvey says
I’ve never tried Stuffed Peppers before but I do love the taste of peppers in my recipes so this is something I need to try. I’ve been on a sausage kick lately adding it to many meals. These stuffed peppers look so good.
Pam Wattenbarger says
I love stuffed peppers. These with sausage and orzo sound really good! I usually have them with rice in them.
Meagan says
I am not a huge pepper fan so I always cook them wrong. I may need this to make my husband something delicious.
Brianne says
Stuffed peppers are my favorite! I love the sausage and orzo combo and will have to try!
Claudia Krusch says
I am excited to try this Sausage and Orzo Stuffed Sweet Peppers recipe. It looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make some this weekend. I am sure it will be a big hit.
Amy Desrosiers says
I love the pretty colors of these stuffed peppers. They look like they are really yummy for a fall meal.
reesa says
These look delicious! I love these kinds of peppers!
Sarah says
Yum! This looks so good. I actually have some bell peppers, so this could be a great dinner this week.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
Hubby loves stuffed peppers and these look great! I don’t think I’ve seen gluten-free orzo here, I’ll have to take a closer look for it.
Crystal says
I just grabbed some sweet peppers from Trader Joe’s, not really having a plan for them. But now I’m totally sold on using them for this Sausage & Orzo recipe.
Jocelyn at Hip Mama's Place says
I have always loved stuffed peppers and I enjoy making it at home, especially during gatherings or dinner parties. I think this recipe is really lovely, the sausage will give it a nice flavor!
Myrah Duque says
Such a great dish. You won’t believe it, but I don’t like peppers, but when they are prepared like this, I do! Weird huh?
Colleen Cayes says
Thank you for the reminder to make these, which I have loved since childhood. Using other colors of peppers somehow makes them more suitable for company. I have several friends who I know would love a “comfort food lunch” as we transition into Fall.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
Thanks for the recipe! I haven’t tried using Orzo this way but I think it would be great for stuffed peppers. I am going to try this recipe and I am sure we’ll all love it!
Our Family World says
I think this is the best stuffed pepper recipe I have seen so far! I have never thought of using Orzo in stuffed peppers. That is a unique idea. I will include this in our meal plan for next week. Thanks for sharing!
Sara | Tastefulventure says
This is perfect this time of the year when I have an over abundance of peppers! I can’t wait to try this!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Yummy! I love stuffed peppers and your recipe is truly delightful! Would you recommend it for lunch or dinner, Toni?
Toni Dash says
Whichever suits your fancy!
Ashley says
These look and sound amazing!