Italian Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Pepper
Italian Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Pepper
This recipe from Johnsonville offers a delicious way to eat healthy without the rabbit food. Quinoa is a superfood that is packed with protein and other essential nutrients and goes well with the other veggies in this dish: mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions and bell peppers. Seasoned perfectly with paprika and topped with Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds, this dish is perfect for Johnsonville Italian Sausage—another food that tastes super!


Ingredients
-
1
package
(19 ounces) JOHNSONVILLE Fresh Italian Mild Sausage Links, casings removed
-
1
tablespoon
olive oil
-
1
small
red onion, finely chopped
-
1
medium
red bell pepper, chopped
-
3
plum tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
-
4
ounces
mushrooms, chopped
-
2
tablespoons
fresh parsley, chopped
-
1 1/2
cups
cooked Quinoa* (follow package directions, about ¾ cup dry) *Quinoa is a nutritious whole grain currently found in most supermarkets. Quinoa can be substituted with rice or couscous.
-
1
teaspoon
paprika
-
1/2
cup
Parmesan cheese, grated
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
6 to 7
medium
bell peppers, tops removed, cored and seeded
-
1/4
cup
toasted sliced almonds** (optional) **Tip: Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring and shaking pan constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Immediately transfer to a bowl and let cool.
REVIEWS
Directions
-
Cook Quinoa according to package directions, (yield 1 ½ cups).
-
Sauté the decased sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
-
Crumble the sausage as it cooks until its nicely browned and no longer pink, breaking up any of the large pieces, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and set aside.
-
In the same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and red bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened.
-
Add tomatoes and mushrooms, sauté for another 5 minutes.
-
Remove from heat then add in parsley, cooked Quinoa, paprika, sausage and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine, taste and adjust seasonings.
-
Preheat oven to 350°F.
-
Stuff bell peppers with sausage mixture, dividing equally and gently packing the mixture down. Arrange upright in prepared baking dish.
-
Cover and bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until peppers are tender.
-
If desired, serve topped with a sprinkling of toasted almonds.