Creole Stuffed Peppers

Smoky andouille sausage, tender rice, and fire-roasted tomatoes turn these colorful peppers into a cozy Creole-inspired bake. It’s a one-pan filling that feels special enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

Peppers

• 4 bell peppers (yellow, orange or red), halved lengthwise and seeded
• 4 Tbs olive oil (divided)

Creole rice & sausage filling

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 (13 oz) Hillshire Farm Cajun Andouille smoked sausage, sliced into coins
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup basmati rice (or other long grain rice)

Cheese

• 8 oz cheddar jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Lay peppers face up on a cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil.
2. Turn the broiler on high. Broil peppers for about 5 minutes, watching closely, until lightly blackened around the edges. As soon as you see the blackening, pull them from the oven. Turn off the broiler and preheat oven to 350°F, making sure a rack is in the middle.
3. Dice onion and celery. Slice sausage into coins.
4. Add the remaining 2 Tbs olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, and sausage and sauté until vegetables are soft and sausage is browned.
5. Turn heat to medium-low. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, paprika, cayenne, and crushed red pepper (if using). Sauté about 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
7. Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes and rice. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
8. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
9. Transfer the broiled pepper halves to a 9×13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle about one third of the cheddar jack into the bottom of each pepper.
10. Turn off the heat under the rice mixture. Spoon the sausage-and-rice filling evenly into the peppers, mounding slightly.
11. Top with the remaining cheese.
12. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Notes

• Watch the broiler: Peppers blacken fast—pull them the moment the edges char so they soften without turning to mush.
• Dial the heat: The andouille and cayenne bring a Creole kick; skip the crushed red pepper for a milder bake.
• Don’t peek: Keep the lid on while the rice simmers so the steam cooks it evenly and absorbs the broth.
• Two cheese layers: Cheddar jack in the bottom of each pepper and on top keeps the filling anchored and gives a bubbly finish.
• Rest before serving: A few minutes out of the oven lets the filling set so it holds its shape when scooped.

Why This Works

• Broiling the peppers: A quick char softens the peppers and adds a smoky depth you can’t get from baking alone.
• Browned sausage fond: Searing the andouille and vegetables leaves flavorful browned bits that season the rice once deglazed.
• Deglaze and bloom: Toasting the spices then pouring in broth lifts the fond and spreads that Creole flavor through every grain.
• One-pot rice: Simmering the rice right in the tomato-and-broth mixture lets it drink up the smoky, savory liquid as it cooks.