Jackie's Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers

Hot banana peppers are stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, plus pepperoni and parsley, then smothered in spaghetti sauce.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 288 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 (24 ounce) carton ricotta cheese
• 1 cup diced stick pepperoni
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 20 hot banana peppers, tops and seeds removed, or more to taste
• 1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce, or more to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 0.25 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Mix cooked sausage, 4 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture.

Step 4

Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 cup spaghetti sauce. Add stuffed peppers, stacking them if needed. Cover with remaining sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and any remaining cheese mixture. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and fragrant, at least 1 hour.