Sausage and Pepper Casserole
A comforting casserole made with Italian sausage, bell peppers, and mozzarella cheese, perfect for family dinners.
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish To hold all the ingredients for baking.
- Large Skillet For browning the sausage and sautéing the vegetables.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 0.25 cup tomato paste
- 0.25 cup water
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 large bell peppers, various colors, sliced Seeds removed and sliced into ½-inch-long pieces
- 1 medium onion, halved, sliced Sliced into ½-inch-long pieces
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped or chiffonaded For garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage pieces for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned but not fully cooked through. Drain any excess liquid from the skillet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, water, and Italian seasoning until well combined.
- In a large bowl or the skillet (if large enough), combine the browned sausage, bell peppers, and onions. Pour the tomato sauce over the sausage and vegetables, stirring well to coat everything.
- Transfer half of the sausage and vegetable mixture to the greased baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Then, spread the remaining sausage mixture over the cheese and cover the dish with foil.
- Bake the covered casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, stir the casserole well, and top it with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered.
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes or until the sausage is no longer pink and the peppers are tender. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Notes
For a twist, try adding some cooked pasta to the casserole before baking for a heartier meal.