Sausage stuffed mini peppers filled with cream cheese and Italian sausage and topped with melted mozzarella. A delicious and easy appetizer that's ready in 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the mini peppers in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and white membranes.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage meat, crumbling with a spoon. Add the garlic and cook until the sausage is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
Drain excess fat from the sausage and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the cream cheese and chives and stir to combine.
Use a spoon to fill the pepper halves with the sausage and cream cheese mixture.
Arrange the filled peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Top with shredded mozzarella.
Bake 15 minutes, until the cheese is just starting to brown.
Notes
Make ahead: You can assemble the stuffed mini peppers ahead of time and pop them in the oven just before guests arrive. Let them come to room temperature first, or else allow extra baking time for the cold ingredients.
Allow to cool: Let the sausage-stuffed mini peppers cool slightly before serving. (They'll be too hot to bite into right away).
Storage: Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a 400° oven until warmed through. You can also enjoy them cold; they'll still be delicious!
Gluten-free: Thisrecipe is gluten-free, but if needed, check ingredient labels before buying sausage. Most of them are gluten-free, but some are not. I use Johnsonville (not affiliate) which is gluten-free.