Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

Cubanelle peppers make the perfect vessel for stuffing with savory filling! Packed with flavorful, Italian-inspired sausage and rice mixture and baked until tender, these peppers will become a favorite.

Note: This recipe was originally posted on August 11, 2011 and updated on January 5, 2022.

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These Italian Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers are the real deal when it comes to flavor! Packed with Italian sausage, rice, herbs and more, don’t be surprised if these become a favorite in the weekly rotation.

The first time I laid eyes on cubanelle peppers, I remember thinking they looked fake; like shiny, plastic vegetables for a kid’s Fisher Price kitchen set. I was so intrigued by their size, shape and color that I knew I had to buy them and experiment with them in my (real) kitchen!

Looking for more stuffed pepper recipes? Check out my Asian Inspired Stuffed Peppers, Mediterranean Turkey Stuffed Peppers and Baked Chiles Rellenos (Stuffed Poblanos)!

This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegetarian or vegan. (See Variations & Substitutions section below.)

What are Cubanelle Peppers?

Cubanelle peppers, sometimes known as Italian Frying Peppers or Cuban peppers, are a variety of sweet pepper popular in both Latin American & European cuisines. They have a long, sometimes twisted shape and can be found in shades from bright yellow-green to red when allowed to fully ripen.

Their thin skin makes them a good option for quick-cooking meals. Mild in flavor, they’re often found in sofritos, the aromatic base for many Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese recipes.

Whole, fresh Cubanelle peppers will last for weeks in the refrigerator. Cooked peppers should be stored in an airtight container and used within a few days.

Ingredients

The star of this recipe is, you guessed it, cubanelle peppers! But the flavorful filling ingredients are really what make it pop. A few notes about the ingredients used here:

• Ground Italian Pork Sausage. This is a classic ingredient and an easy way to add lots of flavor, but if you don’t eat pork or would like to turn this into a vegetarian recipe, you can substitute with your favorite type of ground sausage; anything from chicken to tofu crumbles.
• Marinara sauce. I used to make this recipe with canned, crushed tomatoes, but I recently tried it with jarred marinara sauce that I happened to have leftover in the refrigerator and it worked well, so feel free to use whichever you prefer!
• Vegetable or chicken stock. Either of these will work fine. Use vegetable stock to make a vegetarian stuffed pepper or chicken stock for a classic version.
• Rice. Have leftover rice in the fridge? This filling is a great way to use it up! Both brown rice and white rice work well here. I used frozen rice because I always have some in the freezer. Uncooked rice is also an option, but you may need to bake the stuffed peppers a bit longer in order to let the rice fully cook through. Other grains such as farro or quinoa would work as a good substitute.
• Mozzarella cheese. I add cheese to just about everything, but feel free to omit it in order to make these vegan or vegetarian.

Instructions

Making these Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers can be broken down into 4 easy steps: Prepping the peppers, making the filling, stuffing the peppers and baking the final dish. Here’s how I do it:

Prep your Cubanelle peppers by slicing off the tops. Using a sharp knife or your fingers, remove the seeds and membranes from the pepper. Set them aside until you’re ready to fill them.

Make the filling by browning up the sausage with the onions and garlic. Add the marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes and the stock. Let the mixture simmer until it thickens a bit and the liquid is somewhat reduced. (If you are using uncooked rice, then add it after the broth and allow it to simmer in the liquid.)

Next, add the fresh herbs, rice and cheese. Mix it until fully combined. This mixture can be used for regular stuffed bell peppers, too.

Once the filling is made, it’s time to stuff the Cubanelles. Using a spoon or a mini cookie scoop (one of my favorite kitchen tools!), carefully fill each pepper all the way to the top. It’s ok to pack in the mixture a bit.

Place the stuffed Cubanelle peppers in a baking dish and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of stock (this will help to steam and soften the peppers while they bake). Cover the dish tightly in foil and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Depending on the thickness of the peppers, it should take about 45-50 minutes for the them to become tender.

FAQs

Variations & Substitutions

Try a different variation on these stuffed cubanelle peppers:

• Use ground beef or turkey in place of ground sausage.
• Try chicken sausage in place of pork sausage.
• Use quinoa or farro in place of rice.

Diet-Specific Substitutions:

• Vegan or Vegetarian: Use a plant-based sausage substitute or plant-based ground in place of sausage. Swap vegan cheese substitute for regular cheese, or omit cheese.