Make Italian Stuffed Peppers for Two with Italian sausage, rice, tomatoes, and cheese baked inside tender bell peppers for an easy, small batch dinner!A Simplified and Scaled Down Recipe for TwoI have been working on a whole series of recipes that are scaled down to feed just 2-3 people rather than a whole army (as my husband would say ha!) These Italian Stuffed Peppers for Two are the perfect and yummy dinner that makes just enough for two and no leftovers! Also, if you prefer stuffed peppers that arent Italian flavored and want to use ground beef, check out my other recipe for Stuffed Peppers For Two.Frequently Asked Questions:What do I do if the filling is getting dry? If you find that your mixture is getting a little dry add cup of water or a little extra tomato sauce and stir in. I dont think this filling gets dry at all but everyone has different tastes and textures they prefer so this is easy to tweak to your tastes. Could I add some spice to these? Absolutely! I know some folks love things with a little kick of heat. I would use a spicer Italian sausage and then add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling. What to serve with Italian Stuffed Peppers for Two? These can be quite filling in themselves, but I think if you want some sides, stick with an easy bagged salad and/or garlic bread. How much rice do I need to cook to get 1 cup of cooked rice? To get one cup of cooked rice, I suggest cooking 1/3 cup of uncooked rice with 2/3 cup of water (its a 1:2 ratio). Make sure to rinse the rice well before cooking to get rid of excess starch. Its super easy to use the microwave rice for this type of recipe as well. How to store leftovers? Well, chances of you have leftovers are pretty slim since this is a smaller scaled recipe made for just two people. If you do have leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. These can be frozen as long as they are properly stored to protect against freezer burn for up to 3 months. Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)large bell peppers you can any color bell pepper that you prefer. I used green peppers but any red, orange, or yellow peppers will work. Peppers vary in sizes, so you may end up with more filling than will fit into the peppers. Just eat that alongside the peppers.cooked rice Any cooked white or brown rice works well.Italian sausage Instead of Italian sausage, you could also use ground beef, pork or chicken. Whatever you have on hand.garlic powder if you want to use fresh garlic, use about 2 garlic cloves and add to the Italian sausage mixture at the end of cooking time (for about 30 seconds until fragrant)onion powder you can use fresh onion if youd like. Id probably use about 1/2 a yellow onion diced. Cook it along with the Italian sausage so it gets soft.Italian seasoningdiced tomatoes start by adding half the can of tomatoes, but with all the juices (you need the moisture to keep the rice from drying out) and decide whether you want to add the remaining tomatoes. If you dont want tomatoes, just grab an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce instead. I like to use the kind that has basil, garlic, and oregano in it already.shredded mozzarella cheese Different cheeses would also work well. Pepper Jack would be delish!I also want to add that my mom liked to add a slice of cheese on top. So, really options are endless and you can easily change things up and add what you like.chopped fresh parsley or basil used as an optional garnishfreshly shreddedparmesan cheese also used as an optional garnishHow To Make Italian Stuffed Peppers for TwoPreheat the oven to 350F degrees and make sure the oven rack is set to the center. In a medium skillet, brown and crumble the Italian sausage, over medium heat, until its cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the salt, pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.Add can of diced tomatoes (with all the juices) and cooked rice. Stir to combine. If you want to use more of the diced tomatoes, you can use the amount you prefer. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes so some of the moisture will evaporate. Taste and add additional seasoning as needed. Prepare the bell peppers by slicing the top off. Remove the stem and seeds inside.Place the peppers in a small dish that will fit the two peppers and keep them right-side up. Fill the peppers equally with the mixture and top with cheese.Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the pepper is fork tender and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Serve with fresh chopped parsley or basil and a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese.Craving More Recipes?Stuffed Pepper SoupStuffed Pepper CasseroleCrock Pot Stuffed Pepper SoupInstant Pot Stuffed PeppersTaco Stuffed Potatoes PrintItalian Stuffed Peppers for TwoTender peppers stuffed with an Italian sausage and rice filling and topped with cheeses.Course Dinner, Main CourseCuisine AmericanPrep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 35 minutes minutesTotal Time 45 minutes minutesServings 2Calories 636kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients2 large bell peppers (any color, I used green)1 cup cooked rice pound ground Italian sausage1 teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon onion powder teaspoon salt teaspoon ground black pepper teaspoon Italian seasoning (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (half of a 15 ounce can along with ALL the juice from the can, see notes below) cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or more, to taste)For garnish (optional)chopped fresh parsley or basilfreshly shredded parmesan cheeseInstructionsPreheat the oven to 350F degrees and make sure the oven rack is set to the center.In a medium skillet, brown and crumble the pound ground Italian sausage, over medium heat, until its cooked through. Add the 1 teaspoon garlic powder and cook for one minute.Add the teaspoon salt, teaspoon ground black pepper, teaspoon onion powder and teaspoon Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.Add can of diced tomatoes (with all the juices note, if you feel like that is too much juice for your taste, start with half a can of the juice and add more to your preference) and 1 cup cooked rice. Stir to combine. Also, if you want to use more of the diced tomatoes, you can use the amount you prefer. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes so some of the moisture will evaporate.Taste and add any additional seasoning as needed to your preference.Prepare the bell peppers by slicing the top off. Remove the stem and seeds inside. Place the peppers in a small dish that will fit the two peppers and keep them right-side up.Fill the 2 large bell peppers equally with the mixture and top with cup shredded mozzarella cheeseach pepper with the shredded mozzarella cheese.Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the pepper is fork tender and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.NOTE: Oven times can vary, please go by doneness, not just by time.Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley or basil and a little freshly shredded parmesan cheese. NotesPlease refer to my FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.You will only be using HALF the diced tomatoes from the can but you will probably be using ALL the juices. Also, for more flavor, try getting the diced tomatoes that are seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano.NutritionCalories: 636kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 43g | Sodium: 1312mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g