Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking dish by lightly spraying with oil. Set aside.

Step 2

Place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher (my favorite tool for this task), break up the sausage and allow it to start browning.

Step 3

Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the onion begins to soften, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in grated or minced garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 4

Add marinara sauce (or crushed tomatoes) and ¾ cup vegetable or chicken stock; stir to combine. Bring to a bubble and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and thickened a bit.

Step 5

Stir in rice until fully combined. Mix in mozzarella cheese and cayenne pepper. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Step 6

Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, fill each pepper to the top. You may have extra filling depending on the size of your peppers. See notes in post for other uses.

Step 7

Place each pepper carefully on its side in prepared baking dish. Pour remaining ¼ cup stock in the dish -- this will help steam and soften the peppers as they cook. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes or until peppers are tender.