Italian Sausage & Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers {Paleo & Whole30}

Name: Italian Sausage & Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers: Paleo & Whole30
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients: 2 large sweet onions ((Viladia, Maui, or Texas Sweets) -- sliced thinly); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil -- as needed; 12 ounces Mulay's Hot Italian Sausage; 1 cup diced carrots; 4 ounces mushrooms -- coarsely chopped; 3 cloves garlic -- minced; 28 ounces crushed tomatoes -- some of the sauce drained; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 cups grated cauliflower -- about 1/2 pound; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 cup sliced olives; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 4 large sweet bell peppers; 1/3 cup shelled pistachios -- coarsely chopped just enough to create jagged edges; Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Published May 8, 2017. Last updated September 26, 2018 by Judy Purcell 26 Comments

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What makes these Italian Sausage & Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers different than the stuffed peppers our mothers made?

Paleo and Whole30 compliant, there’s no cheese, rice, or bread in this recipe but it’s loaded with flavor.

Paleo, Whole30, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, & Dairy-Free

If you’ve been around Savoring Today for along, you know I don’t follow or promote exclusive diets.

We established a healthy food philosophy for our family centered around meat and vegetables with full-fat dairy and sprouted grains.

This whole food approach, also known as clean eating, works for us, but I have a number of friends who suffer from food allergies or inflammatory diseases always looking for new, exciting recipes to better fit their dietary needs.

I’m here for you! And I think you’ll love this recipe!

Re-Creating old Favorites to Fit New Dietary Goals

We harness the natural sweetness of caramelized onions to balance the acidic quality of peppers (that’s what cheese usually does) and add the unique textural interest of pistachios.

These toppings help keep the stuffing from drying out (again, like cheese would) and bring the crispy-crunch you might be used to with breadcrumbs.

When modifying old favorites to fit new dietary goals, it’s important to consider the things you love most about what you are trying to replace to find a suitable and appealing substitute.

There are Paleo cheese recipes out there, but I cannot vouch for them since I’ve not tried any. However, you could easily adjust this recipe to include it before you add the onions and pistachios.

Using cauliflower as a rice substitute is one of the easiest ways to reduce carbs and incorporate more vegetables into your meal plans.

It’s become even easier with the availability of packaged “cauliflower rice”, but all you need is a box cheese grater.

Mulay’s Sausage ~ Quality Always Makes a Difference

Finding quality sausage that is also Paleo and Whole30 compliant can be tricky because even health food store brands add sugar or soy.

I was delighted when Mulay’s Sausage generously provided a variety of sausage for us to try—I’m stoked to share my good fortune with you through this Italian Sausage & Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Pepper recipe.

Their sausage is All Natural, Antibiotic Free, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free and Soy Free—you’ll notice the quality in the first bite.

I am impressed with the clean pork flavor complemented by spices that don’t try to cover or mask. The chorizo is the best I’ve tried, balanced and flavorful with a hint of spice.

In this recipe, I used Hot Italian which I would describe as medium-mild in spicy heat. If you are the kick-it-up-a-notch type, I recommend their Killer Hot Italian instead.

Make-Ahead Easy Meal

The start to finish time might seem a little drawn out because of the baking time, but you can easily break it up by stuffing the peppers in advance and refrigerating for a couple of days until ready to bake.

The stuffing also freezes well, so you can mix up just that part of it and freeze until you’re ready to put it all together to bake—just keep the caramelized onion topping separate.

Got leftovers? Serve for breakfast with a sunny side up egg on top. Oh so good!

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