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Stuffed Long Hots are a delicious and fun way to enjoy classic Italian hot peppers. The peppers are filled with a savory filling of Italian sausage, melty mozzarella cheese and tangy sun dried tomatoes then topped with a breadcrumb/pecorino mix and roasted. So easy and delicious! Perfect as a starter, side or hors d’oeuvre at your next get-together.
Can’t find Italian long hot peppers? I give you lots of options below for substitutes. Read on for more!
Known simply as “long hots”, these peppers are referred to by many people as THE Italian hot frying pepper. Technically, they are called a mesilla hybrid pepper. Check out my roasted long hot pepper recipe here and for more information in general.
Long hots are a type of chili pepper that is beloved amongst Italian Americans on the east coast of the U.S., particularly in the Philadelphia-metropolitan area. They have a tangy flavor and an unpredictable heat level, with some long hots being fairly mild and others being very hot (which is why they’re sometimes referred to as the “Russian roulette” of peppers)!
Growing up in southern New Jersey, we almost always had a bowl of roasted or fried long hots on our table to accompany our meals, but especially when sandwiches were involved! (You always knew when long hots had been cooked from their signature aroma.)
I definitely consider these peppers one of the best sandwich toppings around! Now that I live in the suburbs and garden, I grow lots of long hots every summer. I’ve even dehydrated them and turned them into chili powder!
In this recipe, these thin, long peppers are cut in half, seeded (mostly) and stuffed with a very easy, savory stuffing of Italian sausage, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes. They’re finished with a sprinkling of pecorino cheese and breadcrumbs before being roasted in a hot oven. They cook quickly and don’t stay around very long!
Leave the halved peppers whole for a starter or side or cut them into smaller pieces for more of a small bites/hors d’oeuvre experience. They’re perfect and super flavorful on their own but can also be paired with some tomato basil sauce or pesto for dipping. I’ve even been known to make stuffed long hots my entire entrée paired with a large green salad.
Along with my Sausage Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms and Artichoke Hearts Oreganata recipes, this recipe for stuffed hot peppers is a great alternative to classic stuffed mushrooms come holiday time.
And, if you can’t get your hands on any long hots, try this recipe with any short or thin, hot or sweet pepper, such as jalapeño or poblano. For a great recipe for larger (sweet) peppers, check out this Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Recipe and Stuffed Bell Peppers.
I love making (and eating) these stuffed long hots! They’re easy, cook quickly, pack loads of flavor and are a real crown pleaser. Hope you give them a try. Mangia bene!
Ingredients
To make this stuffed hot pepper recipe, we’ll need the following ingredients:
- Long Hot Peppers: No explanation needed, other than to say that the following peppers are all good substitutes if you don’t have access to long hots: Anaheim, cowhorn, friggitelli, jalapeño and poblano peppers.
- Italian Sausage: This is the main part of the stuffing here and pairs beautifully with the peppers. Use any sausage you prefer: hot or sweet, pork, chicken or turkey. You can also use your favorite meatball mixture in this recipe and it will be excellent. (Although I’m a huge fan of hot Italian sasuage, I tend to use the mild version here since the peppers are already hot.)
- Breadcrumbs: I use fine, plain (unseasoned) bread crumbs sprinkled on top of the stuffed peppers. If you prefer a gluten-free dish, you can definitely leave these out.
- Cheese: I used two cheeses here–mild mozzarella for the melty factor and sharp Pecorino Romano sprinkled on top of the stuffed peppers give a nice caramelization on top. They complement the other flavors in the dish perfectly! If you find pecorino too strong for your tastes, feel free to replace it with something milder, like parmesan. As for the mozzarella, it’s always best to shred it yourself to avoid the anti-caking agents that are added to pre-shredded cheeses. I always buy whole milk block mozzarella and then shred it myself on a box grater.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: For a burst of intense, sweet and tart tomato flavor, sun dried tomatoes are mixed into the sausage mixture. They also add a nice texture.
- Fresh Herbs: While optional, I love the color and additional flavor and brightness that fresh herbs add to the hot stuffed peppers. I’ll use either fresh basil or parsley–whichever I have on hand. You can use a light pinch of dried herbs if you prefer, or just completely leave the herbs out.
How to Make Stuffed Long Hots, Step-by-Step
Hot peppers stuffed with sausage is a really easy recipe to prepare. Most of your time will be spent in prepping the peppers, and that really doesn’t take too long either. Here’s how to make these stuffed long hots:
- Combine the pecorino cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped herbs and black pepper in a small bowl and set it aside. Then, mix the bulk Italian sausage, shredded mozzarella and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl until well-combined.
- Prep the peppers: Rinse and dry the peppers, then remove and discard the thick stem. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove most seeds and big veins. You can either leave the pepper halves as is or cut them down further into smaller pieces which are great for hors d’oeuvres!
- PRO-TIP: Always be careful when handling hot peppers. You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. They are not super, super hot, but just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.
- Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture, using your hands or a small spoon. The stuffing does not need to be mounded high and the peppers do not need to be overfilled.
- Once all the peppers are stuffed, sprinkle the tops of each pepper with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Then, transfer them to the parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Use two baking sheets if necessary. Once on the sheet pan, lightly drizzle each pepper with olive oil.
- Transfer the sausage stuffed mini peppers to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
- PRO-TIP: If you’re not sure whether the sausage filling is cooked through, use a stem thermometer to check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Enjoy the peppers as is or, optionally, finish them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes with a bit more breadcrumbs and cheeses (mozzarella and pecorino) sprinkled over them. Be careful and stay close as to not burn the peppers!
- Transfer the finished stuffed Italian hot peppers to a serving platter and serve alone or with some heated marinara sauce or pesto for dipping. That’s it!
Sicilian-Style Stuffed Eggplant, Stuffed Zucchini and Stuffed Italian Eggplant Boats are also some of my favorite stuffed vegetable recipes!
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you love sausage stuffed hot peppers, check out these other recipes that make the best antipasti!
- Roasted Mini Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs
- Sicilian Caponata with Roasted Vegetables
- Shrimp Oreganata in White Wine Lemon Butter
- Stuffed Baked Clams Oreganata with Lemon Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Zuppa di Clams in Red Sauce
- Baked Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs
- Zucchini Fritters with Lemon and Basil
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ideas for twists on this recipe:
- Peppers: If you can’t find long hot peppers, this recipe works great with jalapeño peppers or any other sweet or hot, short, thin peppers. If you’re looking for something very mild, I would suggest banana peppers. Other choices with similar heat levels as long hots include Anaheim, cowhorn, friggitelli and poblano peppers. Guajillo, jalapeño, fresno and Hungarian wax peppers are also all great options for this recipe. These peppers have slighter higher heat levels than long hots.
- Change the Protein: Use any sausage you prefer: hot or sweet, pork, chicken or turkey. You can also use your favorite meatball mixture in this recipe and it will be excellent.
- Make it Vegetarian: Try a vegetarian and more simple version of this dish. Just sprinkle the prepped peppers with a mixture of breadcrumbs, mozzarella, pecorino and black pepper and bake. They won’t need as much time in the oven as the sausage stuffed peppers.
- Add Some Heat! If you are really after the extreme picante experience, use hot Italian sausage in this recipe and then drizzle the finished, roasted peppers with some homemade Italian chili oil. Mamma mia!
- Try a Different Cheese: Mozzarella is fairly mild, so use sharp provolone instead if you’d like a stronger cheese flavor. Also, parmesan cheese can be used in place of pecorino.
- Different Stuffings: There are lots of different directions that you can go in when stuffing long hots (or any similar pepper). Chorizo sausage and shredded cheddar is delicious for something different (and works really well with stuffed jalapeńo peppers), as is cream cheese with scallions and chive. I also love wrapping thin slices of prosciutto around pieces of provolone or gorgonzola cheese and placing this in the cavity of each pepper. It’s so good! In each of these cases, just be sure to roast the peppers until the peppers are tender, the cheese has melted and the sausage is fully cooked. (See recipe below for internal temperature of sausage.)
Frequently Asked Questions for Stuffed Long Hots
The actual name for long hots is mesilla hybrid pepper.
Long hots have an unpredictable heat level in the range of 100 to 1000 on the Scoville heat unit (SHU) scale. (For reference, a bell pepper is 0, a serrano pepper is 25,000 and a Carolina reaper pepper is 2.2 million on the SHU scale.) But, quite honestly, I think this is wrong. I would position this pepper much higher on the scale and believe that its heat level is somewhere in between poblano (1500) and jalapeño (8000) peppers.
This discrepancy and unpredictability is why long hot peppers are sometimes referred to as the “Russian roulette” of peppers, because you never know how mild or spicy each pepper will be. I always seem to get the really hot ones, though!
Long hots are sometimes referred to as Italian frying peppers, and, as such, they’re frequently pan-fried on the stove in some oil and then topped with salt when finished, like these Italian sweet fried peppers. If pan-frying is not your thing, you can easily roast long hots in the oven with this recipe. Both frying and roasting create a super-delicious and versatile product that you can enjoy on sandwiches, pizzas, antipasti platters, with eggs and potatoes and more.
They’re used as part of the aromatic base in this sautéed calamari recipe.
I also love to thinly slice these peppers, sauté them with chopped garlic and parsley in olive oil, then toss this mixture with pasta for a fresh chile kick to a classic aglio e olio pasta. Pickled long hots are also very popular. The options are as endless as any other spicy chile-experiment and enjoy!
If you can’t find long hots, there are lots of peppers that you can substitute in this recipe and use the same roasting technique. For something very mild, I suggest banana peppers. Other choices with similar heat levels as long hots include Anaheim, cowhorn, friggitelli and poblano peppers. Guajillo, jalapeño, fresno and Hungarian wax peppers are also all great options for this recipe; these peppers have slighter higher heat levels than long hots.
TOP TIPS FOR STUFFED LONG HOTS
- Peppers: If you can’t find long hot peppers, this recipe works great with jalapeño peppers or any other sweet or hot, short, thin peppers. I suggest banana peppers for something mild. Other choices with similar heat levels as long hots include Anaheim, cowhorn, cubanelle, friggitelli and poblano peppers. Guajillo, jalapeño, fresno and Hungarian wax peppers are also all great options for this recipe. These peppers have slighter higher heat levels than long hots.
- Sausage: Use any sausage you prefer: hot or sweet, pork, chicken or turkey. You can also use your favorite meatball mixture in this stuffed hot pepper recipe and it will be excellent.
- Don’t Touch Your Face! Always be careful when handling hot peppers. You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. Long hot peppers not super, super hot. But just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.
- Long Hots Oreganata: Try a vegetarian and more simple version of this dish that is also very delicious. Just sprinkle the prepped peppers with a mixture of breadcrumbs, mozzarella, pecorino and black pepper and bake. They won’t need as much time in the oven as the sausage stuffed peppers.
- Serving Suggestions: These sausage and cheese stuffed hot peppers make a perfect appetizer or first course. They are really so easy to eat, that you may want to make a double batch! If you cut the halved peppers down into smaller pieces and pair them with either tomato basil sauce or pesto, it will make a very impressive hors d’oeuvre platter. I love enjoying these stuffed long hots as a side to soup, sandwich or pizza as well.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers (if you have any!) in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or, freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. The peppers do not need to be completely thawed before reheating.
More Great Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried Stuffed Long Hot Peppers, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Stuffed Long Hots (Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Hot Peppers)
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 8-10 long hot peppers (about ¾-1 pound peppers)
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- ¼ cup fine, plain breadcrumbs + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (hot or sweet–your preference)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces) + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained of any oil (about 3 ounces drained)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Marinara or tomato basil sauce or pesto (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Place one rack on the bottom 1/3 of the oven and another rack under the broiler (for the optional finishing step). Preheat oven to 400˚F and use the convection setting if you have that available. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and rub it with a little oil. Gather and prep all ingredients according to the specifications above.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prep the long hot peppers. Rinse and dry the peppers, then remove and discard the thick stem. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove most seeds and big veins. You can either leave the pepper halves as is or cut them down further into smaller pieces. Small pieces are great for hors d’oeuvres! (See the photos above for both ways.) You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. They are not super, super hot, but just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.8-10 long hot peppers
- Next, combine the pecorino cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped herbs and black pepper in a small bowl and set it aside.¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, ¼ cup fine, plain breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil, Pinch ground black pepper
- Mix the bulk Italian sausage, shredded mozzarella and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl until well-combined.1 pound Italian sausage,, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes,
- Stuff the hot peppers with the sausage mixture, using your hands or a small spoon. The stuffing does not need to be mounded high and the peppers do not need to be overfilled.
- Once all the peppers are stuffed, sprinkle the tops of each pepper with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Then, transfer them to the parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Use two baking sheets if necessary.
- Once on the sheet pan, lightly drizzle each pepper with olive oil.
- Transfer the peppers to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. If you’re not sure whether the sausage filling is cooked through, use a stem thermometer to check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- You can enjoy the peppers as is or, optionally, finish them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes with a bit more breadcrumbs and cheeses (mozzarella and pecorino) sprinkled over them. Be careful and stay close as to not burn the peppers!
- Transfer the finished stuffed hot peppers to a serving platter and serve alone or with some heated marinara sauce or pesto for dipping. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- If you can’t find long hot peppers, this recipe works great with jalapeño peppers or any other sweet or hot, short, thin peppers.
- Use any sausage you prefer: hot or sweet, pork, chicken or turkey. You can also use your favorite meatball mixture in this recipe and it will be excellent.
- It’s always best to shred the mozzarella yourself to avoid the anti-caking agents that are added to pre-shredded cheeses. I always buy whole milk block mozzarella and then shred it myself on a box grater.
- Always be careful when handling hot peppers. You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. They are not super, super hot, but just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.
- For a vegetarian (oreganata) and more simple version of this dish that is also very delicious, just sprinkle the prepped peppers with a mixture of breadcrumbs, mozzarella, pecorino and black pepper and bake. They won’t need as much time in the oven as the sausage stuffed peppers.
- To store leftovers (if you have any!), refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. The peppers do not need to be completely thawed before reheating.
Oh boy they look so good!!