Breakfast Bell Peppers

Overstuffed bell peppers with cheddar cheese, eggs, sausage, bacon and caramelized onions. This recipe is an easy, low carb/keto friendly breakfast that’s made with only 8 ingredients and minimal prep!

Inspired by the breakfast peppers from Elaine’s in Cape May, New Jersey, I made these beauties for Christmas morning breakfast and we can’t stop thinking about them. Super hearty and well-balanced, this breakfast can be made to eat right away, a day in advance, or can be frozen for a week.

With so many dietary preferences and needs, cooking for a crowd can be a daunting task. You want to make sure that your guests get off to the right start, so breakfast needs to be a pleaser to all.

At the same time, you don’t want the headache of spending hours catering to everyone because, you know, we got things to do, people to see…especially over the holidays. And the time spent together is precious, so let’s maximize that time with these breakfast bell peppers that are guaranteed to have you and your guests starting your day on the right foot!

Let’s get this party started! Here’s what we will be working with:

• bell peppers– Any color. My favorite are the red ones because they are the sweetest, followed by yellow and orange and then finally the green peppers in terms of sweetness. Whichever you use is entirely up to you and your own personal tastes.
• sweet Italian sausage- any crumbled breakfast sausage will work great. If you want more heat, spicy Italian sausage or chorizo would be amazing!
• bacon crumbles– I’m all about the ease so when it comes to adding in bacon, my go-to is always Kirkland Bacon Crumbles. You can absolutely use regular bacon for this recipe!! If you do, I highly, highly recommend ButcherBox bacon.
• red onion- I’ve included carmelized red onion in this recipe because it gives this recipe an extra punch of flavor. It also pairs wonderfully with the sausage. That being said, you don’t have to include it in your recipe, but I would suggest adding in onion and garlic powder if not using.
• cheddar cheese- cheddar cheese + bacon = dream team. Am I wrong? If you have another cheese you would like to use – do it! Just make sure it is shredded.
• eggs- we will be whisking 4 eggs with 1 tablespoon milk to pour over the sausage mixture. One option is to lightly scramble the eggs before adding into the mix. You could also choose to add an egg to the top before cooking for a “fried” egg option or not use eggs at all.

This recipe is very forgiving and easy to sub out one thing for another where needed which is in part why I am so in love with it!

How to make breakfast bell peppers

Pepper Prep: Start out by prepping your bell peppers: I used a whole bell pepper and cut off the stem and then cut out the inner white membrane and seeds. Arrange on a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush olive oil all over outside of each pepper. Preheat oven to 420 degrees. You will want to pre-roast peppers before stuffing them. Place in oven, cavity side down for 10 minutes.

Filling Prep: In a skillet, first add bacon bits or 4 slices chopped bacon and cook about 2-3 minutes over medium heat, begin adding in the onion, stirring frequently until onion is softened. Once softened, add the sausage meat and cook until no longer pink. In a medium sized bowl with a pouring spout or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and 1 tablespoon milk.

The grand finale: Place a spoonful of cheddar cheese on the bottom of each pre-roasted pepper. Spoon the sausage mixture evenly into the open bell peppers. Once every pepper has been filled, carefully pour the eggs over the top of the sausage and then top with the remaining cheese. Place peppers back into oven and cook at 420 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the egg filling has set and the cheese is melted.

Tips and tricks for breakfast bell peppers

How long will these keep?

Kept stored in an airtight container you can keep these stored in the fridge for up to four days. These peppers are great to make in advance and easy to heat-up.

Can I freeze these?

Absolutely! You will want to let these cool completely before wrapping well in foil. Then just place them in the freezer and store for up to 4 months. These make a great make-and-take option breakfast for on-the-go!

Is there a difference between different bell pepper colors?

Actually, there is! While all bell peppers grow from the same plant the main difference is that red peppers are ripened the longest on the vine and green the least. Once a bell pepper is picked, it really doesn’t ripen any more. Therefore, red bell peppers are the sweetest, followed by yellow and orange and then finally the green peppers. Whichever you use is entirely up to you and your own personal tastes and preference. They are all fabulous to me!

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to #thetastefultribe on instagram @thetastefultribe if you try these Breakfast Bell Peppers! We love seeing your version of the recipe! You can also post your pictures to my facebook page!