Stuffed Italian Sausage
Published April 30, 2022 • Updated February 3, 2026
A simple 3 ingredient dinner you can throw together in minutes
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For nights when you don't know what to make, this stuffed Italian sausage is a go-to that the whole family will love. Italian sausage is stuffed with a mozzarella cheese stick and baked in marinara. It's a simple low-carb fix using ingredients you probably already have on hand.
I love no-brainer recipes. The ones that you know the ingredients and recipe off the top of your head. This stuffed sausage recipe is one of those. Just like my pizza bowl or stuffed peppers, it’s one that I can easily whip together without any effort.
There are meals that my family loves where I like to keep these ingredients on hand, especially on nights when I need to get dinner on the table but don’t have anything planned. With this three ingredient stuffed sausage recipe, all you need is Italian sausage (which keeps in the refrigerator for a long time), mozzarella cheese sticks (ya know, the kind your kids eat – not the fried mozzarella sticks), and marinara sauce. All of that goes in a baking dish and in the oven.
Once your dinner bakes, you are left with gooey cheese stuffed sausages to serve alongside noodles or asparagus. Top with fresh parsley, fresh basil or a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
How to make stuffed Italian sausages
- Cut a vertical slit down each sausage. Only go to the middle and not all the way through.
- Stuff a mozzarella cheese stick into the slit of each sausage.
- Place stuffed sausages in a baking dish and pour in marinara sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake.
Key ingredients
- Italian sausages – You want the sausage with the casing on them because you want your sausages to hold together as they bake. You can use mild Italian sausages, hot Italian sausages or even Bratwurst. Although it will work in this recipe, I avoid sweet Italian sausages as they are higher in sugar.
- Mozzarella cheese sticks – Here we use the string cheese sticks that my kids like to have for a snack. They are the perfect length and size to be stuffed into a sausage, but you can use other flavors of cheese. Try pepper jack, colby or even cheddar cheese sticks in your cheese stuffed sausage.
- Marinara sauce – Grab your favorite pasta sauce. I like to find ones with less sugar in them or you can use tomato sauce if that is all you have.
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Ingredients
5 Italian sausage links -
5 mozzarella cheese sticks
-
1/2 cup marinara sauce, divided
-
dash Italian seasoning, optional
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Prep sausages
Using a knife, cut a vertical slit down the center of each sausage. Only go halfway through.
Get saucy
Pour 1/4 cup marinara sauce to the bottom of a square baking dish. Add stuffed sausages. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle on Italian seasoning if using.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
I loved how cheesy and flavorful these sausages turned out. The Italian seasoning added a nice touch. The leftovers reheated beautifully the next day. New favorite for busy evenings.
This was so easy to throw together on a busy weekday and everyone cleaned their plates. I used raw sausages and they cooked through just fine after the full baking time. Thank you Annie for all of your keto recipes.
Can I use spicy Italian sausage instead of regular for this recipe, or will it affect the cooking time or flavor too much with the marinara and mozzarella?
yes, spicy Italian sausage would be delicious paired with the marinara and mozzarella. It should be the same cooking time.
This is one of my favorite go to dinners. I cook it and serve it with salad and ranch (I’m from Texas) I make this once a week at least
I've been following you for little over a year now. This was a really great recipe! I make it about twice a week. It takes no time at all to make. I was thinking about pairing it with the avocado chips or avocado fries. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Can you make this in a crock pot?
I haven't tried that yet, but it would probably work. Maybe cook for 3 hours on low?
Thank you for this fun and inventive recipe! I cook with Italian sausage a lot, so I was looking for ways to switch it up. My son took one look at this dish, and said “You’re making that, right?” It’s in the oven now and I’m pretty excited.
I made this and it was delicious. I cook for one, so I only stuffed two sausage links. I added chunks of onion and red & green bell pepper, and I used my own secret recipe sauce! I served it with some Rotini pasta. It was as good as any restaurant! I'll definitely make this again.
I shared this with my daughter and her family loved it! But we were wondering are the sausages raw or pre-cooked? She used raw which seemed to work out for her. Thanks.
I used raw, but you can use pre-cooked. They won't take as long to cook if you do.
definitely start with a raw sausage!