Stuffed Italian Sausage
Published April 30, 2022 • Updated March 8, 2026
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For nights when dinner needs to happen fast, this stuffed Italian sausage is my go-to. Mozzarella cheese sticks stuffed inside, baked in marinara, three ingredients total. It's a low-carb fix using what's probably already in your fridge.
I keep a running list of recipes I can make without thinking. No measuring, no recipe card, just muscle memory. This is on that list, right next to my pizza bowl and crustless pizza. Three ingredients, one baking dish, done.
Here’s why I always keep these ingredients on hand: sausage stays good in the fridge for a solid week, mozzarella cheese sticks are the ones my kids snack on anyway (the string cheese kind, not the fried ones), and a jar of marinara sits in the pantry until I need it. On nights where I have zero plans for dinner, I pull all three out and the whole thing is assembled in under five minutes of actual work.
One thing I changed after making this dozens of times: use a full cup of marinara, not just half. At 400 degrees the sauce reduces fast, and with only half a cup the sausages come out drier than I want. A full cup with most of it poured over the top keeps everything saucy and prevents the cheese from scorching on the edges.
Once the cheese melts into the sauce and the casings get that light golden sear, you’ve got a keto dinner that looks like it took real effort. I serve mine with keto spaghetti when I want a full Italian night, or just a salad on busier evenings. Reader Marvell from the comments makes this once a week minimum. Andrew makes it twice a week. That’s the kind of recipe this is: not a novelty, just a rotation staple.
After four batches with mozzarella, I finally tried pepper jack cheese sticks instead. It took me too long to figure that out. The heat from the pepper jack plays off the marinara in a way plain mozzarella doesn’t. If you like the Italian comfort food approach, my keto skillet lasagna scratches the same itch with a different setup.
How to make stuffed Italian sausages
- Cut a slit down each sausage lengthwise. Go about halfway through the thickness so it opens like a hot dog bun but stays connected at the bottom.
- Stuff a mozzarella cheese stick into each slit. It should sit snug with the sausage wrapping around it.
- Lay the sausages in a baking dish, pour marinara over and around them, and cover with foil.
- Bake covered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Key ingredients
- Italian sausages – Get the ones with casings. The casing holds everything together while the cheese melts inside. I use mild or hot (they cook the same), but I skip the sweet variety because it runs higher in sugar, which matters on keto. Bratwurst works here too.
- Mozzarella cheese sticks – The string cheese from the snack aisle. They’re the right length and width to sit inside the slit without any trimming. I’ve tested pepper jack, colby, and cheddar sticks too. Pepper jack is my favorite swap.
- Marinara sauce – Look for one with no added sugar and low net carbs. If you can’t find a good option, plain tomato sauce with dried Italian seasoning and garlic powder gets the job done.
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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.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How deep do you cut the slit in the sausage?
I go about halfway through the thickness. You want the sausage to open wide like a hot dog bun, but the bottom needs to stay connected. If I cut too deep, the cheese leaks out during baking and I lose that gooey center when I cut into it.
Do you remove the foil at the end to brown the sausage?
I leave the foil on for the full 40 minutes. The sausage picks up enough color from the sauce, and pulling the foil off early dries everything out. If you really want more browning on top, take the foil off for the last 5 minutes, but I've never felt like mine needed it.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
I haven't fully dialed this in, but it works at about 3 hours on low. The cheese melts more completely than in the oven, so the stuffing won't hold its shape as neatly. I'd use a full cup of sauce since slow cookers don't reduce liquid the way an oven does.
Are the sausages raw or pre-cooked going in?
I use raw sausage with casings. The 40 minutes at 400 degrees cooks them through completely. You can use pre-cooked if that's what you have on hand. Just cut the bake time to about 25 minutes since they only need to heat through and melt the cheese.
Does hot sausage change the cook time?
No. Hot and mild cook the same way and take the same 40 minutes. The only difference is heat level. I skip the sweet variety because it runs higher in sugar, and that matters when I'm keeping my carbs low.
What marinara sauce do you use?
I look for anything with 4g net carbs or less per serving and no added sugar on the ingredient list. My go-to changes depending on what's on sale, but I always read the label first. If I can't find a good jarred option, I use plain tomato sauce with some dried Italian seasoning and garlic.
How do I reheat leftovers without drying them out?
I add a splash of extra marinara to the container before microwaving for about 90 seconds. The sauce keeps the sausage moist and the cheese re-melts properly. Without that extra sauce, my leftovers get rubbery and the cheese turns tough.
Can I use hot dogs instead of sausage?
I've done it. Skip the marinara and use a cheddar cheese stick instead of mozzarella. My kids actually prefer this version as an after-school snack. The flavor works better without the tomato sauce.
First time making these tonight, fingers crossed. Quick question on the slit: how deep do you actually cut? I keep picturing a hot dog bun situation, like it opens but stays connected, not sure if that's right though. Does sweet vs hot even change the cook time? I grabbed the hot links because that's what they had, but now I'm second-guessing if that's weird with the marinara. And the foil: do you pull it off at the end to let it brown, or leave it on the whole 40 minutes?
Hot dog bun is right. I cut halfway through and stop. Go deeper and the cheese leaks out before it even melts.
Hot links take the same 40 minutes. Fine with marinara too. Sweet sausage is the one I'd skip, it runs higher in sugar.
Foil stays on the whole time. Pulling it off dries everything out.
There's this part of going keto nobody warns you about, which is grieving the meals that feel gone for good. Italian sausage stuffed with a mozzarella stick and baked in marinara sounds almost embarrassingly simple but when I pulled it out of the oven I just stood there for a second. It smelled like an Italian restaurant and tasted like one too. Sunday dinners feel like Sunday dinners again.
That grieving thing is real and nobody talks about it. Three ingredients, smells like a restaurant kitchen. I make this on Sundays too.
The mozzarella pull when you cut into these is a real moment. Half a cup of marinara goes fast at 400 degrees, and the sausage ends up drier than you'd want. Going with a full cup next time, most of it over the top.
The half cup disappears fast at 400. Full cup over the top keeps the sausage from drying out.
Batch four and I finally tried pepper jack instead of the mozzarella stick and now I'm upset it took me this long.
Four batches to finally get there. Pepper jack with the marinara actually makes more sense, there's heat involved now. Have to try that.
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
Once a week, that's high rotation. The salad and ranch pairing makes sense, keeps it simple. I usually do roasted broccoli but I like your setup.
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!
Avocado fries are the better call here. Something crispy next to all that melty cheese makes sense.
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.
Ha, 'you're making that, right' before it even bakes. The mozzarella pull is going to get him.
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!