Venison Merguez Stuffed Banana Peppers
- Venison Merguez Stuffed Banana Peppers - July 15, 2026
This is the perfect recipe to whip out to use up some of that ground venison that’s taking up space in your freezer! This dish is a North African take on a simple yet hearty favorite: the stuffed pepper. It makes for an easy but interesting weeknight meal.
These bold, warm flavors of a traditional Moroccan Merguez sausage are sure to entice even the most ardent “gaminess” detractors of your crew. Familiar sausage notes such as fennel, paprika and garlic play beautifully with more exotic spices found in middle eastern cuisine such as harrisa, coriander and cumin. This sausage is similar to a chorizo with a lighter, mediterranean feel, typical of the region.
While the banana peppers help highlight the unique flavor notes of the Merguez, this sausage recipe would make a great filling for grilled or roasted bell peppers, and even eggplant or squash.
Note: Harissa paste can be found canned, jarred, or in tubes in most grocery stores with an international aisle, although a recipe to make your own can be found below. Balsamic reduction or store-bought balsamic glaze can be used as a substitute if you are unable to find pomegranate molasses.
Serves: 4
Time to make: 60 minutes
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Venison Merguez Stuffed Banana Peppers
4
servings30
minutes30
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- For the Merguez
2 lbs Ground Venison (70% lean : 30% fat)
1 tsp Cumin Seed
1 tsp Coriander Seed
1 tsp Fennel Seed
½ tsp Black Peppercorn
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp Ground Allspice
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Salt
5 each Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Harissa Paste
⅓ cup Light Beer (can also use white wine)
- For Assembly
5 each Fresh Banana Peppers (split in half, remove seeds/veins)
½ cups Manchego Cheese (can also use Pecorino or other aged sheep’s milk cheese)
¼ cup Chives
1 -2 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
- For the Harissa Paste
6 each Dried New Mexico Chiles
3 each Dried Chiles de Arbol
2 tsp Cumin Seed
1 tsp Coriander Seed
½ tsp Caraway Seed
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cider Vinegar
2 tsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
½ each Lemon (juice & zest)
Preparation
- For the Merguez
- In a skillet over medium heat toast the seeds/whole spices for 2-3 minutes until fragrant
- Grind whole seeds to a powder
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ground spices with the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly with your hands until the meat is lightly tacky (about 3 minutes)
- Fry a small piece of the sausage in a hot skillet to taste for seasoning, adjust as needed
- For the Harissa Paste
- Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 20 minutes
- In a medium skillet over medium heat toast cumin, coriander and caraway seeds for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, grind to a powder
- Once chilies have soaked peel off skins and add them to a food processor along with the ground seeds and remaining ingredients
- Blend until smooth scraping sides down about halfway through
- Can be stored in airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 weeks
- For Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375f
- Stuff the pepper halves with the merguez mixture and assemble them on a lightly oiled baking sheet
- Roast stuffed peppers for 20-25 minutes until meat looks/feels cooked through
- Increase heat to broil, broil for 2-3 minutes until the meat browns and the peppers are lightly charred
- Finely grate the cheese over top, drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and garnish with chives
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