In this easy Stuffed Peppers Recipe, sweet bell peppers are loaded with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, rice, and shredded cheese and baked until perfectly tender and melted. Learn how to make stuffed peppers and make this hearty veggie-filled meal part of your regular dinner rotation.
The Best Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorite all-in-one recipes. They’re easy to make and just about everyone loves them, which makes them ideal for entertaining. Easily modified to fit a variety of diets and flavors, this stuffed bell pepper recipe is a perfect base recipe to get you started. Make it once and from there you’ll have the confidence to play around with different flavors, fillings, or use different bell pepper colors – green bell peppers are quite popular, but less sweet when compared to orange, yellow, or red bell peppers.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Preheat oven, cook rice, prepare bell peppers
- Preheat oven to 375°F and spray two large baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook rice according to package instructions or use leftover rice from a previous recipe. You will need approximately 2-3 cups of cooked rice.
- Trim approximately 1/4-inch from the tops of each bell pepper then remove the stems, ribs, and seeds. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. As the water comes to a boil, prepare your meat sauce.
Step 2. Make your sauce
Make your own homemade spaghetti sauce, or buy your favorite store-bought version. Both options result in delicious stuffed peppers.
- Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepot set over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to season. Transfer beef to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and return to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, water, and return the cooked ground beef back to the pot. Mix and bring sauce to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow the sauce to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Step 3. Blanch your bell peppers
This is a step I highly recommend. It starts softening the bell peppers before stuffing and cooking which ultimately results in,
- shorter overall cooking time in the oven.
- a softer, less crispy bell pepper.
*If you skip this step* Add approximately 1 cup of water to each baking pan, tent with foil when cooking and add an additional 10-15 minutes to the total bake time.
- As the sauce simmers, add the prepared bell peppers to the pot filled with boiling water. Allow peppers to cook for 2-3 minutes maximum. Using kitchen tongs, immediately transfer blanched peppers to an ice water bath to stop any additional cooking. Repeat until all bell peppers have been blanched.
- Transfer your blanched peppers to your prepared baking pans (6 peppers fit comfortably in one pan, so plan to for two baking pans or cook your peppers in batches.
Step 4. Stuff the Bell Peppers
- After the sauce has simmered for approximately 20 minutes, remove from heat and add the cooked rice, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Mix and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stuff each pepper with filling, top with a few leaves of fresh oregano (optional) and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat until all peppers have been stuffed.
Step 5. Cook your stuffed bell peppers
How Long to Cook Stuffed Peppers
In this recipe, you’ll want to bake your peppers at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden, melted, and bubbly. Since the bell peppers were blanched before being stuffed they will require a shorter cooking time when compared to skipping this step.
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
The beauty of stuffed bell peppers is that they are an easy, delicious, and compact meal that doesn’t require a ton of sides – unless you want them. Already filled with protein, vegetables, dairy, and rice (make it whole grain by swapping white rice for brown rice) it’s a balanced, wholesome meal in one.
If you’re looking for a few side ideas, these stuffed peppers will go with any of the following:
- Vegetables including Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, or Oven Roasted Green Beans.
- Salads like this Easy Fruit Salad or this Balsamic Tomato Basil Salad.
- A cocktail…or two. I am especially fond of the Gin and Tonic.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Peppers?
Yes.
Stuffed bell peppers are incredibly easy to freeze. Stuff and bake them as instructed then allow them to cool before transferring them individually, or all together, to a baking dish cut-side-up. Cover and transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen allow your stuffed peppers to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave or oven. For best results, when reheating in the microwave, cut 2-3 slits in your peppers to help ensure that they warm evenly, otherwise you’ll end up with a cold center. To reheat in the oven, place the peppers in a baking dish cut-side-up at 350 degrees F for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Can I use Brown Rice?
Yes, of course. Brown rice is a fantastic substitute for white rice (plus it’s a whole grain!) Other possible substitutes for the white rice include lentils, quinoa, freekeh, or couscous.
Can I use Ground Turkey in Place of Ground Beef?
Yes. Ground turkey is a healthy and delicious option if you’re not a fan of eating ground beef.
Can I Cook This in the Slow Cooker?
Yes. To cook stuffed peppers in the crockpot skip blanching the bell peppers first. They will be spending an extended amount of time in the slow cooker so they will have enough time to soften as they cook.
Simply fill your peppers with your prepared filling, transfer cut-side-up to your crockpot, and cook on low heat for approximately 4 hours. Add the cheese during the last 15 minutes or so.
More Ground Beef Recipes,
- 20-Minute Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
- Best Spaghetti Sauce Recipe; How to Make Spaghetti Sauce
- The Best Chili Recipe
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe; How to Make Meatloaf
If you try making this Stuffed Peppers Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (1)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 8-12 bell peppers
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- Fresh oregano (to garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven - Preheat oven to 375°F and spray two large baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Boil water - Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. As the water comes to a boil, prepare your sauce.
- Brown the ground beef - Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepot set over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to season. Transfer beef to a clean plate and set aside.
- Cook the onions and garlic - Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and return to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent, stirring often. Stir in the minced garlic. Cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and seasoning - Add the tomato paste to the vegetables, mixing thoroughly until combined. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add tomatoes - Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, water, and return the cooked ground beef back to the pot. Mix well to combine. Bring sauce to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow the sauce to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
- Blanch your bell peppers - Working in batches, add the stemmed and seeded bell peppers to the pot filled with boiling water. Allow peppers to cook for 2 minutes max. Use tongs and immediately transfer to an ice water bath to stop any additional cooking. Repeat until all bell peppers have been boiled.
- Transfer peppers to prepared baking pans - Transfer your blanched peppers to your prepared baking pans (6 peppers fit comfortably in one pan, so plan to for two baking pans or cook your peppers in batches.
- Combine sauce with rice and cheese - After the sauce has simmered for approximately 20 minutes, remove from heat and add the cooked rice, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Mix well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Fill the peppers - Stuff each pepper with filling, top with a few leaves of fresh oregano (optional) and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat until all peppers have been stuffed.
- Bake - Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is golden and melted. Remove from the oven and enjoy.
Jessica's Notes
- This recipe is terrific with ground beef or ground pork, lamb, chicken or turkey.
- Thin sauce by adding additional water, chicken stock, or even salted pasta water. To thicken sauce stir in more tomato paste 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Can I Cook This in the Slow Cooker? Yes. Skip the blanching step and fill your peppers with your prepared filling. Transfer cut-side-up to your crockpot, and cook on low heat for approximately 4 hours. Add the cheese during the last 15 minutes or so.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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