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 seasonings and 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.
Preheat the oven, cook the rice, and prepare the bell peppers: Start by preheating your oven, then spray two large baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the rice or use leftover rice from a previous recipe. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare the bell peppers for blanching.
Make the meat sauce: Make your own homemade spaghetti sauce (instructions in the recipe card below), or buy your favorite store-bought version. Both options result in delicious stuffed peppers.
Blanch the bell peppers: This is a step I highly recommend. It starts softening the bell peppers before stuffing and cooking, resulting in a softer, less crisp (raw) bell pepper.
Stuff the bell peppers: After the sauce has finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in the cooked rice, shredded mozzarella cheese, and shredded parmesan cheese. Season to taste. Use a spoon to stuff each bell pepper with filling, then top each with the remaining shredded cheese,
Bake the stuffed bell peppers: Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.