Whether you have leftover rice to use or you’re in the mood for comfort food, this stuffed peppers recipe is just what you need. Fresh, flavorful, and cheesy, this stuffed bell peppers recipe is beyond easy to make and endlessly customizable. It’s also so fun to eat with the bell pepper holding together all the filling, like a small bowl. All you need are a few simple ingredients, and you’ll have this meal ready in no time.
What’s even better about this stuffed bell pepper recipe is that it reheats and freezes wonderfully. Make extra to freeze for later for an easy weeknight dinner down the line. Need another easy weeknight meal? Try my turkey meatloaf recipe, chicken Francese recipe, or baked ziti recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Bell peppers — you can use any colored bell peppers you like for your stuffed peppers. The red ones are the sweetest, whereas the green ones are the least sweet. Feel free to pick your favorite. Pick out peppers with the flattest bottoms, so they stand up better.
Ground beef — I use lean ground beef. If you use fattier ground beef, you will need to drain the beef of its fat after browning it and before adding the other ingredients to the meat.
Tomatoes — this recipe uses both diced canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. They add both flavor and moisture to the stuffing. For a smokier flavor, you can use diced fire-roasted tomatoes.
Rice — you can use brown rice or white rice for the beef filling. Make sure to cook the rice in advance. This recipe is a great way to use leftover rice as well. Wild rice is a great alternative, too.
Mozzarella cheese — I recommend shredding your own cheese as it melts nicer. However, in a pinch, pre-shredded mozzarella is fine.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
1. Cut the tops off peppers and remove seeds and ribs from the inside. Stand the peppers up inside a large casserole dish.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until tender and browning around the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up any chunks with the back of a spoon while cooking. Stir in the diced tomatoes.
4. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooked rice, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Fold in 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
5. Spoon the filling into the peppers
6. Sprinkle the filling with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese begins to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- I like long-grain rice for the stuffed peppers since they hold up well as they cook. However, you can use short-grain rice as well.
- I like to use a medium to large pepper for this recipe. Because bell peppers can vary so much in size, if the ones you find are too large for the amount of filling, just trim off the tops of the peppers to decrease their capacity.
- You can also substitute ground turkey for ground beef.
- Instead of mozzarella cheese, you can try using pepper jack cheese or sharp cheddar cheese.
- Careful not to overbake the peppers as it’ll cause them to become soggy. Also, make sure there isn’t excessive liquid going into the peppers. If your ground beef is fatty, drain it first.
- Make sure you wash and pat dry the bell peppers before stuffing them.
- Feel free to add other vegetables you have in the fridge to the filling. Try mushrooms, corn, or peas. Legumes such as beans or chickpeas are a great filling addition as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you cover the peppers when baking?
There’s no need to cover the stuffed peppers with tinfoil before baking them. However, if the cheese is browning too quickly, you can cover the tops of the peppers.
Should I boil my bell peppers before stuffing them?
I do not boil the bell peppers before I stuff them as it helps the peppers hold their shape and texture better after being baked. If you do not want the bell peppers to be crispy, you can blanch the bell pepper for a minute or two.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate stuffed peppers in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. You can reheat the leftovers in the oven or microwave.
Can I freeze this recipe?
You can freeze the peppers for up to 2 months. You can freeze the stuffed bell peppers before baking them. When ready to enjoy, you can thaw them and bake them as directed. If baked, allow the peppers to cool, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and freeze.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this homemade Stuffed Peppers recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- Skillet
- Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers medium to large (any color)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ¼ pounds lean ground beef (563g)
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained (14.5-ounce/411g)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8-ounce/227g)
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice (300g)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus more to garnish
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided (170g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the tops off peppers and remove seeds and ribs from the inside. Stand the peppers up inside a large casserole dish.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browning around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up any chunks with the back of a spoon while cooking. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked rice, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Fold in 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spoon the filling into the peppers Sprinkle the filling with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is starting to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- I like long-grain rice for the stuffed peppers as they hold up well as they cook. However, you can use short-grain rice as well.
- I like to use a medium to large pepper for this recipe. Because bell peppers can vary so much in size, if the ones you find are too large for the amount of filling, just trim off the tops of the peppers to decrease their capacity.
- You can also substitute ground turkey for ground beef.
- Instead of mozzarella cheese, you can try using pepper jack cheese or sharp cheddar cheese.
- Careful not to overbake the peppers as it’ll cause them to become soggy. Also, make sure there isn’t excessive liquid going into the peppers. If your ground beef is fatty, drain it first.
- Make sure you wash and pat dry the bell peppers before stuffing them.
- Feel free to add other vegetables you have in the fridge to the filling. Try mushrooms, corn, or peas. Legumes such as beans or chickpeas are a great filling addition as well.
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