I love to prepare stuffed veggies such as stuffed zucchini, stuffed cabbage and these fabulously delicious stuffed peppers. My family requests this recipe time and time again, it’s just that good. Stuffed bell peppers have been popular for many years for good reason – they’re totally delicious! My version features a hearty beef and rice mixture with plenty of melted cheese. Serve your stuffed peppers as-is, or add a side salad for a meal that your family will be sure to love.
Stuffed Bell Peppers Ingredients
Bell Peppers: You can choose any color bell peppers you like. Be sure to choose peppers with flat bottoms so they will stand up in the baking dish. Ground Beef: I use 90% lean ground beef as it has plenty of flavor without a lot of grease. If you use meat with a higher fat content you can drain any excess grease from the pan after it cooks. Rice: This recipe calls for cooked rice. Leftover rice will work just fine. I prefer the flavor and texture of long grain rice such as Jasmine or Basmati. Brown rice is a great option if you don’t want to use white rice. Onions: The onions add a lot of flavor to the beef and rice mixture. Finely dice them for the best results. Seasonings: Season everything up with salt, black pepper, garlic cloves and Italian seasoning. Tomato sauce adds moisture and flavor. A sprinkle of parsley over the baked peppers is the perfect finishing touch. Cheese: I use freshly grated mozzarella cheese in this recipe, but you can feel free to substitute your favorite cheese if you prefer.
How Do You Make Stuffed Bell Peppers?
Prepare the bell peppers by slicing off the tops and removing the seeds. No need to remove the stem! Bake the empty peppers to soften them up before you add the filling. While the peppers are cooking, brown your beef in a pan or large skillet and break it into crumbles. Add onion and garlic to the pan, and cook until the vegetables have softened. Next, place the rice, tomato sauce and seasonings in with the beef and stir to combine. When the meat mixture is ready, use a spoon to place it into the peppers. Add the cheese to the tops of the peppers and bake. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Stuffed Peppers
Look for bell peppers that are about the same size to make sure that each of the peppers takes the same amount of time to cook. If a pepper does not stand up on its own, cut a thin slice off of the bottom of the pepper to make the bottom level. Feel free to use different colored bell peppers. The cooking process is the same for each of the colors and the dish will be more vibrant. I recommend grating your own cheese. The bags of pre-shredded cheese at the grocery store typically contain anti caking agents and do not melt smoothly.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Variations
These meaty stuffed peppers are delicious as-is, but you can also customize them to suit your taste.
Meat: You can use Italian sausage, ground chicken or ground turkey instead of ground beef. Grains: Try quinoa or orzo instead of rice Veggies: These peppers are great with other vegetables added to the filling such as diced zucchini, olives or corn. Cheese: You can use a different cheese to top the peppers such as cheddar or Monterey Jack. Spices: Feel free to add other flavorings such as cumin, chili powder, or fresh cilantro for a pepper with more of a Mexican style flavor.
These stuffed bell peppers are a classic dish that remain popular because they are so delicious. Everyone will be asking for seconds when these stuffed peppers are on the dinner table!
