Description
This classic stuffed peppers recipe features bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings, topped with melted mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection. It’s a hearty and comforting dish perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice
- ¾ cups uncooked brown rice (or white rice, 1 ½ cups cooked)
Peppers
- 6 bell peppers (any color)
Filling
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce (¾ cup)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese, 4 ounces, divided)
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Cook rice according to package instructions or your preferred method until tender. Set aside and let it cool slightly.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the peppers.
- Prepare the peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and carefully remove seeds and membranes to create hollow shells for stuffing.
- Sauté onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Cook the meat: Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet. Brown and crumble the meat until fully cooked. Drain excess grease. Add minced garlic and cook while stirring for 30 seconds to release flavor.
- Add seasoning and simmer: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
- Combine filling: Remove skillet from heat and mix in the cooked rice and half of the shredded cheese to the meat mixture until well combined.
- Assemble peppers: Pour ½ cup water into a baking dish. Stuff each bell pepper with the meat and rice mixture. Place stuffed peppers upright in the dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tops.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, and the filling is heated through.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for ground beef to reduce fat content.
- Use any color bell peppers according to your preference or availability.
- To make it vegetarian, replace meat with cooked lentils or chopped mushrooms.
- Allow stuffed peppers to rest for a few minutes after baking for easier serving.
- If you prefer softer peppers, you can parboil them before stuffing and baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: stuffed peppers, baked stuffed peppers, ground beef stuffed peppers, healthy stuffed peppers, dinner recipe
