Description
Classic Stuffed Peppers featuring bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, roasted tomatoes, and melted cheese. This comforting and nostalgic dish is baked to perfection, delivering tender peppers with a flavorful, cheesy filling that’s perfect for a family meal or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 4-6 bell peppers (use any color – green, yellow, red, orange)
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef (450g – you can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or other similar)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped, optional for spicy)
- 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (canned – or use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
- 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or wild rice)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese & Garnish
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend – pepperjack recommended)
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Red pepper flakes (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Blanch Peppers: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a pot of water large enough to cover the bell peppers to a boil. Wash the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and scoop out the insides. If needed, slice a small part off the bottom of the peppers so they stand upright. Chop the extra bell pepper tops to cook later with the onion, discarding the stems. Blanch the peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften them slightly.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Remove the peppers from water and set them into a lightly oiled baking dish standing upright.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, chopped bell pepper tops, and jalapeno (if using). Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add Garlic: Add the chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart as it cooks. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until the beef is fully cooked and browned.
- Add Tomatoes and Season: Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes, paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine all flavors.
- Combine Rice & Cheese: Add the cooked rice and half of the shredded cheese to the meat mixture. Stir until the cheese is incorporated and the filling is well combined. Remove the pan from heat.
- Stuff Peppers: Spoon the meat and rice filling into each bell pepper until full. Top each stuffed pepper with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake: Roast the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to your liking and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the peppers from the oven, let cool slightly, then garnish with fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes before serving.
Notes
- This recipe is a classic take on stuffed bell peppers with a hearty and cheesy filling, making it a comforting and nostalgic family favorite.
- You can easily substitute the ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, or even tofu for different variations.
- Blanching the peppers before baking ensures they become tender without becoming mushy during cooking.
- Adjust the spices and cheese type according to your taste preference; pepperjack adds a nice spicy kick for those who like it hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 534 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 419 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 103 mg
