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Stuffed Peppers: Easy, Flavor-Packed Dinner Recipe

Stuffed Peppers: Easy, Flavor-Packed Dinner Recipe

Tender bell peppers are filled with a savory ground-beef-and-rice mixture, baked until soft, and topped with melted cheese. This classic family dinner makes six generously filled peppers.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 6 peppers Medium bell peppers
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 pound Lean ground beef, preferably 85–90% lean
  • 1 small onion, about 1 cup Small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 14–15-ounce can Diced tomatoes, preferably drained
  • 1 8-ounce can Tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups Cooked long-grain white rice
Seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Topping
  • 1 cup Shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cut the tops from the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, and arrange the peppers upright in the baking dish.
  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for 3–4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary.
  5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked rice, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until hot and well combined.
  6. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it lightly. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
  7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Remove the foil, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for another 5–10 minutes until melted and lightly browned.
  8. Let the peppers rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley if desired and serve warm.

Notes

Cook the rice before adding it to the filling. For especially soft peppers, parboil them for 3–5 minutes before filling; baking them raw gives them more structure. Optional variations include a beaten egg stirred into the cooled filling, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chili powder, red-pepper flakes, ground turkey, pork, Italian sausage, quinoa, or brown rice.