Description
This is the quintessential stuffed bell peppers recipe I grew up on, with bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, rice, and melty cheese, always a hit! They bring back so many memories.
Ingredients
4–6 bell peppers use any color – green, yellow, red, orange
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 shredded cheese cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend – I LOVE pepperjack for myself
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked rice white, brown, or wild rice
For garnish: fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a pot of water (enough to cover the bell peppers) to a boil.
2. 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 will stand upright. (NOTE: Chop the extra bell pepper tops to cook later with the onion – discard the stem.)
3. Blanch the bell peppers for 5 minutes to slightly soften. (Alternatively, you can roast the peppers for 20 minutes to soften.)
4. Set the softened peppers into a lightly oiled baking dish.
5. Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the onions, chopped pepper tops, and jalapeno (if using). Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
6. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
7. Add the ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking apart as you go, until cooked through.
8. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, seasonings, and cooked rice. Stir together and remove from heat.
9. Stir in half of the shredded cheese until incorporated.
10. Stuff each pepper with the meat filling mixture, then top each with the remaining shredded cheese.
11. Roast the stuffed peppers for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to your preference, and the cheese is nice and bubbly.
12. Cool slightly, garnish, and serve.
Notes
You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, or tofu.
For softer peppers, increase the roasting time slightly until they reach your preferred tenderness.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
Keywords: stuffed bell peppers recipe, classic stuffed peppers, ground beef stuffed peppers, easy stuffed peppers