Description
This Classic Stuffed Peppers recipe features colorful bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, aromatic spices, roasted tomatoes, and cheese. Baked to perfection for a comforting and flavorful meal, it’s customizable with different proteins and cheeses, making it suitable for various tastes. Garnished with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, this dish is perfect for a hearty family dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 4-6 bell peppers (any color - green, yellow, red, orange)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional, for spicy)
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- Chopped tops of bell peppers (from cutting off the tops)
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Red pepper flakes (for garnish)
Meat & Dairy
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or similar)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend; pepperjack recommended)
Pantry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 14.5 ounces canned fire roasted tomatoes (or diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
- 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)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare water: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a pot of water to a boil, enough to cover the bell peppers for blanching.
- Prepare the bell peppers: Wash the bell peppers thoroughly. Cut off the tops and scoop out the seeds and membranes. If needed, slice a small piece off the bottom so the peppers stand upright. Chop the removed tops for later use.
- Blanch the peppers: Carefully place the peppers in the boiling water and blanch them for 5 minutes to soften slightly (alternatively, roast them for 20 minutes until soft).
- Set peppers in baking dish: Remove the peppers from water and set them upright in a lightly oiled baking dish to prepare for filling.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper tops, and jalapeno pepper if using. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Cook the ground beef: Add ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook for 5-6 minutes until fully browned and cooked through.
- Combine filling ingredients: Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes, paprika, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and cooked rice. Mix well to combine and then remove from heat.
- Add cheese to filling: Stir in half of the shredded cheese into the meat mixture until incorporated evenly.
- Stuff the peppers: Spoon the filling mixture generously into each blanched pepper. Top each pepper with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the stuffed peppers: Place the baking dish in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until the peppers are tender to your liking and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve: Allow the stuffed peppers to cool slightly before garnishing with fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Bells peppers vary in size; you may need more peppers depending on filling quantity or save leftover filling for another meal.
- Leftover filling freezes well for future use.
- Optional jalapeno adds heat; omit for milder flavor.
- You can substitute ground beef with other ground meats, sausage, tofu, or plant-based alternatives.
- Cheese choice is flexible: cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack, or blends work wonderfully.
- Blanching softens peppers quickly, but roasting peppers before stuffing gives a deeper flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
