Stuffed peppers is a classic and fancy dish which is typically made of stuffed bell peppers with rice and ground beef. It seems like there is a lot of work involved in preparing this dish, but really I find that this is an easy dinner idea for any night of the week and also a family-friendly one-dish meal that even your kids will enjoy.
These stuffed peppers are a great meal all on its own and a great healthy lunch or dinner. You can also serve this stuffed bell peppers dish with a side salad, another vegetable side dish, or with just a dollop of sour cream on top for that extra creamy comfort food taste.
Can I use other meat instead of beef?
Yes, you can use ground chicken, turkey or whatever other ground meat you prefer. I would recommend sticking to a leaner meat as you do not want to end up with greasy stuffed peppers.
Do you have to boil the peppers before stuffing them?
Yes, you should pre-cook the peppers before stuffing them. Otherwise they will be quite hard/crunchy still after you stuff and bake them.
What rice should I use for stuffed peppers?
I love using basmati rice as that is our family favorite type of rice and it’s what we usually have on hand. However white rice, jasmine, or even brown rice can be used in this recipe. If you are not a fan of rice try adding equal amount of cooked quinoa to this recipe as it is amazingly delicious.
How can I make this Keto Friendly?
To make the stuffed peppers Keto friendly you can use cauliflower rice instead of actual rice. It still tastes amazingly delicious and flavourful.
What is the best type of cheese to use on top of the stuffed peppers?
You can use any cheese you prefer. The best type of cheese is one that melts well like mozzarella, Monterey jack, or Havarti just to name a few.
How long do you bake the peppers?
I love having stuffed peppers on a weekday and hate how long it takes to parboil my peppers in boiling water. In order to simplify things, I now pre-bake my peppers in the oven while my stuffing is cooking.
I like to use a baking dish that fits all my washed and cleaned out peppers nice and snug and bake them in the same baking dish once stuffed. This makes less mess and an easier cleanup.
How to freeze stuffed peppers?
You can freeze stuffed peppers by placing them in a freezer safe and air tight container once completely cooled. If you are planning on eating one or two pepper at a time, then I would recommend that you wrap them individually in saran wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. This will prevent the peppers from freezing to each other. The stuffed peppers can last in the freezer for 3-4 months.
How long can stuffed peppers last in the fridge?
If you have leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container (once cooled) and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers
Bell peppers stuffed with flavorful meat and topped with cheese
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 250 g sliced white mushrooms or 1 (284 ml ) can of sliced mushrooms
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 6-10 bell peppers (any colour)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
- Cook rice according to the package if you do not have already
pre-cooked rice on hand. - Wash peppers and cut ¼ inch from tops of all the peppers. Remove stems, ribs and all the seeds.
- Fill a baking dish with ½ inch of water and place peppers upside
down in the water, tent with foil and bake for 20 minutes - While peppers are in the oven, take a non-stick large pan and heat
oil over medium high heat and sauté the onions for 2 minutes. Then add the meat. - Brown the meat and drain out any extra grease.
- Add all your seasonings, garlic, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce,
and mushrooms along with the cooked rice and stir well to combine all ingredients. - Add salt and pepper to taste
- Remove the peppers from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F.
- Turn the peppers upright and fill with meat filling and top with
shredded cheese - Cook uncovered for 30 minutes
2 thoughts on “Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers”