Stuffed Bell Peppers
Colorful bell peppers filled with a savory mix of seasoned ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and melted cheese.
Details
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers (mixed colors)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the tops off bell peppers and remove seeds. Stand upright in a baking dish.
- 2
Brown ground beef with onion for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning, cook 30 seconds.
- 3
Stir in diced tomatoes, cooked rice, half the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes.
- 4
Fill each pepper with the beef mixture. Pour remaining tomato sauce around the base of the peppers.
- 5
Cover with foil. Bake 25 minutes.
- 6
Remove foil. Top each pepper with shredded mozzarella. Bake 10 more minutes until cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender.
- 7
Garnish with fresh parsley.
About This Recipe
A vibrant testament to comfort food ingenuity, stuffed bell peppers are a beloved staple in American kitchens, though their lineage traces back to a global tradition of filling vegetables with savory mixtures. This particular iteration, featuring a hearty blend of seasoned ground beef, tender rice, and bright tomatoes nestled within a vibrant bell pepper shell, topped with a generous blanket of melted mozzarella, transforms humble ingredients into a complete and satisfying meal. What makes this dish truly special is the delightful interplay of textures and flavors: the gentle resistance of the baked pepper giving way to a rich, aromatic filling, all crowned with gooey, golden cheese. The key technique involves pre-cooking the filling to ensure deep flavor development and even cooking within the pepper, allowing the ingredients to meld beautifully. Opt for a mix of bell pepper colors not just for visual appeal, but for their subtly varying sweetness. While ground beef and rice are classic, don't hesitate to experiment with ground turkey, lentils, or even quinoa for the filling. Serve these comforting parcels with a crisp green salad and a slice of crusty bread to sop up any delicious juices.
Tips & Tricks
- • For perfectly tender-crisp peppers, blanch the hollowed bell pepper halves in boiling water for 3-5 minutes before filling. This softens them slightly, ensuring they are cooked through without becoming overly mushy in the oven.
- • To lighten the dish or make it vegetarian, substitute the ground beef with a mixture of cooked lentils, sautéed mushrooms, and chopped walnuts, adjusting seasonings as needed for an equally satisfying plant-based alternative.
- • Stuffed peppers can be assembled a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Before baking, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed, potentially adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
- • Elevate the meal by serving the stuffed peppers with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of fresh dill, alongside a simple side of roasted asparagus or a light cucumber salad for balance.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (approximate)