Classic stuffed peppers with rice, ground beef, and a healthy rainbow of sweet red, yellow, and orange bell peppers make the best easy dinner idea any night of the week.
In This Post
Ever since I was a starry eyed pre-teen, I’ve been a fan of drawing rainbows. Now I eat them.
But as a kid, I wrinkled my nose at the sight those orbed vegetables, and when they showed up on my dinner plate, I plotted how to ditch every single bite in a napkin that was slipped slyly to the dog anxiously waiting under the table. I was a kid, and eating a whole bell pepper even if it was stuffed with ground beef was not my idea of dinner. Now, it’s my favorite part!
As an adult, eating the food you hated as a kid suddenly becomes not. that. bad. and sometimes really, really good. And I can’t stop! I just keep making more versions of this meal served in it’s own vessel like my Mexican Stuffed Peppers, Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers, Zuccnini, Quinoa and Turkey Stuffed Peppers and even Baked Eggs in Stuffed Peppers.
But the cornerstone of all peppers is this classic recipe for the best stuffed bell peppers with rice and ground beef.
The Best Type of Peppers for Stuffing
Today’s selection of peppers comes from a mix of grocery store varieties (red, yellow and orange) and ultra local farmer’s market (more yellows and purple) for a rainbow of sweetness begging to be stuffed.
If you prefer green peppers, for sure go for it and use them instead.
I went back to the memory of my mom’s recipe with ground beef and rice in a tomato based sauce, and embellished it with chunks of mushroom and fresh cut corn and a sprinkle of herbs and red pepper flakes.
What You Can Put In Stuffed Peppers
This is one of those throw what you have in the fridge type of recipes. Use my portions as guidelines but definitely put on your experimental hat when choosing ingredients:
- Red, yellow, orange or even green bell peppers
- Lean ground beef
- Mushrooms
- Cooked white rice (you can use brown rice, farro or quinoa, too)
- Tomato sauce
- Corn, celery and garlic
- Cheese, I added some grated fontina, but you could use Monterey jack or mozzarella or whatever’s on hand.
- If you prefer green bell peppers, certainly use them instead of or in addition to this bevy of colorful beauties.
Cut the tops off of the peppers to stuff the whole thing with beefy goodness. If you prefer smaller portions, cut the peppers in half and serve open faced.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers Stand Up
When I ate these as a kid, my mom served the peppers cut in half, laid on their backs. But I like stuffed peppers best when standing straight up, brimming to the top with filling.
Here are my tips to get stuffed peppers to stand up and not tip over:
- Use a baking dish that snugly fits the peppers. The peppers shrink as they cook, so pack them in tightly when raw, and they’ll soften and fall a bit with heat.
- Trim the bottom of the pepper. Give the peppers a flat surface to stand on by evening out their rollicking bottoms.
Cook the Meat Before Filling
When making stuffed peppers, a popular question is, “Do I have to cook the meat before stuffing the peppers?” The answer is, yes. Adding juicy, browned meat adds loads of flavor to this dish, so be sure not to miss this step. Brown the meat before adding the vegetables, where they will soften and gain flavor, and add the seasoning afterward to simmer and meld the flavors.
The Best Rice for Stuffed Peppers
Medium, long grain white rice or jasmine rice is the rice I use most often in stuffed peppers. But brown rice or other grains like farro or quinoa in these peppers are terrific options too.
This is a great recipe to use up leftover rice. Or, while the meat is cooking, prepare the white rice or other grain you’re adding to the pepper mixture, and stir it into the meat and vegetables just before filling the peppers.
How Long Do You Cook Stuffed Bell Peppers?
A common question is, how long do you cook stuffed peppers?
My secret time saver: Blanch the peppers in the microwave to cut the cooking time!
I pre-cook my peppers by adding them to a microwave safe baking dish, and sprinkling the interior of the peppers with a bit of kosher salt, then adding ¼ cup water to the bottom of the dish. Cover the peppers and give them a 5 minute blast in the microwave to pre-cook and soften them.
Stuff the peppers with the warm filling and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until fork-tender and the cheese begins to bubble.
Make Them In the Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
This recipe is one of the easiest to transition to the slow cooker or Crock Pot.
To cook in the slow cooker, prepare the recipe as instructed through step 3. Spray the inside of your Crock Pot with cooking spray before adding the peppers, adding any extra filling to the bottom of the crock’s insert. Wait to add the cheese until the last half hour of cooking time.
Cook for 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low, or until the peppers are soft and tender.
How to Freeze Stuffed Peppers
Freeze stuffed peppers after cooking them. Store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze in individual servings to take to work for lunch or pull out for a quick to heat dinner.
To reheat frozen stuffed peppers:
- Microwave in a microwave safe container for 20 minutes on HIGH heat or until warmed inside.
- To cook in the oven, preheat to 375°F and cook for 1 hour.
What to Eat With Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers are really a whole meal in one, so all you really need to complete your easy, healthy dinner, is a simple salad and an easy dessert if you feel like going the distance.
- Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways
- Avocado Grapefruit and Fennel Salad
- Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad
- Kale Salad with Cranberries, Apple and Cheddar Cheese
- Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
BEST Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef , (90% lean)
- 4 mushrooms , chopped
- 3 ears of fresh corn kernals , or 1 ½ cups frozen corn
- 2 ribs of celery , chopped thinly
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups cooked long grain rice
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brown the ground beef in a large fry pan over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until cooked almost through. Add the mushrooms, corn kernals, chopped celery, onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and ground pepper to taste and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cooked rice and chopped parsley and cook for another 5 minutes or until the rice is warmed through.
- Meanwhile, cut off the tops of the peppers and spoon out the ribs and seeds, then rinse. Lightly sprinkle the inside of the peppers with kosher salt and place in a microwave safe dish with ¼ cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Transfer to a 3 quart baking dish and fill the peppers with the hot meat and rice mixture. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is browned. Serve hot.
Nutrition
More Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipes
- The BEST Mexican Stufffed Peppers Recipe
- Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
- Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Baked Eggs in Stuffed Peppers
- Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers
- 27 Ways To Make Your Bell Peppers Less Boring
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We really, really like this recipe. We’ve made it several times and tweak it a bit each time, based on our mood. We’ve used ground beef, turkey and Italian sausage. I LOVE that you can change up the recipe to your liking and it still turns out terrific. We also love that you can freeze what you’re not gonna eat presently. They’re delicious when baked, right out of the freezer. Only thing I do differently is microwave for less time (3 1/2 minutes) than called for.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us, Gary! We’re so happy to hear you and your family love these and that you’ve switched it up from time to time!
I have used ground beef. Ground chicken, ground lamb and just add any bits of anything left in the fridge I also some red pepper flakes and any seasoning that apeals on that day – never the same twice
It’s always great to be able to use up what you have! :) We hope you enjoyed these!
Love this recipe, family favorite. I made a few modifications to this recipe that my family loves. I added 1 sweet Italian sausage, I used two cans of petite diced tomatoes that have garlic, basil, oregano. For the cheese I use Cheddar Gruyère and OMG does this add some fantastic flavor.
Thanks for sharing, Donna. We’re so happy you and your family enjoy this (and that cheddar gruyere blend sounds fabuous)!
Great! I subbed for ground but otherwise the same. I also used fresh cherry tomatoes and added jalapenos.
Made this the other night and my hubby loved it. He told me it’s the best he has had and to save the recipe. He wants it like this all the time. I’m so happy! Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing, Brenna—we’re go happy you and your husband loved these!
Excuse me, Susan, is this a negative response to my comment about not just using basil and oregano to this recipe and using Italian seasoning instead? Of course, Italian seasoning also has a few other spices/herbs (i.e. rosemary, marjoram, thyme) but I think the main ingredients are basil and oregano. And if you felt it changed the taste then all I can say is that this seasoning enhanced it.
I made this for dinner tonight. Used Rotel original diced tomatoes and it came out terrific
Sounds great Tiva!
I made these last night and they turned out great. I followed the recipe except for 2 things…I did not add the corn (I couldn’t see why it would be in the recipe since there was rice in it) and instead of the basil and oregano I added 3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning. I know there are “naysayers” wondering why I would give the recipe 5 stars since I adapted it and that is because I didn’t make any changes that would effect the taste.
Thank you Nancy! So glad you enjoyed!
Of course your change (adding Italian seasoning instead of just basil and oregano) will affect the taste!
Really enjoyed this recipe! I’ll use less oregano next time. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad you enjoyed Bonnie!
Loved this recipe. Relatively easy and so darn tasty! Will definitely make this again and I love that you can tweak it to your liking/mood !
I’m glad you enjoyed it Gary!
This is a great recipe and a good one to improvise with what have on hand. I really like the pre cooking the peppers a bit as I like them softer. I really liked the celery and onion in this and the italian seasonings, I skipped corn and mushrooms ( Only because out of mushrooms) and used steamed cauliflower rice rather then rice to keep carbs lower. Thanks great recipe.
Happy to hear you enjoyed!
Bake at what temperature?
Sorry I see it now.
Hi Regis, these bake at 350 degrees F.
Made these for dinner and they were great! My favorite stuffed pepper recipe by far!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Linda!
I’ve made your ground beef recipe stuffed peppers several times. It is delicious.
This last time I added some ground Italian sausage, frying this along with the browning of the ground beef. It added a little different flavor in the recipe.
Fixed stuffed peppers to night … very good my family loved them. I just need more people to eat them, I froze the left over mixture for another nightNd gave some to my friend.
Perfect idea to freeze and share!
I was glad to find this recipe. When we lost our grandmother, she took her recipe with her. All we know is she used up her leftovers and this was a clean the refrigerator meal. She would make them for us, but never let us help or watch. She said that she used what she had and never made them the same way twice. They were always delicious. I can’t wait to try these.
This recipe was excellent. The ONLY thing I changed is that I used priced cauliflower and sweet potatoes instead of regular rice. It was so delicious. My husband said it was the best meal I had cooked in weeks, and he loves my cooking so that was a real compliment and I have to agree. Delicious.
That was supposed to say RICED cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Not priced.
Made these tonight with rotel tomatoes and cauliflower rice. Omitted the celery because I don’t care for celery and the corn to keep it low carb. Fantastic and filling. Thanks for the recipe!
Made this yesterday. It was quite good. The steaming of the peppers in the microwave was a great idea. I would probably do a few more minutes. The peppers were still a little firm after cooking. They don’t really soften much more in the oven so get them to your liking before stuffing them. I used “cauliflower rice” instead of rice to get more veggies in. Family couldn’t tell the difference. I would probably reduce the overall spice (basil and oregano) content slightly next time. I found the meat mixture a little over powering but it was less when eaten in the pepper. I will make it again.
These are the best stuffed peppers I’ve ever had . Great recipe !
So glad you enjoyed!
Delicious recipe! I’ve made stuffed bell peppers for years but this became our favorite recipe when trying it last month! We just throw whatever we have into them so can make them almost any time without specifically shopping for them! Love it! Thanks Heidi for sharing!
So glad it’s your new favorite!
Love this recipe! I also added cream cheese to the beef mixture!
I have always loved stuffed peppers! ( I grew up with a mom who used green bell peppers straight from her garden but I love all bell peppers ). This is a solid recipe but corn didn’t appeal to me, so I switched to baby green peas and it was a hit with my family.
Thank you for recipe–easy and great. I would never microwave plastic wrap over food, though.
Wonderful tasty recipe! Thank you for sharing
Oh my goodness! This recipe is amazing! I had not made stuffed peppers in years and these are way better than any I remember. We all absolutely loved them!!!
I have made this recipe and everyone LOVED them, so I made extra to freeze. Took it out tonight and was so excited that you had reheating instructions as well! Reheated and they were just as yummy as the first time! My husband said he wants these in the rotation of meals. They are delicious!! Thank you!
Glad you loved it Lynda!
Amazingly done you all recipes
THanks Anmar.
I tried your recipe it was amazing
So glad you enjoyed Darlene.
Wow, packed full of flava flave!!! Best stuffed peppers I’ve ever tasted! Thank you! If you make these don’t leave out any ingredient! Delish, Well don’t
SO glad you enjoyed them Deb!
Trying this tomorrow !
I absolutely love this recipe! I usually make 3 batches and freeze some for a quick dinner later! Thanks for sharing
Glad you like it Dyan!
I made these but didn’t have celery or mushrooms so I left those out. Also I only had 3 large peppers for stuffing so I left out one can of tomatoes. I had some pieces of pepper in the fridge and I added those because Stuffed peppers HAVE to have peppers!!! I thought the corn and the cheese were definitely different and was a little scared of those but it tasted great after it was all put together. My only complaint is that I had several pans to clean, between cooking the rice, the ground beef, blanching the peppers, and cooking the peppers. I know it isn’t a “one dish” meal, and it came together REALLY quickly!! It’s delicious!!
I cooked my rice in chicken broth to give it added flavor! Next time I think I’m going to try adding black beans. I omitted the celery and mushrooms though.
These were amazing! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Very good meal it made enough though 12 peppers but still very good
Great!!! Thanks!
New family favorite! We sub the rice with cauliflower rice and deconstruct it more like a hot dish/casserole. Yummy!
Thank you for this recipe! I needed to use the bag of peppers we had and this was the perfect dinner to use them! I didn’t have tomato paste so I just nixed that and I didn’t have oregano so I just used italian seasoning. I also subbed a can of the diced tomatoes for a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. I doubled the chili flakes because my guys like it spicy. It was just enough kick, because I do not like spicy! So it all worked out perfectly! My whole family loved them and I did too! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thank you! Great job with the substitutions
You have understated how good this recipe is. Truly yummy. Rather than freezing the filling and pepper, can you make the filling beforehand and freeze it? If so, for how long? Thanks!
Thanks for saying so Debbie. Yes, you could definitely freeze the filling for up to 3 months. Be sure it’s tightly sealed!
One of the best recipes I have ever tried! Did not change anything Except I did roast the peppers in the oven while prepping the filling instead of the microwave method! They were amazing!
Just turned this into “unstuffed” pepper casserole! i didn’t have enough peppers for everyone to get their own, so i just cooked everything up then threw it in pan, diced the peppers for on top and baked! so good!
I just made these for lunch today! My husband and son absolutely loved them!! I saved mine for dinner!! I made 6 peppers and had enough stuffing to do 6 more, so I froze the remainder for another meal. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! ❤❤
Absolutely delicious! We loved it. I chopped the tops of the peppers and added them in with the onions and mushrooms. We also put pepper jack cheese on it. This is a definite do again. Thank you!
That pepper jack sounds amazing!
These were easy to make and tasted like I cooked all day! Will definitely be making these again!
I like stuffed vines less. Because it is very hot. But your recipe is very good .
Nice to read your article! I am looking forward to sharing your adventures and experiences.
I like more the Greek version of this recipe. It uses peppers and tomatoes and is served with feta cheese.
That sounds great too!
Made it with ground turkey and put extra veggies. Turned out awesome!
Made these tonight. Absolutely scrumptious! Beyond a hit, a home run. The only thing I changed was a substituted tomatoes with green chilies for ONE of the cans of tomatoes. This is the second dish I’ve made from Foodie Crush, and again, she doesn’t disappoint! (My family thinks I’ve gone full gourmet!)
If i want to use meat instead of beef,is the taste same or different? and any Indian name for this food.
You could try this with any type of meat you prefer.
This was such an easy recipe. I’m not the best cook but this was so very easy to make. My boyfriend loved it. I made three and had one left over. He woke up at 1am to eat it
Thank you for the microwave version of a favorite dish I grew up with (I’m 78). We are snowed in here in Seattle and I did stock up on food including some bell peppers, canned tomatoes and hamburger. Several more inches of snow coming any time now, so this will be a comforting supper.
Keep warm Jackie!
Awesome Jackie! I hope you enjoy it!
I would reduce the amount of tomatoes, or add more spices. Tastes too Italian.
1st night I used pork sausage and no corn or celery as we were out. Sweet and green bell peppers. Awesome.
2nd night with the leftovers and I used Pablano peppers. Awesome again.
Great recipe!
Hi – I literally just made my mom’s 70s version of these last week for my family. Hers is pretty simple (beef, onion, rice, tomato sauce and chili powder) but comforting as it’s from my childhood – although I did not serve the Stouffer’s frozen mac and cheese as my mom did but roasted broccoli. I will for sure be trying your version next time! Thanks
I love those meals that bring back memories! I hope you love my version as much as you love your Mom’s! Good choice on the broccoli ;)
I made these last night. They were so delicious. Even the picky eaters in my household had seconds. The stuffed peppers were also filling, and the leftover I saved for my lunch was just as delicious microwaved today. Thank you for such a terrific recipe.
A recipe with lot of healthy ingredients and full of colors. It seems delicious and I’ll try it.
These look so incredible! Love that cheese!
This is exactly the same taste that i was looking for. The recipe had a great taste and delicious and yummy.Before this recipe network i will follow the ( https://www.sooperchef.pk/pakistani-recipes/ ). Many delicious recipes are available on sooperchef.pk.
your beef or sausage is especially greasy, then yes, drain the meat
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do you drain the beef/sausage before adding other ingredients?
If your beef or sausage is especially greasy, then yes, drain the meat.
I loved the way you discuss the topic great work thanks for the share.
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Ok, this was super delucious…..used ground bison from Costco, and only 1/2 cup of rice. Yum!!
Made these for dinner tonight. They are fabulous. Will definitely be making them again.
Love this recipe and just made it, BUT I am going to refrigerate for about 4 hours before putting in the oven. How much longer do you think to ad for cold stuffed peppers. I think I will put foil over for a bit and then uncover and add cheese 10 mins before. Any suggestions?
Thanks for the recipe
Rosemary
Just made a version of this tonight! Thanks for the recipe. I had to make some adjustments based on what I had and my picky husband. I omitted the mushrooms, celery, and red pepper flakes (which would have been lovely). Also I ran out of oregano so I subbed the oregano, basil, and parsley for 3 tbsp Italian seasoning. Also I only had instant rice so I added 3/4 cup of water to the mixture, brought it to a boil, added 3/4 cup of instant rice, covered, and let sit for 5 minutes (off of the heat). I was worried there was too much liquid but it was great after the 5 minutes. I also used Colby Jack and Parmesan cheeses. So good! I loved the suggestion of Italian sausage. The touch of heat would be nice so I will be adding that to my portion next time!
This was absolutely delicious. I made a few substitutions/additions: added sweet Italian sausage to the ground beef, no mushrooms, basmati rice instead of long grain. I also drained a little bit of the liquid that accumulated while cooking (reserved some) and finally sprinkled Monterey jack shredded cheese over top then baked. AMAZING.
Great! I subbed for ground turkey but otherwise the same. I also used fresh cherry tomatoes and added jalapenos. Great healthy easy dinner!
Thanks for the inspiration.
How do I find out the calories for this?
Hi Katy, I don’t give calorie counts for my meals but if you want to plug them in, you can try a counter like My Fitness Pal.
Made this dish the other night.First time I made stuffed instead of classic green bells & with this recipe it turned out awesome!…
My roommate eats very unhealthy and fatty foods,so even though he said he liked it,..I was happy with leftovers ……new fav!Thanks!
can you freeze this
These look and sound so delicious! We have tons of bell peppers and tomatoes from our garden so I will be making this very soon. Any tips for using fresh German Johnson tomatoes vs. canned? Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, you could certainly try the fresh tomatoes, they just wouldn’t be quite as liquid-y. Sounds delicious!
Ok, I’ll give the fresh ones a try and let you know how it turns out. Thanks!
I used 3 very large and juicy German Johnson tomatoes and it was really wonderful and juicy! I also put a layer of Monterey Jack cheese in the middle in addition to the top. Used the same amount of cheese as your recipe, just divided it to make it more decadent throughout. Thanks for such a great stuffed pepper recipe!!!
Sounds delicious Suzanne!
These were amazing, I omitted the celery since my husband cannot stand it and added a few sliced black olives on top before the cheese and they were perfect!!!
I wanted to make stuffed bell peppers tonight and came across this recipe. it looked delicious. I only added Anaheim peppers, a few eggs since I didn’t have tomato paste, Old Bay seasoning, celery salt and a 1/4 tsp habanero pepper. They were incredible. Even without my changes, they would have been just as delicious. Thank you!!
I added Italian sausage too to compliment the hamburger !
Oh Phoebe, that’s a great idea!
The habenero pepper sounds like a solid addition. Thanks for sharing your version.
Try crumbling italian sausage next time instead of ground beef, I swear it is unbelievable! :)
I use a pound of ground turkey and add hot sausage to it for a great flavor.
That’s what I use for meatloaf, Minnie. Instead of breadcrumbs, which are bland, I use seasoned stuffing mix. That can be used for the stuffed peppers too.
90% of folks say ..this looks good…..but never actually made it. 5% say great, but I changed the recipe…..made something else!!! 5% actually made the recipe…good luck finding.
You are not going to share? I agree with you, every single reply was from someone who HAD NOT EVEN TRIED THE RECIPE????? Correct me if I’m wrong, but why waste yours and my time if all you have to offer is “(it looks good or I’ll try I it!”
I made the recipe exactly as shown. Made it as a birthday dinner treat for my brother who loves stuffed bell peppers and as I had no recipe of my own found this one. Mind you, I myself hadn’t eaten any in 40 years, not a dish i crave. To my surprise, my brother said these were the best he had ever eaten and I really liked them too ! Making them again today.
So glad you both enjoyed!
Great recipe! I had to sub the tomatoes and tomato paste for basil pasta sauce but it worked ok haha
Hey now Max! That’s a great substitution. I’ll keep that in mind when I’m out of tomato paste. Thanks for sharing.
I do not recommend microwaving anything wrapped in plastic. You do not want plastisizers leaching into your food. What I do in this case in place the peppers on top of a double boiler and steam them for 15 minutes. Takes a bit more time but is far better than nuking it in a microwave wrapped in plastic.
i meant *in* a double boiler the top compartment for steaming :)
Hi Ellen, that’s a great alternative. Thanks for the tip.
I put mine in my Tupperware microwave steamer and covered it with my microwave splatter cover. No plastic wrap and much easier than steaming. Soft and delicious.
I agree. I use a glass bowl covered with a ceramic plate when using the microwave. If it’s absolutely necessary to top something with plastic wrap, poke a hole in the middle of it so that it doesn’t sink down and come in contact with the food as the dish heats up.
Omgosh what a delicious meal! Perfect for my family of 5 and still have for lunch tomorrow!
Great tip about the peppers. I also substituted the rice for half cup brown and 1 cup of dark quinoa everything else was kept the same, and everyone including my daughter the picky eater, enjoyed this meal :) thank you!!
These pictures of your stuffed peppers look mouth watering. I would like to try them out sometime. When you put the peppers in the microwave do you have to cover them with plastic?
We do cover them with plastic.
A lid works fine too, and doesn’t add to the planet’s plastic pollution…
This stuffing is very close to meatloaf, so if your husband does not like peppers, you might divide the filling and add an egg for binder to half the mixture. When ready to bake, mound up half the mixture to make a mini meatloaf for those who would prefer no bell pepper. I might just do that tonight!
That’s a great idea Robbin. Thanks for commenting.
I have done that
I love bell peppers but my husband really hates them. Would substituting a tomato for a bell pepper work?
You could certainly try it but monitor the cooking time. I haven’t ever tried it with tomatoes.
I used red and yellow tomatoes I found at a farmer’s market. I microwaved the two red peppers I had and did NOT do the same to the tomatoes, just hollowed out and stuffed, then baked the allotted time! DELICIOUS – both versions. I also used marinara sauce instead of canned tomatoes and added a bit of pecorino romano cheese for a bit of tuscan flair.
I hated bell peppers until I tried stuffed ones! If he really detests them, he doesn’t have to eat the bell pepper itself, just the stuffing.
My husband also doesn’t like peppers, so I put the filling in a ramekin and baked it separately. He enjoyed it that way. You could probably put the filling in cabbage to make stuffed cabbage, too.
I omitted the rice and we served the filling over mashed potatoes with shredded Asiago on top. It was delicious!
I think I’ll try adding shredded carrots when I make it again.
Thank you!
I also omitted the rice since my family and I don’t eat grain products. I replaced it with diced peeled eggplant, which picks up the other flavors. I left out the corn as well (didn’t have any), and skipped the cheese topping out of personal preference. I used two cans of diced tomatoes and poured some in the bottom of the pan, along with a little beef broth and wine. It made a lovely sauce for the peppers.
This was outstanding, and I was out of a lot of the ingredients – I was out of celery and mushrooms and had to sub ketchup for tomato paste. Nevertheless, this still came out just perfect. Love the microwave technique to soften the peppers before baking!!
That’s what cooking is all about, using what you have to make it work! Yes, the microwave is a big time saver for pre-cooking the peppers.
I used black beans instead of ground beef As I am vegetarian. This was quite delightful, and I will do this again.
Can I substitute the 1 pound of ground beef with half pound ground lamb and half pound ground turkey? We already eat enough ground beef as a family and I’m trying to introduce the children to something different.
I haven’t made them with that combo before, but I don’t see why not. The meat may be a little drier since it’s leaner.
Replace ground beef with ground turkey dont even tell your family your doing if they most likely won’t know the difference I haven’t used ground beef in all most 20 year’s
Are the herbs in this recipe dry or fresh? It will make a big difference on measurements.
These were so damm good, I used ground italian sausage instead on beef. Also with the portion size of the stuffing that the recipe calls for it was enough to stuff at least 8 large peppers…which was fine by me..This would be a great stuffing for so many things..Pork chops,shells,ravioli,empanadas the list goes on…. thankx, the “carpenter cook”
What size “cans petite diced tomatoes with juice” do you use? It isn’t specified in your recipe.
I use 14.5 ounce cans, two of them. Thanks for catching that omission. I’ve fixed it in the recipe.
Stuffed bellies are my FAVE. Bell peppers are, too.
What are stuffed bellies
These look so incredible! Love that cheese! :)
I love bell peppers, especially red and orange peppers. I will definitely try this recipe soon. Thanks for the tips on salting the inside of the pepper and then microwaving it for a bit!
These look so so wonderful, Heidi! I made stuffed peppers the other day and haven’t been able to stop. YUM!
GORGEOUS! These are seriously calling my name! Up until last year (so tack on a few years after I turned 20 lol) stuffed peppers and I weren’t friends either…now I’m totally in love with them. Pinning to try this week!
I cook my stuffed peppers in a slow cooker. No need to do any pre-cooking, just fix the stuffing mixture (and your recipe sounds amazing!)’ stuff the peppers, and cook on low for 4hrs.
Thanks for the tip Elaine, I’m totally going to try this.
Do you put any liquid in the crockpot/slow cooker?
Despite being a pretty adventurous eater as a kid, I’m pretty sure peppers weren’t my favorite. I have grown to really appreciate their unique flavor and will often stuff them with quinoa or wheat berries or some other grain. These look so wonderful!
I was going to try these with quinoa, but my husband’s beef vote won out. Looks like I have more fodder for another recipe!
Hi!
Did you use dried or fresh oregano & basil?
Thanks! I’ll be making them tomorrow :-)
-Carol
I used dried herbs. Thanks Carol!
These are making me hungry! I love a good stuffed bell pepper.
These photos! These colors!! These peppers!!!
BEAUTIFUL. And they sound seriously delicious.
I had no idea that sprinkling the peppers with salt and microwaving them for 5 minutes pre-cooks them. We love stuffed peppers and I pre-cook them in a little salted boiling water for a minute or so before baking but I’d much rather microwave them. What a smart idea. I’ll be making them this week with your tip. Thanks!
I didn’t know about pre-cooking them either until my husband discovered the secret. Funny thing, he was going to give them a quick boil last time instead!
Loved your recipe however, I used riced cauliflower (cooked) instead of rice and it was awesome! This recipe worked well for my low carb diet too. Thank you! Linda
I cooked peppers in water for 10 minutes but I always filled them with the stuffing uncooked wondering if anyone else has done it this way If so how long do you cook them?
My Mom never cooked the peppers first or stuffing but of every comment I READ THEY MUST BE FROM LADIES ALOT YOUNGER YHAN ME still waiting if anyone out there did their peppers this way
AGREED!! This idea was a game changer!!
I love all bell peppers, but it’s the yellow, red, and oranges that steal my heart too!