Here’s a classic, hearty Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe 🌶️
🌶️ Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 4–6 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14–15 oz) diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 cup tomato sauce (divided)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the Peppers
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds/membranes.
- Lightly brush outside with olive oil.
- Optional: Parboil peppers for 5 minutes for softer texture.
2️⃣ Make the Filling
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Sauté onion 2–3 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef; cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, ½ cup tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 5 minutes.
3️⃣ Stuff & Bake
- Spread remaining tomato sauce on bottom of baking dish.
- Fill peppers evenly with meat mixture.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake 30–35 minutes.
- Remove foil, top with cheese, bake another 10–15 minutes until melted and bubbly.
🧀 Optional Variations
- Mexican-style: Add taco seasoning, black beans, corn, and top with pepper jack.
- Low-carb: Replace rice with cauliflower rice.
- Vegetarian: Swap meat for lentils or mushrooms.
- Mediterranean: Add feta, spinach, and oregano.
💡 Tips
- Red and yellow peppers are sweeter.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- They freeze beautifully after baking.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- Slow cooker version
- Air fryer version
- Keto version
- Extra cheesy restaurant-style version 😋
