Description
Delicious and hearty stuffed bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese. This classic baked dish is perfect for a wholesome family dinner and can be customized with ground turkey or your choice of cheese.
Ingredients
Rice
- ¾ cups uncooked brown rice (or white rice, 1 ½ cups cooked)
Vegetables
- 6 bell peppers (any color)
- ¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Meat
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
Tomato Sauce Mixture
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce (¾ cup)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Other
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese, 4 ounces, divided)
- ½ cup water (for baking dish)
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Cook the rice according to the package instructions or your preferred method, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed peppers.
- Prepare Peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes to create a hollow cavity for stuffing.
- Sauté Onion: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Cook Ground Meat and Garlic: Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet, cooking and crumbling it until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease, then add minced garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds to release aroma.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Combine Filling: Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the cooked rice and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese into the meat mixture until well combined.
- Stuff Peppers: Pour ½ cup water into a baking dish. Fill each bell pepper with the meat and rice mixture, then place them upright in the dish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly on top of each stuffed pepper.
- Cover and Bake: Cover the baking dish with lightly sprayed aluminum foil to prevent sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Brown Cheese: Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and the filling is heated through. Serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for a leaner filling option.
- Use any color of bell peppers to add visual variety and flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add beans or lentils.
- Leftover stuffed peppers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated.
- Adding a little water to the baking dish helps keep the peppers moist during baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
