Classic Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Introduction

Classic stuffed peppers are a comforting and versatile dish featuring bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, rice, tomatoes, and cheese. This recipe is easy to follow and perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner or meal prep.

Ingredients

• 4-6 bell peppers (any color: green, yellow, red, or orange)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef (450g; or substitute with ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional, for spice)
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (canned; can substitute diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, a blend, or pepper jack)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or wild rice)
• Fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a pot of water to a boil, enough to cover the bell peppers.
2. Step 2: Wash the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and scoop out the insides. Slice a small part off the bottom if needed so they stand upright. Chop the extra tops (excluding stems) to cook later.
3. Step 3: Blanch the bell peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Alternatively, roast them for 20 minutes.
4. Step 4: Place the softened peppers in a lightly oiled baking dish.
5. Step 5: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, chopped pepper tops, and jalapeno if using. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
6. Step 6: Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Step 7: Add ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking it apart until fully cooked.
8. Step 8: Stir in fire roasted tomatoes, paprika, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and cooked rice. Remove from heat.
9. Step 9: Mix in half of the shredded cheese until incorporated.
10. Step 10: Stuff each bell pepper with the meat and rice mixture, then top with the remaining cheese.
11. Step 11: Roast the stuffed peppers in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until peppers are tender and cheese is bubbly.
12. Step 12: Let cool slightly, garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, then serve.

Tips & Variations

• Use different types of cheese depending on your taste, such as pepper jack for extra spice or mozzarella for creaminess.
• For a vegetarian option, replace ground meat with crumbled tofu or cooked lentils.
• To add more flavor, mix in chopped fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley into the meat filling.
• Roasting the peppers instead of blanching gives a smokier taste and deeper flavor.

Storage

Store leftover stuffed peppers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through or microwave until hot. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare stuffed peppers ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare and stuff the peppers ahead, then store them in the refrigerator before baking. Bake fresh before serving for best texture and flavor.

What if I can’t find fire roasted tomatoes?

You can substitute regular canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. Adding a pinch of smoked paprika can help mimic the fire roasted flavor.

Classic Stuffed Peppers Recipe

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Classic Stuffed Peppers made with tender bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, aromatic spices, rice, and melted cheese. This comforting and flavorful baked dish is perfect as a hearty main course and customizable with different proteins or cheeses.

• Author: Jeannette
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Vegetables & Aromatics

• 4–6 bell peppers (any color – green, yellow, red, orange)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional, for spicy)
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• Chopped bell pepper tops (from the cut peppers)
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Main Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef (450g) (can substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or similar)
• 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (canned, or use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
• 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or wild rice)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack, or a blend)

Spices & Seasonings

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven and Boil Water: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Meanwhile, bring a pot of water large enough to cover the bell peppers to a boil.
2. Prepare Peppers: Wash the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and scoop out the seeds and membranes inside. If necessary, slice a small piece off the bottom of each pepper so they stand upright. Chop the reserved pepper tops, discarding the stems, to use later.
3. Blanch Peppers: Submerge the peppers in the boiling water and blanch for about 5 minutes to slightly soften them. Alternatively, you can roast the peppers for 20 minutes for softening.
4. Arrange Peppers: Lightly oil a baking dish and place the blanched peppers upright inside.
5. Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, chopped bell pepper tops, and jalapeno (if using). Cook about 5 minutes until softened.
6. Add Garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes until it is fully browned and cooked through.
8. Combine Filling: Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes, paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, pepper, and cooked rice. Mix well and remove from heat.
9. Add Cheese to Filling: Stir half of the shredded cheese into the meat and rice mixture until incorporated evenly.
10. Stuff Peppers: Spoon the filling mixture into each pepper cavity and top each pepper with the remaining shredded cheese.
11. Bake Stuffed Peppers: Roast the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the peppers reach your desired tenderness and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
12. Serve: Remove from the oven, let the peppers cool slightly, garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

• You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, or tofu for different flavors and dietary preferences.
• For a vegetarian version, replace ground meat with cooked lentils or mushrooms and choose a vegetarian cheese.
• Blanching the peppers helps soften them before baking, but you can skip this step and bake them longer if preferred.
• Adjust seasoning and spice level by adding more or less jalapeno and red pepper flakes.
• Cooked rice can be swapped with quinoa or cauliflower rice for different texture or lower carb options.
• Leftover stuffed peppers keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Keywords: stuffed peppers, baked peppers, ground beef recipe, one dish meal, comfort food, family dinner