Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (Easy Classic!) (2024)

Last Updated on: November 22, 2023

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This stuffed bell peppers recipe is a classic comfort food dish made with rice, ground beef, a few savory seasonings, and topped with tomato sauce.

Not only are stuffed bell peppers a nostalgic meal, but it’s also on the fancier side!

But just because it’s fit for a king doesn’t mean it requires a top chef to make it. This recipe is actually incredibly easy to make!

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Why You’ll Love These Easy Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers are a flavor explosion – that’s why.

Plus, you just can’t say no to it.

Tender bell peppers loaded with perfectly seasoned beef and rice? That’s simply irresistible.

They’re totally customizable, too. So feel free to throw in your favorite veggies or switch up the spices to suit your taste.

With this stuffed pepper recipe, you can enjoy a satisfying meal wherever life takes you.

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Ingredients

Whip up delicious homemade stuffed peppers using these simple ingredients:

  • Green Bell Peppers – They act as your natural bowls, holding all the yummy filling. They roast up nicely, adding a sweet and tender contrast to the dish.
  • Ground Beef – This is your main protein, providing a rich and hearty flavor to fill up those peppers.
  • Long Grain White Rice – It absorbs all the delicious juices and flavors from the beef and sauce.
  • Tomato Sauce – This adds a saucy, zesty layer, tying all the ingredients together beautifully.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – Just a little goes a long way, adding a deep, savory umami kick to the filling.
  • Salt and Pepper – For perfectly seasoned stuffed peppers.
  • Garlic and Onion Powders – These aromatic spices enhance the overall flavor, giving that classic, home-cooked taste.
  • Italian Seasoning – This brings a herby touch to the dish, rounding out all the flavors with a hint of Mediterranean flair.
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How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef

Ready to make these epic stuffed peppers? Here’s how you do it, step by step:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cook the rice. Boil rice and water in a saucepan, then simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Saute the ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked, then drain excess liquid.

4. Hollow out the peppers and place them on a baking sheet.

5. Make the filling. Mix the rice, beef, tomato sauce, and seasonings in a bowl.

6. Stuff the peppers with the prepared filling.

7. Pour the topping – a mixture of tomato sauce with Italian seasoning.

8. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes.

9. Enjoy your delicious homemade stuffed peppers!

Tips & Tricks

Follow these tips to make your stuffed bell peppers even more fantastic!

  • Mix up the pepper colors. I use green bell peppers but feel free to experiment with red, orange, or yellow peppers for a sweeter taste.
  • Cover the dish with foil. This helps lock in moisture, keeping the bell peppers moist.
  • Bake the pepper tops for garnish. Don’t discard the tops! Instead, bake them with the peppers and use them as lids for a fun presentation.
  • Season the beef as you sauté. Add the seasonings directly to the beef while browning it for more flavor.
  • Sprinkle basil and oregano. Before baking, top the stuffed peppers with a bit of basil and oregano. This adds an extra layer of flavor.
  • Use fresh garlic and onion. If time permits, skip the powders and use the real thing. It’ll boost the dish’s aroma and flavor.
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Stuffed Pepper Variations

Switch up this stuffed pepper recipe with these fun variations.

  • Go lean with ground turkey. Replace the beef with ground turkey to lighten up your meal without losing any flavor.
  • Spice it up. If you love some heat, add chopped jalapenos or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
  • Try orzo. Swap the rice for orzo, a small pasta that adds a fun and different texture.
  • Add some sausage. Mix in crumbled sausage with the beef for an extra layer of savory flavor.
  • Go vegetarian. For a meatless option, fill your peppers with a mix of black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes.
  • Cheese it up. Top your peppers with shredded cheese before baking, or stir some into the filling for gooey goodness.

How to Store Stuffed Bell Peppers

Got leftovers? Here’s how to store them.

To Store: Refrigerate leftover stuffed peppers for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Place the cooked and cooked stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe container, cut side up. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Thaw frozen stuffed peppers in the fridge overnight. Then reheat the peppers for 1-2 minutes in the microwave or in the oven for 10 minutes at 350.

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What to Serve With Stuffed Peppers

Since this meal is on the hearty side, stuffed peppers are best paired with something light.

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  • Creamy Broccoli Salad. A fresh and flavorful salad that adds a nice contrast to the stuffed peppers.
  • Panda Express Super Greens. A medley of kale, broccoli, and cabbage, this side balances out the rich dish with its freshness.
  • Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes. Creamy mashed potatoes make for a hearty and delicious accompaniment.
  • Baked Asparagus: Quick and easy, these add a nice crunch and a burst of freshness on the side.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Can You Make Stuffed Peppers Ahead of Time?

You sure can. Just follow the recipe steps, but don’t add the cheese on top yet.

Refrigerate the peppers until it’s time to cook them.

Top with cheese and bake, adding 10 minutes to the cooking time.

Can Stuffed Peppers be Made in a Crockpot?

Absolutely.

Grease the bottom of your Crockpot or slow cooker and place the filled peppers inside.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, depending on how big your peppers are.

Top with cheese at the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Do You Have to Cook Peppers Before Stuffing Them?

No need to pre-cook the peppers; they’ll soften in the oven.

But if you like yours extra soft, you can give them a quick boil.

More Family Dinner Ideas

Stuffed Pork Chops
Paula Deen’s Meatloaf
Easy Crockpot Taco Soup
Dorito Casserole

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Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: American

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour

Calories

259

kcal

Stuffed bell peppers are a classic comfort food dish made with rice, ground beef, a few savory seasonings, and topped with tomato sauce. Whip up this easy recipe tonight!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1/2 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)

  • 1 cup water

  • 6 green bell peppers

  • 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Place the rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
  • In a skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until browned.
  • Cut out the tops of the bell peppers. Clean out the seeds and any membranes. Then, arrange the peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides face up. (If needed, you can slice off the bottom so they stand upright.)
  • In a bowl, combine the cooked rice, browned beef, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion and garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Fill each bell pepper to the top. In a bowl, mix together the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Pour as a topping over the stuffed peppers.
  • Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven until the peppers are tender. Baste each pepper with sauce every 15 minutes in order to keep it moist.

Notes

  • Cover the dish with foil to keep the peppers from drying out.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 259kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Protein: 26g
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 68mg
  • Sodium: 478mg
  • Potassium: 799mg
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Calcium: 26mg
  • Iron: 16mg
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Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (Easy Classic!) (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in stuffed peppers? ›

Do you have to boil peppers before stuffing them? ›

You don't need to cook the peppers before stuffing them. Budget-Friendly. Stuffed peppers turn humble, affordable ingredients like rice and ground beef into a well-rounded meal (don't miss these other Ground Beef Dinner Ideas for more wallet-friendly meals).

How do you get the most flavor out of bell peppers? ›

Try adding basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, cumin, curry, garlic, marjoram, or rosemary to you bell peppers when cooking for more amazing flavor combinations. Top them with cheese. Sautéed bell peppers are amazing with a little added cheese and can really elevate their flavor and presentation.

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy? ›

To prevent it from happening, you should try to avoid or reduce excess moisture – here are three of the things you can do:
  1. Pre-cook Peppers. ...
  2. Use Leftover Rice. ...
  3. Save Cheese for the Topping.

Why do my stuffed peppers taste bland? ›

The thing about most stuffed bell pepper recipes is 3that they call for salt in the filling, not for the peppers themselves. Without salt, the peppers are flabby and bland, merely a filling case. With a sprinkle of salt, they transform into a sweet and powerfully savory part of the dish.

What goes well with stuffed peppers? ›

Roasted or sautéed veggies side dishes would pair nicely as a light side dish for the Italian stuffed peppers: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Zucchini, or Sautéed Zucchini are three favorites. If you are roasting vegetables, you can place the sheet pan in the oven with the peppers. Salad.

Which color bell pepper is the healthiest? ›

Red peppers pack the most nutrition, because they've been on the vine longest. Bell peppers come in a range of colors, including red (the sweetest), orange, yellow, and green.

Why do stuffed peppers take so long to cook? ›

It's possible to stuff peppers with a raw filling. If you're stuffing a whole pepper, it takes awhile to cook because the filling needs to reach a safe temperature.

Why do my stuffed peppers taste bitter? ›

If your supposedly “sweet” peppers taste bitter, the most likely culprit is lack of water. Pepper plants need to be consistently moist. Drought-stressed peppers go into survival mode, hastily ripening fruits and seeds without putting much energy into flavor. The resulting peppers are thin-walled and bitter.

Which color bell pepper has the most flavor? ›

Red bell peppers are the sweetest of the bell pepper varieties while green peppers will taste more bitter because they are in their less mature and unripe forms. For this reason, slicing and snacking on raw bell peppers may be more palatable if you choose a red bell pepper, or even a yellow or orange color variety.

What cancels out the taste of pepper? ›

Sour cream, yogurt, ghee, butter and milk can all neutralize the pepper flavor, depending on the dish. Mix in a small amount of a dairy and see if you taste a difference. Cream or milk helps balance out broth-heavy dishes, as well as a variety of other recipes.

Why do my stuffed peppers fall apart? ›

The goal is to tenderize them before they're stuffed and baked, but generally the poor fellas are over-boiled, which results in their tendency to fall apart and, as noted, be flavorless. But peppers can have tons of flavor when given the right treatment. The trick is to roast them at high heat.

How to make stuffed bell peppers less watery? ›

No Moisture In, No Moisture Out

Following the logic of precooking your peppers to safeguard against sogginess, you should also avoid watery ingredients in your stuffing. Let's say your filling calls for tomato sauce. Rather than spooning it directly into your hollowed peppers, reduce it on the stove until it's thick.

How do you make bell peppers crispy again? ›

Peppers are a tricky bunch, with their ability to bounce back depending on the type of pepper and the thickness of the skin. If they've lost their crispness and you want them for salads, you can slice them up and try a 10 minute ice bath in a bowl. You can also pickle the peppers, even in their limp state.

What are the ingredients in peppers? ›

Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from piperine derived from both the outer fruit and the seed. Black pepper contains between 4.6 and 9.7% piperine by mass, and white pepper slightly more than that. Refined piperine, by weight, is about one percent as hot as the capsaicin found in chili peppers.

What are the ingredients in white pepper? ›

What is white pepper? White pepper comes from berries that are picked at full ripeness. The berries are soaked in water to ferment, and then the outer layer is removed, leaving only the inner, light-colored seed. This is why the texture of white peppercorns is smooth compared to that of black peppercorns.

What are the ingredients in Stouffer's stuffed peppers? ›

GREEN BELL PEPPERS, WATER, COOKED BEEF, TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), TOMATOES (DICED TOMATOES, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), COOKED ENRICHED LONG GRAIN RICE (WATER, RICE, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID), 2% OR LESS OF SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, TEXTURED SOY FLOUR, ...

What is the stuff that makes peppers spicy? ›

The “hot” in hot peppers is due to capsaicin (C18h27nO3), a colorless, odorless oil-like compound found in the fruit of a plant that is a close relative of the tomato. Capsaicin is primarily found in the membrane that holds the seeds.

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