Stuffed Peppers make for a classic, cozy, tasty dinner any night of the week.
Stuffed Peppers are one of those classic, nostalgic dishes that bring back so many wonderful memories of family dinners when I was growing up. As a child, I really loved how the soft peppers were a vessel for all of that meaty, cheesy goodness inside, and I still feel that way today. I love to make these Stuffed Peppers for a weeknight dinner and create new memories of cozy, family meals as a parent.
It’s hard to pinpoint who first thought of stuffing peppers, but historians seem to agree that stuffing peppers with meat and rice began a very long time ago in the 1500s during the Ottoman Empire in Hungary, around the same time people started stuffing cabbage leaves, too. Different cultures have their own versions of stuffed peppers: there’s Chile Relleno in Mexico and in Greece we have Gemista, which translates to “filled with” and is used to describe different kinds of stuffed vegetables, including peppers. But here in America, the bell pepper stuffed with meat and rice and cheese was made popular thanks to a cookbook by Betty Crocker!
There’s just something so homey and comforting about these soft, but not too soft, bell peppers filled with deliciously seasoned ground beef, cooked rice (or whatever grain you choose), tomato sauce, and melted cheese. And this recipe is so simple to make: you can be cooking the meat while your peppers roast in the oven and before you know it, your dinner is done!
Since we all eat with our eyes first, make the Stuffed Peppers with a variety of bell peppers–red, orange, yellow…even purple! The peppers retain their beautiful color even after being roasted and they look amazing topped with that gooey melted cheese. Even though these peppers have a cooked grain inside of them, I still love to serve them with Mashed Potato Casserole (aren’t two carbs better than one?).
Stuffed Peppers Are Really Versatile
Traditional American Stuffed Peppers are filled with ground beef, white rice, tomato sauce, and some kind of cheese–often cheddar. But, really, you can stuff peppers with pretty much anything you want and still get that wonderful taste and texture. In our recipe here, we say to use cooked rice, quinoa, or any grain you like.
You can stuff peppers with cooked ground lamb, cooked couscous and feta for a Mediterranean version (I’ve even added some chopped olives), or you can stuff them with browned ground sausage and mozzarella for an Italian dish. Any kind of ground meat–chicken, pork, turkey, even chorizo–works in this recipe, as does any kind of good melting cheese. And it’s easy to create vegetarian stuffed peppers by sauteing your favorite veg in place of the meat or using a plant-based meat substitute. The best advice is to keep a supply of bell peppers in your fridge and then let your imagination run wild.
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- Heaping 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and cored
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup cooked rice, quinoa, or any grain
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 425°F and positioning the rack in the middle.
Step 2: Mix the ground beef with 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda, then let it sit for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare a baking dish with foil (optional for easy cleanup), place the peppers cut-side up, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt.
Step 4: Roast the peppers for 20 minutes until they’re tender but still hold their shape.
Step 5: While peppers roast, cook the onion in the remaining oil until soft, then add garlic, spices, and beef. Cook until browned, then add tomato sauce and cook until the beef is done.
Step 6: Mix in the cooked grain and half the cheese into the beef mixture until the cheese is melted.
Step 7: Fill the roasted peppers with the beef mixture, top with the remaining cheese, and bake until the cheese is bubbly.
FAQs & Tips
How do I store Stuffed Peppers?
Cooked and cooled Stuffed Peppers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
Keeping those peppers upright
When you slice the peppers in half and put them in the baking dish, sometimes they are uneven and can wobble. To keep them upright, slice a tiny bit from the bottom part of the pepper that sits in the dish and that will provide stability.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Stuffed peppers are a perfect meal for a vegan lifestyle. You can follow this exact recipe by replacing the ground beef with either cooked crumbled tofu or crumbled plant-based meat substitutes. You can even use chopped veggies like zucchini or mushrooms, and then use shredded vegan cheeses.
Serving Suggestions
Stuffed Peppers are a great entree because they have all the components of a complete meal: the vegetables (peppers!), the protein (ground beef!), the carbs (rice!), and dairy (the melted cheese!), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t serve a side. These Stuffed Peppers go well with Broccoli Cheddar Soup and some crispy Zucchini Chips, or a light, fresh Brussels Sprout Salad and some Honey Wheat Sunflower Bread spread with Garlic Butter. They also pair well with this Potato Galette.
But Stuffed Peppers can also be a great side dish if you don’t mind mixing proteins. Serve them alongside Honey Garlic Steak Bites, Crispy Sesame Chicken, or Air Fryer Salmon Bites. I’ve even whipped up these Stuffed Peppers to serve with this Delicious Spinach Lasagna.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda heaping
- 3 large bell peppers red, yellow, or orange, halved and cored
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (8 oz. can) tomato sauce
- 1 cup cooked rice quinoa, or any grain
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425°F and positioning the rack in the middle.
- Mix the ground beef with 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda, then let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Prepare a baking dish with foil (optional for easy clean-up), place the peppers cut side up, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt.
- Roast the peppers for 20 minutes until they’re tender but still hold their shape.
- While peppers roast, cook the onion in the remaining oil until soft, then add garlic, spices, and beef. Cook until browned, then add tomato sauce and cook until the beef is done.
- Mix in the cooked grain and half the cheese into the beef mixture until the cheese is melted.
- Fill the roasted peppers with the beef mixture, top with the remaining cheese, and bake until the cheese is bubbly.
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