Stuffed Peppers With Beef And Rice
These stuffed peppers with beef, rice, cheese, and tomato sauce makes for a satisfying and hearty dinner the whole family will love. It’s the ultimate comfort food that can easily be adapted to suit your taste.
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There are two parts to these stuffed peppers: the filling and preparing the bell peppers. Stuff them. Bake them. And dinner is done.
The Filling For These Stuffed Peppers
One pound of lean ground beef
Finely diced yellow onion
Two cups of cooked white rice
Can of tomato sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Italian seasoning
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Combine all of these ingredients in a large bowl until they are well blended. The filling is now ready to be stuffed into the peppers.
Preparing Bell Peppers
In some recipes, cooking the bell peppers so they are softened is recommended. That’s not recommended here, a little water is added to the baking dish before baking and that will work the same trick. To prepare the bell peppers for stuffing, cut the top off with a knife. Use your hand to pull out the core and the seeds.
Stuffing The Peppers
Use a spoon to fill the bell peppers. As you are filling them, use the back of the spoon to push in the filling so there are no large air pockets left in the bell pepper. This will ensure that you pack as much of the filling in as possible. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish, cut side up. Add 1/3 cup of water to the baking dish. Cover the baking dish with foil and transfer to the oven to bake.
Baking The Peppers
Baking time will vary depending on the size of the bell peppers. On average, these medium-sized stuffed peppers are cooked through in about 50-60 minutes and until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Towards the end of baking time, sprinkle the tops of the bell peppers with parmesan cheese and place back into the oven for 5 minutes for the cheese to melt. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Tips for Success
To make sure your stuffed peppers with beef and rice come out perfectly, here are a few tips for success:
1. Precook the Rice
While it’s possible to stuff the peppers with raw rice, cooking the rice beforehand ensures it cooks properly while the peppers are baking. This will prevent the rice from being undercooked.
2. Choose Uniform Peppers
Try to choose peppers that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If you’re using different colors, aim for peppers that are close in size, so no one pepper overcooks or undercooks.
3. Cover with Foil While Baking
Covering the stuffed peppers with aluminum foil while they bake helps them cook more evenly and retain moisture.
4. Experiment with Add-ins
Feel free to get creative with your stuffed peppers! Try adding ingredients like olives, capers, chopped spinach, or black beans to the filling.
FAQs: Stuffed Peppers With Beef and Rice
Q: Can I make stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes, stuffed peppers can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Just assemble the peppers, cover tightly, and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.
Q: Can I use a slow cooker for stuffed peppers?
Yes! Stuffed peppers can be made in a slow cooker. Just place the stuffed peppers in the slow cooker with a bit of broth or water and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the peppers are tender and filling is cooked through.
Q: Can I make stuffed peppers without rice?
Absolutely! If you’re looking for a low-carb option, you can skip the rice and substitute with other fillings like quinoa, cauliflower rice, or even shredded zucchini or mushrooms.
If You Love These Stuffed Peppers, Check Out A Few Of My Favorite Dishes:
One-Pot Maple Dijon Roasted Chicken And Veggies
Chili Lime Baked Salmon With Avocado Salsa
Jalapeño Popper Tater Tot Chicken Casserole
Peach, Burrata, And Prosciutto Salad
If you make these Stuffed Peppers, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear what you think about it, or better yet, see what you’re cooking! Tag me @fettysfoodblog with your creation.
Stuffed Peppers With Beef And Rice
Ingredients
- 6 multicolored bell peppers
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cups cooked, white long grain rice
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare the bell peppers by cutting off the end and removing the core and seeds for the inside. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, rice, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, mozzarella cheese, and parsley. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
- Use a spoon to scoop the filling into the prepared bell peppers. As you fill, use the back of the spoon to push the filling in as much as you can. Arrange stuffed peppers into a baking dish, cut side up.
- Add ⅓ cup water to the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Sprinkle the top of the peppers with parmesan cheese. Place the baking dish back into the oven for 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
I made this for dinner for my husband and me (3 filled peppers). We absolutely loved your recipe! I think I’m still cooking for my family of six (6) haha. So, I have a lots of mixture left over (which we will definitely use) but …. Can you freeze the hamburger mixture before you fill the peppers?
Hi Sheryl, I’m so happy to hear how much you both loved the stuffed peppers! You can freeze the filling in a freezer ziplock bag, just properly defrost and use like you would in the recipe. 🙂