Stuffed bell peppers are one of those wonderfully adaptable, old-fashioned comfort foods that never really goes out of style. They’re colorful, hearty, and practical — the kind of dish that makes good use of what you already have in the kitchen. Sweet bell peppers become tender in the oven while holding a savory filling of seasoned ground meat, rice, tomatoes, garlic, and melted cheese.
Use any color bell pepper you like — green, red, yellow, or orange — or try other sturdy peppers such as Italian sweet peppers, poblanos, Carmen Italian peppers, or Marconi peppers. The filling is just as flexible. Ground beef is classic, but ground turkey, chicken, pork, Italian sausage, or even tofu all work beautifully. Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste, add a little jalapeño for heat, or use your favorite Italian, Cajun, or Southwestern spice blend.
This is an easy, satisfying meal for busy weeknights, make-ahead dinners, or a cozy family supper.
INGREDIENTS:
4–6 bell peppers, any color — green, yellow, red, or orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef, or substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or a combination
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, or diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, or a blend
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
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with enough water to cover the bell peppers.
Wash the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and remove the seeds and membranes from the inside. If needed, slice a very small amount from the bottoms so the peppers stand upright. Chop the usable pepper tops and set them aside to cook with the onion; discard the stems.
Blanch the peppers in the boiling water for 5 minutes to slightly soften them. Alternatively, you can roast the empty peppers for about 20 minutes to soften them.
Place the softened peppers upright in a lightly oiled baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, chopped pepper tops, and jalapeño, if using. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned and cooked through.
Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, paprika, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and cooked rice. Mix well, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Stir in half of the shredded cheese until incorporated into the filling.
Spoon the filling into the prepared peppers. Top each pepper with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
Let the stuffed peppers cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes, if desired.
CHEF’S NOTES
- For a lighter version, use ground turkey or chicken. For a richer, more savory filling, use Italian sausage or a combination of sausage and beef.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute crumbled tofu, cooked lentils, beans, or a plant-based ground meat alternative.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes add wonderful depth of flavor, but diced tomatoes or tomato sauce may also be used.
- Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or a pinch of smoked paprika are all excellent additions.
- This recipe works best with thicker-walled peppers that can hold up during baking.
