Stuffed Peppers

4.86 from 35 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

These classic stuffed peppers have been one of my family's favorite easy dinners for over a decade! They're filled with ground beef or turkey, Italian seasonings, rice and cheese and bake up hot and bubbly in the oven. Make-ahead and freezer instructions are included in the notes below.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Total Time1 5

Servings: servings

Calories: 381kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

Ingredients

¾ cups uncooked brown rice or white rice, (1 ½ cups cooked if using leftover rice)
6 bell peppers any color
2 teaspoons olive oil
¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
3 cloves garlic minced
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
8 ounce can tomato sauce ¾ cup
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese, 4 ounces, divided

Instructions

Cook rice according to package directions or your preferred cooking method. See How to Cook White Rice or How to Cook Brown Rice. Set aside to cool.
¾ cups uncooked brown rice
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400° F.
Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds and membranes.
6 bell peppers
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften, 2-3 minutes.
2 teaspoons olive oil, ¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
Add the ground beef (or ground turkey) to the pan and cook, crumbling, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
1 pound ground beef, 3 cloves garlic
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring for 5 minutes.
15 ounce can diced tomatoes, 8 ounce can tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cooked rice and half of the cheese.
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Pour ½ cup of water into a baking dish. Fill bell peppers with the meat and rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
Cover with a piece of aluminum foil that you have lightly sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake 5 minutes more, until cheese is lightly browned and filling is hot. Serve.

Video

Notes

To Freeze: I tested this recipe as a freezer meal and it worked well. The only difference that I noticed is that the filling of the frozen peppers had a bit more liquid in it after baking. To freeze, prepare the peppers as directed in the recipe, but do not bake them. Let peppers cool completely and then place them in a baking dish in the freezer. Freeze for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a zip-top plastic freezer bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake them, thaw completely in the refrigerator (this will take about 24 hours). Then, bake as directed in the recipe, adding about 15 minutes to the covered bake time.

Make Ahead: You can assemble the stuffed peppers and refrigerate them for up to one day before baking. When baking cold-from-the-fridge stuffed peppers, add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time.
Storing Leftovers: Once baked, stuffed peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave (I find that cutting the peppers in half helps the filling to heat through better) or in a covered dish in a 375° F oven, until steaming hot.
Crockpot Instructions: Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add the stuffed peppers, cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.