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Tender bell peppers are filled with a zesty ground beef and sausage filling mixed with rice and baked in marinara sauce with melted cheese.
- Difficulty: Stuffed peppers are pretty easy to make, but take some time to prepare. Allow for about 45 minutes of hands-on prep time.
- Prep Note: Depending on the size of your peppers, you could have extra filling. It’s great in zucchini boats or to fill portobello mushrooms.
- Budget Tip: Replace half of the meat with black or kidney beans. You can stretch the filling further by adding extra rice or veggies and filling some extra peppers.
- Prep Ahead/Freezer: These can be prepared 48 hours in advance or prepared and frozen before baking.
Ingredient Tips for Stuffed Peppers
These are classic stuffed peppers, and they’re versatile—swap up the spices to your liking.
- Bell Peppers: Choose any color of bell peppers. Green peppers are more earthy in flavor, while red, yellow, or orange peppers are a bit sweeter. Just cut the tops off and remove the seeds.
- Meat: Ground beef and Italian sausage add a lot of flavor. You can use just one or the other, or any combination of ground meat, including ground turkey or turkey sausage.
- The sausage adds a lot of flavor, so if you’re replacing it, add ½ teaspoon of extra Italian seasoning.
- Rice: Use uncooked long-grain white rice. For other varieties, adjust the liquid and cook time as needed. If using cooked rice, skip the water and simmer the rice in the sauce for about 5 minutes. Brown rice should be pre-cooked.
- Sauce: Use a jar of pasta sauce or homemade marinara sauce.
- Cheese: Optional, but I love a cheesy topping. Try mozzarella or an Italian blend.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
- Brown Meat: Brown meat, onion, and garlic (recipe below).
- Cook Rice: Add tomato sauce, rice, water, and seasonings. Cook until rice is tender.
- Prepare Peppers: While the filling is cooking, prepare the peppers by simmering for a few minutes to soften.
- Fill & Bake: Fill peppers with meat and rice mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until bubbly!
Pre-cook the peppers as they don’t soften much in the oven. You can boil the peppers for a few minutes or air fry them at 400°F for 5 minutes to soften before stuffing.
Storing Stuffed Peppers
Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat peppers in the microwave or stovetop in a pan with a little water at the bottom on medium-low heat.
To freeze, line the baking dish with parchment paper and assemble the peppers as directed without baking. Ensure the filling is cooled and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed, adding 15 minutes to the baking time.
Tasty Bell Pepper Recipes
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Stuffed Peppers
These easy stuffed peppers are filled with savory sausage, beef, and rice, topped with cheese, and baked to tender perfection.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
- ▢ 6 medium bell peppers any color
- ▢ 8 ounces lean ground beef
- ▢ 8 ounces Italian sausage
- ▢ 1 small yellow onion diced
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 14.5 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes with juice, 1 can
- ▢ 1 ¼ cups water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ ½ cup long grain white rice uncooked
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ salt and black pepper to taste
- ▢ 2 ½ cups marinara sauce divided
- ▢ ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese, optional
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Cut off the tops of the bell peppers. Discard the stems, finely chop the tops, and set aside for the sauce. Core the peppers, discarding the membranes and seeds.
To cook the peppers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the peppers for 5 minutes and then drain them well. Alternatively, air fry the peppers at 400°F for 5 minutes.
For the filling, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain the fat.
Add diced tomatoes with their juices, water, Worcestershire sauce, rice, the diced pepper tops, Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover. Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if needed. Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup of the marinara. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Place 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add the peppers cut-side-up, and divide the rice mixture evenly over the peppers. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over top.
Cover tightly with foil, bake for 35 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil and spoon the sauce from the bottom of the dish over the peppers. Top with cheese if using and bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is fully melted.
Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Rice: If using cooked rice, skip the water and simmer the rice in the sauce for about 5 minutes. Brown rice should be pre-cooked.
Peppers: For firm to tender-crisp peppers, skip the boiling step and bake as directed. I prefer the texture when the peppers are softer. Peppers can also be pre-cooked by simmering, air frying, or baking for 15 minutes at 400°F.
Seasoning: Marinara sauce can vary in salt levels and seasonings. Taste a bit of the filling
Additional vegetables, such as diced zucchini or chopped mushrooms, can be added to the filling.
Calories: 314 | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 979mg | Potassium: 1039mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 4384IU | Vitamin C: 168mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
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About the author
Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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