This timeless dish of Stuffed Bell Peppers is incredibly easy to make. All it takes is to stuff bell peppers with a mix of meat, rice, vegetables, and spices. This makes a flavor-packed dinner with all your favorites inside a veggie shell.
The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
Stuffed bell peppers have always been a bit nostalgic for me. I remember when my mom first made them for me and my siblings. She was so excited to try something new that she found in a cookbook, carefully filling each pepper with a savory mix of rice, meat, and spices.
And now, here I am recreating this exact dish for my own kids.
If you know me, you know that I enjoy trying new things. I made another version: BBQ cheesesteak stuffed peppers. This version keeps the bell peppers more traditional and is very flavorful.
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Bell peppers: Medium-sized bell peppers serve as the base to hold the filling mixture. I use a mixture of colors.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion and garlic cloves provide the dept of savory flavor to the filling
- Meat: I use ground beef, but feel free to use any other type of meat, such as ground turkey or a plant-based alternative.
- Rice: I find that cooked rice is easier to use. Leftover white or brown rice is perfect for this recipe.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are the perfect blend of herbs. They pack the filling with a lot of flavors.
- Seasonings: Tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth add moisture and adds a tangy savory element.
- Shredded Colby Jack Cheese: The perfect cheesy topping to finish for your stuffed peppers.
- Oil: For roasting the peppers and cooking our filling.
Tools Needed
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Large skillet
- Spoon or spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Baking dish or Baking pan
- Measuring spoons and cups
How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
Brush the outside and inside of the cut bell peppers with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the prepared bell peppers, cut-side up, in the lined pan. Roast them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until they start to soften.
While the peppers are roasting, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and stir for about 10 seconds.
Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, stir, and cook until browned. Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-5 additional minutes.
Stir in the cooked rice and remove the pan from the heat.
Take the roasted peppers out of the oven. Fill each pepper generously with the filling.
Sprinkle the shredded Colby Jack cheese evenly on top of the stuffed peppers.
Put the stuffed peppers back in the oven. Bake them for another 10 to 15 minutes. They are done when the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the peppers are tender. Allow the stuffed peppers to cool for a few minutes before serving.
How To Store
Store the Stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave or bake in the oven until heated through.
You can also freeze them and keep them for up to 3 months. Before reheating, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you're in a hurry, bake directly from frozen and add extra time to ensure they heat thoroughly.
FAQS
Roasted vegetables, a salad, or mashed potatoes are just some options that would pair nicely with stuffed peppers. You can pair any side dish of your liking with these.
Yes! The peppers and filling can be made ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge or freezer. When ready to make, simply assemble them and then bake.
Tanya's Top Tips
- For best results, use bell peppers that are about the same size.
- If you don't have shredded Colby Jack cheese, you can use another type of cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella. Feel free to use pre-shredded cheese in this recipe, but note that you'll get better results if you buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.
- I don't use lean ground beef in this recipe because I prefer them juicier, and the filling holds better. However, you can definitely use lean ground beef if you prefer. Ground turkey meat is also a great alternate for a leaner option.
I hope you like this stuffed bell peppers recipe as much as we do! Looking for more dinner ideas? Try these out:
- Zucchini Mushroom Chicken
- Southern Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
- Shredded Italian Beef Sandwiches
If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized bell peppers various colors, cut in half from the stem to bottom, core removed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15 preferred
- ½ Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Brush the outside and inside of the cut bell peppers with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the prepared bell peppers cut-side up in the lined pan and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the peppers start to soften.
- While the peppers are roasting, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir for about 10 seconds.
- Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, stir, and cook until browned. Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-5 additional minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and remove the pan from the heat.
- Remove the roasted peppers from the oven and fill each pepper generously with the filling.. Sprinkle the shredded Colby Jack cheese evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are tender. Allow the stuffed peppers to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use bell peppers that are about the same size.
- If you don't have shredded Colby Jack cheese, you can use another type of cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella.
- I don't use lean ground beef in this recipe because I prefer them juicier, and the filling holds better. However, you can definitely use lean ground beef if you prefer. Ground turkey meat is also a great alternate for a leaner option.
- Leftover stuffed peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave or oven.
Robin Santangelo says
These look great and I can't wait to try the recipe! It is back to the basics of good food we always enjoy. Question, however. When do you drain the grease from the meat or do you just leave it in the mixture? Thanks and God bless!
Robin from Frederick, Md.
Tanya says
Hi Robin, thank you. I usually don't drain the beef as I don't find the 85/15 to produce too much grease. However, you can brown the beef and then drain it, and then add the spices and remaining ingredients if you find that beef produces a lot of grease.
Carol says
Csn this recipe use Chicken?
Tanya says
Hi Carol, yep, ground chicken works in place of the chicken.
Marcy says
This is the very first time, I’ve made stuffed peppers! They were excellent! Thank you, Tanya!
Tanya says
Thanks so much, Marcy! So happy you like the stuffed bell peppers.
Charlotte says
Another winning recipe, thank you! Every recipe on your site that I have tried has been delicious. You are my go-to for all recipes from now on!
Tanya says
Thanks so much, Charlotte! So happy you like the stuffed peppers 🙂
Sharon says
These were the best stuffed peppers I've ever made. I used 5 peppers instead of 3. It was good made with ground turkey, brown rice and cheddar cheese.
Tanya says
Thanks Sharon! So happy you liked the peppers. I love that you used ground turkey and brown rice.