Stuffed Bell Peppers

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers with ground beef, vegetables, and rice in a beefy tomato base with Italian seasoning all topped with mozzarella and baked to perfection.

Course main meal beef

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy stuffed bell peppers, how to make stuffed bell peppers, recipe for stuffed bell peppers, stuffed bell pepper recipe, stuffed peppers, stuffed peppers recipe, what to serve with stuffed bell peppers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 501kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

6 bell peppers cut from top to bottom ribs and seeds removed
1½ lbs ground beef
1 small yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1½ cups cooked long-grain white rice
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and fresh ground black
1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 tablespoons chopped basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange bell peppers on the baking sheet cut side up. Place in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes. Turn the peppers over and roast for another 10 minutes.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the ground beef is about halfway through the browning process add the onions. Cook until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes, cooked rice, beef broth, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning, Stir the mixture together and let it simmer for several minutes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers heaping them up a little bit. Divide the Monterey Jack Cheese over the peppers. Place the peppers back into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top with chopped fresh basil.

Notes

Choose blemish-free bell peppers with no soft spots or mold around the stem.
I like to cut my peppers from top to bottom instead of slicing off the top. This reduces waste and mess. The peppers are also easier to stuff, hold more stuffing, and sit better on the baking sheet and plate.
For optimal taste, precook the peppers so you don't end up with crunchy peppers. Stuffed peppers are always better when the peppers are roasted tender.
Minute rice and boil-in-bag rice are really handy for this recipe. Leftover take-out rice works well, too!
The stuffing can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If it is too dry, reheat the stuffing at reduced power in the microwave, adding a little beef broth.

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