Description
Tender bell peppers filled with a flavorful beef, rice, and tomato mixture, topped with melty cheese — a cozy, classic dinner that’s hearty, colorful, and delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 bell peppers (any color — red, yellow, green, or mixed)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15 works best)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (divided)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (divided)
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut off the tops of the bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place peppers in a 9×13-inch baking dish and pre-bake for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, half the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, and cooked rice. Mix well and cook for 3–5 minutes until heated through.
- Spoon the beef mixture into pre-baked peppers, pressing gently to pack. Top each pepper with a spoonful of the remaining tomato sauce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes, until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to lightly brown the tops.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy warm as a hearty, balanced meal!
Notes
You can use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. These reheat beautifully and make great leftovers for lunch!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg