Description
A hearty and flavorful dish of bell peppers generously filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, rice, tomatoes, and seasonings, baked until tender.
Ingredients
4 large bell peppers (any color), halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce, divided
1 cup cooked white or brown rice
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (optional), for topping
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Step 2: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and onion, cooking until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
Step 3: Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Add diced tomatoes (undrained), half of the tomato sauce (reserve the other half), cooked rice, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Step 5: Arrange the bell pepper halves in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the meat and rice mixture evenly into each bell pepper half.
Step 6: Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed peppers and into the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 7: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 8: Uncover, and if using, sprinkle shredded cheese over each pepper. Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 9: Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, substitute ground beef with cooked lentils or a plant-based crumble. You can also add more vegetables like corn or peas to the filling. These peppers can be assembled a day ahead and baked just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper half
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
