Get pleasure from a household favourite dinner with these Italian-American stuffed peppers made with floor beef, tomato sauce, rice, and a tacky end.
Stuffed Peppers
If you happen to’re in search of a dish that marries custom with a contemporary twist, look no additional than these Italian-American stuffed peppers. Bursting with flavors from seasoned floor beef, wealthy tomato sauce, rice, and a superbly melted cheese topping, this recipe is consolation meals at its best. It’s from my buddy Dyanne’s grandma, they usually’re one of the best stuffed peppers I’ve had. My husband Tommy stated they reminded him of his Uncle Ralph’s meatballs. They’re additionally freezer-friendly, so you may double the recipe and freeze the opposite half. If you wish to attempt extra, these Turkey Stuffed Peppers with a Mexican twist are additionally superb!
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Recipe
I really like how easy components can come collectively to create one thing scrumptious. Since my husband loves stuffed peppers, I make them very often for dinner. Right here’s why you must make these simple stuffed peppers a staple in your house:
- Hearty and Satisfying: The mix of floor beef and rice gives a strong, filling combination.
- Consolation Meals: This dish has all of the flavors that remind you of residence.
- Freezer-Pleasant: Double the recipe, allow them to cool, then freeze for as much as 3 months for one more night time if you don’t have time to cook dinner.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, high-protein
If you happen to make this wholesome stuffed peppers recipe, I might like to see it. Tag me in your images or movies on Instagram, TikTok, or Fb!
Components You’ll Want
Stuffing candy bell peppers with a saucy, tacky beef and rice combination creates a comforting, hearty meal that makes an unimaginable household dinner. See the recipe card under incorporates the precise measurements.
- 90% Lean Floor Beef: I choose utilizing floor beef right here to maintain the standard style I grew up with, however any floor meat will work. Utilizing lean floor beef assist cut back the energy and fats.
- Rice: You should use any rice, however leftover or instantaneous rice is nice for those who’re quick on time.
- Aromatics: Finely chopped onion and garlic for taste.
- Cheese: Combine grated Pecorino Romano with the rice and beef, and prime every stuffed pepper with shredded mozzarella. If you happen to can’t have dairy you should use dairy-free cheese or omit.
- Basil for a recent, fragrant style.
- Egg binds the filling to assist maintain the components collectively.
- Tomato Sauce: Combine crushed tomatoes and water (or low-sodium broth) for a straightforward tomato sauce. Tuttorosso is my go-to for canned tomatoes. Jarred marinara would additionally work.
- Kosher Salt to season the stuffed pepper filling and tomato sauce.
- Bell Peppers: Purchase bigger, uniform peppers to make it less complicated to stuff them and hold them standing. Select quite a lot of colours or use all of 1 coloration.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Sprinkle it on prime and let it soften earlier than serving.
Right here’s How I Make Stuffed Peppers
If you happen to begin with cooked rice, making the filling doesn’t take lengthy. Then, whereas the peppers cook dinner, you may sit again and chill out because the oven does all of the work. See the printable directions within the recipe card under.
- Make the Stuffed Pepper Filling by combining the meat, rice, onions, garlic, Pecorino Romano, basil, egg, crushed tomatoes, and salt in a big bowl.
- Make the Tomato Sauce: Stir the water, remaining crushed tomatoes, and salt in a big saucepan.
- Stuff the Peppers with a cup of the rice combination and place them within the pot with the tomatoes. Ladle some sauce over every.
- Prepare dinner the Stuffed Peppers: Cowl the pot and cook dinner them on medium-low for 35 to 45 minutes till the bell peppers are tender and the meat is cooked via. Spoon extra sauce on every and prime with mozzarella. Cowl and cook dinner till the cheese is melted.
Ideas for Making Excellent Stuffed Peppers
- Pepper Choice: Search for agency, brightly coloured peppers. Since they are going to be stuffed, I like to decide on giant ones which can be even throughout.
- Ought to peppers be cooked earlier than stuffing? You don’t have to cook dinner the bell peppers first. They cook dinner slowly on the range as the bottom beef cooks.
- Getting Peppers to Stand Up: Since these are cooked upright, search for peppers which can be degree on the underside or minimize a sliver off the underside to assist them arise.
- Rice Choices: Use leftover rice to hurry up the method, or cook dinner a recent batch. Brown rice or instantaneous rice works, too.
- Floor Beef: I liked them with floor beef, however you should use floor turkey or your favourite floor meat.
- Cheese Selections: Whereas mozzarella gives a gooey texture, you may experiment with provolone, a sprinkle of parmesan, or omit it altogether. You can too swap Pecorino Romano for parmesan within the filling.
- Herbs: Recent basil delivers one of the best taste, however you may substitute it with dried. And for those who don’t have basil, parsley or oregano will work.
- Sauce: Change crushed tomatoes and water with jarred marinara or make home made tomato sauce.
Serving Options
These stuffed peppers with rice and meat are an entire meal. Nonetheless, if you must make them extra filling, they’d be glorious with a inexperienced salad or roasted asparagus.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers for 4 days.
- Meal Prep Tip: These stuffed peppers are nice for make-ahead meals. Put together them upfront, refrigerate for as much as 2 days, and cook dinner when wanted—splendid for busy weekdays.
- Are you able to freeze stuffed peppers? Sure, you may freeze them for as much as 3 months. You can too make and freeze solely the filling. When able to eat, thaw the rice combination in a single day within the fridge, stuff the bell peppers, and cook dinner in response to the instructions.
- The best way to Reheat: Microwave or bake the thawed stuffed peppers till heat.
Extra Bell Pepper Recipes You’ll Love
For extra dinner concepts utilizing bell peppers, take a look at these 5 scrumptious stuffed bell pepper recipes to encourage your subsequent meal!
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Dimension: 1 pepper and sauce
- 1 lb 90% lean floor beef
- 1½ cups partially cooked, leftover or instantaneous rice white rice*
- ½ cup onion, very finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- ⅓ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- ¼ cup basil, chopped
- 1 giant egg
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons crushed tomatoes, divided (I really like Tuttorosso)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water, or low sodium broth
- 4 giant bell peppers, of assorted colours, tops minimize off and seeded and cored
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
In a big bowl mix floor beef, rice, onion, garlic, Pecorino Romano, basil, egg, 3 tablespoons crushed tomato and 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt and blend properly with a fork.
Mix remaining crushed tomato, water and remaining salt within the base of a giant saucepan giant sufficient to suit the peppers standing up.
Fill every bell pepper with 1 cup of combination and nestle the stuffed peppers into the sauce. Ladle a bit sauce over every.
Cowl and cook dinner the peppers on medium-low warmth for 35-45 minutes, till the peppers are tender and the meat is cooked via within the heart. Ladle extra sauce over every and add 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese to the highest of every pepper, cowl and cook dinner till melted, about 5 minutes.
Final Step:
Please depart a ranking and remark letting us understand how you preferred this recipe! This helps our enterprise to thrive and proceed offering free, high-quality recipes for you.- Prepared-rice or leftover cooked rice works simply the identical.
- Common, raw rice will work however will enhance the cooking time by an additional 20-25 minutes.
Serving: 1 pepper and sauce, Energy: 449.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37.5 g, Protein: 33 g, Fats: 18.5 g, Saturated Fats: 8.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 139.5 mg, Sodium: 750 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 8.5 g