Easy Baked Stuffed Peppers
Colorful bell peppers filled with a hearty beef, rice, and tomato mixture, then baked under melty cheese. A cozy, make-ahead friendly dinner everyone loves.
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Servings:
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lb bell peppers tops trimmed, seeded
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.25 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 cup cooked white rice fluffed
- 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth for the baking dish
- 1.25 cup shredded mozzarella or similar melting cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for heat
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Prep peppers: trim tops, remove seeds, and set cut-side up in the dish. Brush with a little oil.
- Par-bake peppers for 8–10 minutes to start softening. Keep oven on.
- Warm remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in tomato sauce and Worcestershire. Simmer 2–3 minutes, then fold in the cooked rice and red pepper flakes if using.
- Fill peppers with the beef-rice mixture, packing gently. Add broth to the baking dish around the peppers.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake 20–25 minutes, until peppers are tender-crisp.
- Uncover, top with cheese, and bake 10–12 minutes more until melted and bubbly. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Variation: Swap the beef for ground turkey, or use cooked quinoa instead of rice for a lighter twist. For saucier peppers, spoon an extra splash of tomato sauce over each before the cheese. Make-ahead tip: Stuff peppers, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; add 5–10 minutes to the covered bake time. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated; reheat covered at 325°F until warm.
This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Baked Stuffed Peppers flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.