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Recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers With Rice and Cheese

Front shot of classic stuffed peppers in a dish with a text title box at top

Italian stuffed peppers with rice in a dish with a text title box at top

Long collage image of Stuffed Peppers with Rice

Classic Stuffed Peppers with rice, ground beef, mozzarella cheese and Italian herbs are baked in tomato sauce until tender and flavorful. This easy dinner recipe appeals to both kids and adults, is a cozy and satisfying meal, and even looks elegant enough for entertaining!

Front shot of stuffed peppers with rice and cheese in a white baking dish garnished with parsley

You can't beat good old-fashioned Stuffed Peppers with Rice for a simple and hearty family-friendly dinner. It's a great way to use up plenty of fresh bell peppers, and the flexible recipe can be adapted to accommodate a variety of taste and dietary preferences. Add sausage for even more flavor, swap out the rice for cauliflower rice, or use cheddar cheese instead of the mozzarella. There are so many ways to make this stuffed peppers recipe your own!

The Best Stuffed Peppers

I've tried many versions of stuffed peppers over the years, but I always come back to the original that I grew up with: a simple recipe for Italian Stuffed Peppers with rice and mozzarella. We add ground beef for filling protein, but you can swap it out for ground turkey or ground Italian sausage instead.

I've shown a combination of sweet red, yellow and orange bell peppers here, but you can also use green bell peppers for this recipe. It's just a matter of personal taste preference. The red, yellow and orange peppers are generally much sweeter than the green peppers (and I think they look really pretty in the dish). Green bell peppers tend to have a zesty taste, which pairs well with the savory meat, cheese, rice and tomato sauce.

In order to make the sweet bell peppers nice and tender, you'll pre-bake them in the same dish while you prepare the filling. That way you don't have to boil the peppers on the stovetop, dirtying an extra pot. So easy!

Overhead shot of colorful stuffed peppers with fresh herbs on top

How to make Stuffed Peppers with Rice

While these Classic Stuffed Peppers may look fancy or complicated, they're actually really easy to prepare! You'll need to pre-bake the peppers (as I mentioned above) while you prepare the ground beef filling, then just stuff the peppers, top with cheese, and bake in the oven.

Ingredients for Healthy Stuffed Peppers

  • Bell peppers
  • Ground beef
  • Onion
  • Rice
  • Tomato sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Italian seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Mozzarella
  • Salt and pepper

Step 1: How to Cut Peppers for Stuffed Peppers

To prepare the peppers for stuffing, you'll first need to slice off the top of each pepper. Discard the tops, and remove the seeds and membranes. If necessary, cut thin slice from the bottom of each pepper so that they stand upright in a dish (but don't slice a hole in the bottom).

Process shot showing how to cut peppers for stuffed peppers

Step 2: Bake Peppers

Fill a baking dish with about ½-inch of water, place the peppers upside down in the water, cover with foil, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes. They will not be completely tender after 20 minutes, but this gives them a nice head start so that they're soft after stuffing and baking again.

Step 3: Make Filling

While the peppers bake, prepare the filling by combining cooked ground beef and onion with cooked rice, one can of tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Filling for stuffed peppers in a big pot

Step 4: Stuff Peppers

Remove the bell peppers from the baking dish and drain off the water. Flip the peppers right side up, season the inside with salt and pepper, and stuff with the beef and rice mixture. Pour the remaining can of tomato sauce over the tops of the stuffed peppers.

Process shot of assembling stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef

Step 5: Bake

Cover with foil and bake the peppers in the 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes.

Step 6: Add Cheese

Remove the foil, sprinkle the tops of the peppers with shredded mozzarella cheese, and return to the oven for about 10-20 more minutes (until the cheese melts and the peppers are tender).

Stuffed peppers with rice and cheese in a baking dish before the oven

How long to cook Stuffed Peppers with Rice

In general, the stuffed bell peppers will require anywhere from about 35 - 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Since all of the ingredients are pre-cooked (like the meat and rice), the total cooking time is really a matter of personal preference. If you want the top of the cheese really bubbly and browned, or if you prefer a really tender pepper, you'll want to leave them in longer.

Bell peppers stuffed with rice ground beef and cheese in a baking dish

What do you eat with Stuffed Peppers with Rice?

Since this recipe includes veggies, rice and meat, it's an entire stand-alone dinner! If you'd like to round out the meal with additional sides, here are a few good options to serve with the stuffed peppers:

  • Caesar Salad or a simple green salad dressed in Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • A crusty loaf of No-Knead Bread, garlic bread or dinner rolls
  • Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
  • Green Bean Salad
  • Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
  • Couscous Salad
  • Pasta with Marinara or Pesto

Do you have to cook the meat before stuffing the peppers?

In this recipe, you'll pre-cook the rice and the meat before stuffing the peppers. Some recipes call for a hybrid: pre-cooked rice, which is combined with raw meat for the stuffing. When using raw meat, the rice can soak up some of the drippings from the meat. This adds great flavor, but it can also yield a slightly less healthy, greasier dish. Either way works, but here we're pre-cooking the beef to make sure that it's totally cooked through and lean.

Do you have to pre-cook the peppers before stuffing them?

No, you do not. If you like your bell peppers to have a crisp-tender texture (rather than a soft texture), you can skip the pre-baking step and just stuff the raw peppers. My kids prefer the softer, more tender pepper, so I like to give the vegetables a little bit more time in the oven than the rest of the ingredients.

How much protein is in a Stuffed Pepper?

These healthy stuffed peppers are full of vitamins and minerals from the vegetables, as well as satisfying protein from the beef. Each stuffed pepper has about 275 calories, 9 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, and 24 grams of protein.

Preparation and Storage Tips

  • Make Ahead: This is a great prep-ahead meal. You can assemble the bell peppers through step 5 (adding the tomato sauce on top), cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Allow the dish to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking according to recipe instructions. Since the peppers and filling might still be cool, you may need to increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.
  • To Freeze Stuffed Peppers with Rice: You can freeze the stuffed peppers before or after baking. Wrapped tightly, they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Leftover baked stuffed peppers will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
  • How to Reheat Stuffed Peppers: Cover loosely with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven until heated through. If baking from frozen, you'll need to increase the total baking time by at least 30 minutes.

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations -- Easy Stuffed Peppers with Rice

  • Any color bell pepper will work in this recipe. Choose red, yellow or orange peppers for a sweeter taste; grab green bell peppers for a less-sweet, more zesty taste.
  • Add ground Italian sausage to the filling instead of ground beef (or use half beef and half sausage) for extra flavor. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken in lieu of the beef.
  • Any variety of rice will work. I like to use cooked long-grain white rice, but cooked wild rice or cooked brown rice will both be delicious, too. For a shortcut, try microwaveable packets of rice like Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. You can even try this recipe with cauliflower rice for more veggies!
  • For the Slow Cooker: To make these stuffed peppers in a Crock Pot, skip the step of pre-baking the peppers. Stuff the peppers with the rice and ground beef filling, cover, and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Top with the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese melts (about 10-15 more minutes).
Close up side shot of stuffed peppers with rice and mozzarella in a white dish topped with fresh parsley

More stuffed pepper recipes that you might enjoy:

  • Bell Pepper Casserole
  • Mexican Stuffed Peppers
  • Stuffed Green Peppers with Tomato Soup

Stuffed Peppers with Rice

Classic Stuffed Peppers with rice, ground beef, mozzarella cheese and Italian herbs are baked in tomato sauce until tender and flavorful!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword classic stuffed peppers, stuffed peppers with rice

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 275 kcal

  • 6 sweet bell peppers (any color)
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • ½ cup finely diced onion
  • 1 ½ cups cooked long grain white rice
  • 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Horizontally slice off the top of each pepper. Discard the tops, and remove the seeds and membranes from each pepper. If necessary, cut a thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight.

  • Fill a baking dish large enough to fit peppers with about ½ -inch of water. Place peppers upside down in water, cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, brown beef and onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain off fat. Stir in cooked rice, one can of tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

  • Remove bell peppers from the dish. Pour off the water from the pan. Turn peppers upright and season the inside of each pepper with salt and black pepper. Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Pour remaining can of tomato sauce over peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

  • Remove foil; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return to the oven and bake (uncovered) for 10-20 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the peppers are tender.

  • Garnish with parsley or basil and serve.

  • Any color bell pepper will work in this recipe. Choose red, yellow or orange peppers for a sweeter taste; grab green bell peppers for a less-sweet, more zesty taste.
  • Add ground Italian sausage to the filling instead of ground beef (or use half beef and half sausage) for extra flavor. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken in lieu of the beef.
  • Any variety of rice will work. I like to use cooked long-grain white rice, but cooked wild rice or cooked brown rice will both be delicious, too. For a shortcut, try microwaveable packets of rice like Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. You can even try this recipe with cauliflower rice for more veggies!
  • For the Slow Cooker: To make these stuffed peppers in a Crock Pot, skip the step of pre-baking the peppers. Stuff the peppers with the rice and ground beef filling, cover, and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Top with the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese melts (about 10-15 more minutes).

Serving: 1 stuffed pepper | Calories: 275 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 62 mg | Sodium: 597 mg | Potassium: 833 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 9 g | Vitamin A: 4179 IU | Vitamin C: 159 mg | Calcium: 135 mg | Iron: 4 mg

Recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers With Rice and Cheese

Source: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/stuffed-peppers-with-rice/