These colorful stuffed bell peppers are filled with a savory mix of ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce, then baked to perfection with melted cheese on top. A hearty, comforting meal that’s both beautiful and delicious!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 4 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
- Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and cook onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in cooked rice, half of the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix well and remove from heat.
- Stuff each bell pepper with the meat mixture and place upright in the baking dish.
- Spoon remaining tomato sauce over each stuffed pepper. Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Optional Tips/Variations:
- Use ground turkey or sausage instead of beef for different flavors.
- Add chopped spinach or zucchini for extra veggies.
- Substitute quinoa for rice for a high-protein version.
- For extra flavor, mix a bit of Worcestershire sauce into the filling.