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
For those who’re searching for 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 most interesting. It’s from my pal Dyanne’s grandma, and so they’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’ll be able to double the recipe and freeze the opposite half. If you wish to attempt extra, these Turkey Stuffed Peppers with a Mexican twist are additionally wonderful!
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Recipe
I like how easy elements 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 it’s worthwhile to make these straightforward stuffed peppers a staple in your house:
- Hearty and Satisfying: The mix of floor beef and rice offers a sturdy, filling combination.
- Consolation Meals: This dish has all of the flavors that remind you of dwelling.
- Freezer-Pleasant: Double the recipe, allow them to cool, then freeze for as much as 3 months for one more evening once you don’t have time to prepare dinner.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, high-protein
For those who make this wholesome stuffed peppers recipe, I’d like to see it. Tag me in your photographs or movies on Instagram, TikTok, or Fb! And make sure you be part of the Skinnytaste Neighborhood to see what everybody’s cooking!
Components You’ll Want
Stuffing candy bell peppers with a saucy, tacky beef and rice combination creates a comforting, hearty meal that makes an unbelievable household dinner. See the recipe card beneath accommodates the precise measurements.
- 90% Lean Floor Beef: I favor utilizing floor beef right here to maintain the normal style I grew up with, however any floor meat will work. Utilizing lean floor beef assist scale back the energy and fats.
- Rice: You should use any rice, however leftover or immediate rice is nice for those who’re brief 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. For those who can’t have dairy you need to use dairy-free cheese or omit.
- Basil for a recent, fragrant style.
- Egg binds the filling to assist maintain the elements collectively.
- Tomato Sauce: Combine crushed tomatoes and water (or low-sodium broth) for a simple 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 easier to stuff them and hold them standing. Select a wide range 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
For those who begin with cooked rice, making the filling doesn’t take lengthy. Then, whereas the peppers prepare dinner, you’ll be able to sit again and loosen up because the oven does all of the work. See the printable directions within the recipe card beneath.
- 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 prepare 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 prepare dinner till the cheese is melted.
Ideas for Making Good Stuffed Peppers
- Pepper Choice: Search for agency, brightly coloured peppers. Since they are going to be stuffed, I like to decide on massive ones which can be even throughout.
- Ought to peppers be cooked earlier than stuffing? You don’t have to prepare dinner the bell peppers first. They prepare 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 lower a sliver off the underside to assist them rise up.
- Rice Choices: Use leftover rice to hurry up the method, or prepare dinner a recent batch. Brown rice or immediate rice works, too.
- Floor Beef: I liked them with floor beef, however you need to use floor turkey or your favourite floor meat.
- Cheese Selections: Whereas mozzarella offers a gooey texture, you’ll be able to experiment with provolone, a sprinkle of parmesan, or omit it altogether. You too can swap Pecorino Romano for parmesan within the filling.
- Herbs: Recent basil delivers one of the best taste, however you’ll be able to substitute it with dried. And for those who don’t have basil, parsley or oregano will work.
- Sauce: Substitute crushed tomatoes and water with jarred marinara or make home made tomato sauce.
Serving Strategies
These stuffed peppers with rice and meat are a whole meal. Nonetheless, if it’s worthwhile to 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 prepare dinner when wanted—superb for busy weekdays.
- Are you able to freeze stuffed peppers? Sure, you’ll be able to freeze them for as much as 3 months. You too can 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 prepare dinner in response to the instructions.
- The 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 Measurement: 1 pepper and sauce
- 1 lb 90% lean floor beef
- 1½ cups partially cooked, leftover or immediate 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 massive egg
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons crushed tomatoes, divided (I like Tuttorosso)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water, or low sodium broth
- 4 massive bell peppers, of assorted colours, tops lower 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 big saucepan massive 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 just a little sauce over every.
Cowl and prepare 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 prepare dinner till melted, about 5 minutes.
Final Step:
Please go away 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