Description
These Italian stuffed peppers are filled with a savory mix of ground meat, herbs, tomatoes, rice, and cheese. Sweet bell peppers hold a warm, comforting filling that tastes like true home cooking. Simple ingredients, rich flavor, and perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers (red preferred)
- 1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2–3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
- ½ cup water or tomato sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Peppers: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash the bell peppers and slice them in half from top to bottom through the stem. Remove seeds and membranes to create clean pepper bowls.
- Cook the Filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until soft. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook until browned. Stir in diced tomatoes, cooked rice, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Fill and Assemble: Place the pepper halves in a baking dish. Spoon the filling into each pepper, pressing slightly to pack. Pour a little water or tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish. Top each pepper with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake the Peppers: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
Red peppers are the sweetest and work best, but any color will do. You can assemble the peppers ahead of time and bake them later. For a vegetarian version, swap the meat for lentils, quinoa, or plant-based ground protein crumbles.
- Prep Time: PT20M
- Cook Time: PT50M
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pepper half
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Italian stuffed peppers, easy stuffed peppers, bell pepper recipe, healthy Italian dinner