This recipe for Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers reminds me of the stuffed peppers my grandmother made when I was a child. Green peppers stuffed with ground beef and rice and topped with a spiced up tomato sauce and melty cheese. Delicious!
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This simple recipe is truly homestyle comfort food at its best. Perfect form family dinners and any leftovers make a wonderful lunch or dinner the next day.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Bell Peppers - Green, yellow, orange, or red. Choose your favorite.
- Ground Beef - I like leaner ground beef for this recipe. 85/15 works well.
- Onion - White or yellow onion works great.
- Cooked Rice
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes - Optional, but add them in if you want a bit of heat.
- Tomato Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes - Regular diced or fire roasted.
- Shredded Cheese - I like Cheddar or Colby Jack.
Can I prep stuffed bell peppers ahead of time?
- Yes! You can cut and clean the bell peppers, then place them in a Zip-loc bag and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- You can cook the rice, and then make the meat and rice filling ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
- Also, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready for dinner, preheat the oven, place the bell peppers in a baking dish, add the meat mixture and sauce, then bake according to the recipe directions!
Recipe Directions
- Step 1: Cook the rice ahead of time so it will be ready when you need it.
- Step 2: Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the sees and ribs (the white part inside the pepper).
- Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, chopped onion, and the spices. Cook until the ground meat is browned
- Step 4: Next, add the can of diced tomatoes and the cooked rice.
If you are using extremely lean ground meat, add a drizzle of oil to the pan before adding the meat and onions.
If the meat has more fat in it, you may want to drain some of the excess oil before moving on to the next step.
- Step 5: Stir the mixture together and sample test the seasoning, adjust if necessary.
- Step 6: Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and add the bell pepper halves.
- Step 7: Spoon the rice and meat mixture into the bell peppers. (I used my ice cream scoop for this)
- Step 8: Mix together the can of tomato sauce and spices and pour over the top of the bell peppers.
- Step 9: Cover and seal the baking dish with foil and bake for about 30 minutes until the bell pepper are soft. Use a fork to test them.
- Step 10: Add the cheese on top of the peppers and return to the oven, without the foil, for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Cool slightly and serve!
Mom Tip
Leftovers of stuffed bell peppers are easily reheated in the microwave. Heat individual servings, lightly covered with a moist paper towel, until heated through.
Enjoy!
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Recipe
Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers
Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers. Meat and rice stuffed peppers topped with a tomato sauce and melted cheese. Almost as good as grandma used to make.
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Rate
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 345kcal
Ingredients
For the peppers
- 4 Green Bell Peppers or pepper color of your choice.
- 1 lb. Ground Beef *85/15 works great
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes more if you like some heat
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 14 oz Diced Tomatoes can
- 2 cups Rice cooked
For the sauce
- 15 ounce Tomato Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Topping
- 2 cups Colby / Jack Cheese or Cheddar, shredded
Instructions
- Cook the rice and set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the sees and ribs (the white part inside the pepper).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
For the filling
- Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, chopped onion, and the spices. Cook until the ground meat is browned
- Next, add the can of diced tomatoes and the cooked rice. Stir the mixture together and sample test the seasoning, adjust if necessary.
- Place the halved peppers in the prepared baking dish.
- Spoon the rice and meat mixture into the bell peppers. (I used my ice cream scoop for this)
For the sauce
- Mix together the can of tomato sauce and spices and pour over the top of the bell peppers.
- Cover and seal the baking dish with foil and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the bell pepper are soft. Use a fork to test them.
- Add the cheese on top of the peppers and return to the oven, without the foil, for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Cool slightly and serve!
Notes
*If you are using extremely lean ground meat, add a drizzle of oil to the pan before adding the meat and onions.
If the meat has more fat in it, you may want to drain some of the excess oil before moving on to the next step.
Can I prep stuffed peppers ahead of time?
- Yes! You can cut and clean the bell peppers, then place them in a Zip-loc bag and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- You can cook the rice, and then make the meat and rice filling ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
- Also, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready for dinner, preheat the oven, place the bell peppers in a baking dish, add the meat mixture and sauce, then bake according to the recipe directions!
Nutrition
Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 855mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 864IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 3mg
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