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!

A stuffed bell pepper filled with rice and meat, topped with tomato sauce and garnished with parsley on a white plate.

Table of contents

More Great Recipes!
Recipe Ingredients
Can I prep stuffed bell peppers ahead of time?
Recipe Directions
Mom Tip
More Ground Beef Recipes
Printable Recipe

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.

More Great Recipes!

One of our most popular recipes is this simple Bell Pepper Casserole!

More of our favorite casseroles are this Ravioli Bake with Chicken, and this simple Taco Lasagna Recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for stuffed bell peppers, including bell peppers, ground beef, onion, tomato sauce, cooked rice, and spices.

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).

A skillet with ground meat and chopped onions.

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

A skillet on a cooling rack contains ground meat, diced tomatoes, and a mound of rice.

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.

A skillet filled with rice, ground meat, tomatoes, and spices, placed on a cooling rack with a wooden spatula.

Step 5: Stir the mixture together and sample test the seasoning, adjust if necessary.

Casserole dish with eight green bell peppers cut in half, placed cut-side up on a marble counter.

Step 6: Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and add the bell pepper halves.

A dish of green bell peppers stuffed with rice, ground meat, and tomatoes, ready to be baked.

Step 7: Spoon the rice and meat mixture into the bell peppers. (I used my ice cream scoop for this)

A tray of baked green bell peppers stuffed with rice and ground meat, topped with red sauce.

Step 8: Mix together the can of tomato sauce and spices and pour over the top of the bell peppers.

A baking dish with stuffed bell peppers topped with tomato sauce and rice, placed on a cooling rack.

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.

A glass baking dish on a cooling rack filled with stuffed bell peppers topped with tomato sauce and shredded cheese.

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.

A plate with a stuffed bell pepper smothered in tomato sauce and cheese, alongside a fork; a tray of them is seen above.

Cool slightly and serve!

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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.