Home > Dinner > Stuffed Peppers Stuffed Peppers December 15, 2019 | 3 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Stuffed Peppers are loaded with seasoned Italian sausage and ground beef, hearty cooked rice, fire-roasted tomatoes and marinara, and finished off with a good helping of freshly grated cheese. These peppers come together quickly and are roasted to perfection in the oven (no need to cook the peppers ahead of time). If you’ve never heard of or had stuffed peppers, you’re in for a treat! This meal consists of hollowed-out sweet peppers, stuffed to the brim with a deliciously seasoned filling of ground beef, Italian sausage, cooked rice, tomatoes, and seasonings. Roasted to perfection, covered in cheese, and enjoyed right out of the oven, these are the best Stuffed Peppers in town! Today I’m sharing how to make Stuffed Peppers, how to freeze them, what to serve on the side, and plenty of variation ideas. Let’s get started! How to make Stuffed Peppers The descriptions below correlate with the photos above. Sauté the onion until tender, add in the garlic, and then the tomato paste. While veggies and meat are getting nice and tender, cook the rice. In the recipe card, I share a foolproof way of cooking basmati rice that will give you perfect fluffy rice every time — and basmati rice is phenomenal in these peppers. This photo shows the exact bouillon cubes I use — they’re larger than the ones you’ll see in bouillon jars. I like Knorr® beef bouillon cubes for this recipe. Up-close image of the seasonings (Italian seasoning, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and pepper). Cook the sausage and beef until no longer pink. Add in the cooked rice, fire–roasted tomatoes, and all the seasonings (including the bouillon and Worcestershire sauce). Add in the marinara sauce and stir to combine; the filling is now ready! Prep the bell peppers — Slice off the tops, remove the ribs from inside, and load in the filling. QUICK TIP If your peppers are wobbly, they might not stay in place when you load them into the baking pan. You can cut off a thin slice of the pepper on the bottom to create a more stable base. Or, you can cut the peppers in half lengthwise and lay them down in the pan. Fill both halves with the filling and bake. Should I blanch the peppers before stuffing them? This is a common question for stuffed peppers, and some recipes do require it. For this recipe though, no blanching is required–Yay!) The peppers fully cook to a nice crisp-tender state that are easily cut through with a table knife. Can you freeze Stuffed Peppers? Yes! Stuffed Peppers freeze well and are a great time saver; make a double batch and enjoy these throughout the month. When frozen properly, these peppers will last for three months. How to freeze Stuffed Peppers Cook the peppers according to the recipe and then completely cool before freezing. Cover the pan of cooked peppers in foil, and then wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap to completely seal the dish (if anything is uncovered, it’ll get freezer burned). How long do you reheat them? When ready to eat, remove the wrapping and bake the peppers (straight from the freezer) at 350 degrees F until they are thawed and heated through– about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, allow the peppers to thaw for a few hours in the fridge, and then the cooking time to reheat the peppers will be even shorter. What do you serve with Stuffed Peppers? These stuffed peppers with rice, sausage, and beef have a relatively hearty filling, so it’s a good idea to pair them with something light and crunchy. Here are our favorite side dishes: Cucumber Salad (or this Asian Cucumber Salad) Roasted broccoli or Roasted carrots (savory version) Buttered or marinara-coated noodles Sautéed zucchini or yellow squash Italian Salad Quinoa Salad Grilled corn on the cob (or Elote) Variation ideas Mexican Stuffed Peppers: To add a Mexican twist to these peppers, use diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Ro*Tel®) instead of the fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Replace the marinara with enchilada sauce, and replace the seasonings with 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika. Top with a Mexican cheese blend instead of Cheddar. Stuffed Peppers without rice: Replace the rice with quinoa, farro, or barley. Cook any of those grains according to package directions and add in place of the cooked rice. Switch out the cheese: Use your favorite mild cheese to top the peppers. Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, or Colby Jack would all be delicious. Stuffed Peppers healthy variations: To make these a bit healthier, replace the ground beef and Italian sausage with ground turkey and reduce or use low-fat cheese. Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers: These peppers are pretty heavy on the meat, but you can replace the meat with a can of (drained and rinsed) black beans and a cup of frozen corn (or follow this recipe). More easy dinner recipes: Pasta Soup with Italian sausage Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls reader favorite Rotisserie Chicken Tacos ready in about 20 minutes Chicken Ramen easy skillet meal Chicken Stir Fry with a delicious sauce FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Stuffed Peppers 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe These Stuffed Peppers are loaded with seasoned Italian sausage and ground beef, hearty cooked rice, fire-roasted tomatoes and marinara, and finished off with a good helping of freshly grated cheese. These peppers come together quickly and are roasted to perfection in the oven (no need to cook the peppers ahead of time!). SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Stuffed Peppers 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These Stuffed Peppers are loaded with seasoned Italian sausage and ground beef, hearty cooked rice, fire-roasted tomatoes and marinara, and finished off with a good helping of freshly grated cheese. These peppers come together quickly and are roasted to perfection in the oven (no need to cook the peppers ahead of time!). Course Dinner Cuisine American Keyword stuffed peppers Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes Servings 4 servings (6 stuffed peppers) Calories 479kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $6.81 Ingredients▢ 1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling▢ 1 and 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (~1 medium onion)▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~3 cloves)▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste▢ 1/2 pound lean ground beef▢ 1/2 pound Italian sausage mild or hot ▢ 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme▢ 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning▢ salt and pepper, to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each)▢ 1 large beef bouillon cube Note 1▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce▢ 1/2 cup marinara sauce (I like Raos)▢ 6 large sweet bell peppers (yellow, red, orange) tops and cores removed▢ 1 and 1/4 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese▢ freshly chopped parsley for garnishUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsCOOK RICE: Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse in cold water for 2-3 minutes or until water runs clear from the strainer. Place uncooked rice in a bowl and soak in cold water while you bring a very large pot of water to boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt the water (a teaspoon or so). Drain the rice through the sieve and add to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for exactly 5 minutes (do not reduce temperature; it should be boiling). Drain the rice and set aside. FILLING: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the onion and cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef and Italian sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes. Drain any fat and return the skillet to stovetop. Reduce heat to low.FILLING CONT.: Stir in cooked and drained rice, undrained diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Crumble in the bouillon cube and add in the Worcestershire sauce and marinara. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid has slightly reduced.PEPPERS: Meanwhile, remove the tops of the peppers (we'll use them in a minute) and pull out the core and seeds. Place the hollowed-out peppers (without their tops) in a 9x13-inch pan. Drizzle oil over the peppers (about 1 tablespoon). Stuff the peppers evenly with the filling; you should use all the filling between the 6 peppers. Cover the peppers with the pepper tops. Place in the oven for 35 minutes, uncovered, or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from the oven and remove the tops of the peppers (set aside). Divide the grated cheese evenly among the top of the peppers. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted on top. Remove, garnish with fresh herbs if desired, and serve with the tops on the side. Nutrition FactsServing: 4servings | Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 28.1g | Fat: 25.8g | Cholesterol: 82.2mg | Sodium: 991.6mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16.1g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This is one of my families favorite meals. I like it too because it’s easy to make. Great flavors and a happy family. What more can you ask for? Reply
