The BEST Stuffed Peppers Recipe Ever (Made Easy With Rice & Ground Beef)

Hey, y’all! I’m so excited to share this delicious stuffed pepper recipe. These stuffed peppers are crowd-pleasers, making them perfect for social gatherings.

They’re a great meal choice for holiday dinners, birthday parties, and game-day celebrations. I’ve made them for wedding receptions, prom send-offs, and even baby showers.

They’ve received high praise every time, with people asking for more. Unlike my other recipes, this one wasn’t inspired by family or adapted from a family recipe.

I created this recipe when I was 27, knowing very little about stuffed peppers. So I just used my talent and a lil creativity to pull this recipe off. LOL!

That’s why I smile when folks tell me how much they enjoy these peppers and how good they are. Scroll down for the full recipe. It’s printable and free at no cost to you.

Give them a shot; I’m sure you’ll love them like so many others have.

My Childhood Love/Hate Relationship with Bell Peppers

Let me start by saying, I hated bell peppers when I was a kid. I didn’t like their funky green color, their weird shape, or how they tasted.

Growing up in Philly, roasting and busting on people was part of our culture. Bell peppers were the go-to vegetable for cracking jokes about people’s appearances.

So maybe that’s why I had such a negative view of bell peppers. LOL! The bottom drawer of my grandma’s fridge was always filled with bell peppers.

She kept them in stock and added them to so many of the dishes we ate. That’s when I started appreciating them a little more.

The first time I tried stuffed peppers, I knew I’d make them one day. They were so scrumptious, and that changed my whole perspective on bell peppers.

I’ve been pro-peppers ever since; they’ve done wonders for my recipes. Let’s get into it!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for this delicious dish.

Meat & Rice Filling

• Meat: Use equal parts ground beef and sweet Italian sausage. Make sure to buy 80/20 ground beef for moisture and flavor. If you don’t eat pork, you can replace the sausage with more ground beef or turkey.
• Vegetables: We’ll be using standard yellow onions and stewed tomatoes.
• Rice: We’ll keep it simple with 10-minute Success white rice.
• Liquid: We’ll be using 2 quarts of water to boil 1 family-size bag of rice.
• Cheese: Make sure you pick up a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself.
• Condiments: I use ketchup for its tomato flavor and sweetness. I use tomato paste to thicken the filling and add richness. Worcestershire sauce adds depth of flavor and a mild smoky flavor. Garlic paste adds flavor to the filling with its savory, pungent notes. I always use it when creating a recipe that calls for ground beef.
• Seasonings: Celery salt, Italian seasoning, and oregano are the perfect combo of seasonings. Black pepper and crushed red pepper add warmth and a kick of heat. Brown sugar neutralizes the acidity in the filling.

Bell Peppers

• Peppers: Use 6 tall, big bell peppers so they can hold all the filling.
• Water: We’re going to use 3 quarts of water to preboil the peppers. A good amount of water is needed to keep the peppers fully submerged.

Bed

• Liquid: We’ll add 1 cup of stewed tomato juice to the pan to keep the peppers from sticking.
• Vegetables: We’ll also throw in a handful of yellow onions.

Topping

• Seasonings: I like to sprinkle parsley flakes over the cheese for color.

• Vegetables: We’ll top the peppers with stewed tomatoes to keep the filling moist.

• Cheese: I like to top my peppers with Parmesan and sharp cheddar cheese.

Shopping Guide

It’s frustrating when you realize you’re short on ingredients while preparing a dish. What about trying to figure out how many blocks of cheese covers 2 cups?

Below is exactly what you need so you don’t have to play the guessing game. This way, you wont run short on ingredients, and have to run back to the store. LOL!

• Block Parmesan & Cheddar Cheese: We’re using 1-1/2 cups of Parmesan and a 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. So buy 1 (8 oz) block of Parmesan cheese and sharp yellow cheddar cheese.
• Stewed tomatoes: The recipe calls for 2 cups of both stewed tomatoes and tomato juice. So you’ll need 1 (30 oz) or 2 (14 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes.

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Prepping and Parboiling the Peppers

First things first, we have to prep and parboil our bell peppers. Don’t skip this step! Pre-boiling the peppers gets them tender and shortens the cooking time.

These are the step-by-step prepping instructions for our bell peppers.

• Don’t overcook them. You want them to have some structural bite so they can hold their shape. To prevent mushy, limp peppers, take them out after 10 minutes.

• Cut off the top crown. Cut a big circle around the stem at the top of the pepper. You want to keep them tall enough to hold all that delicious filling. So try not to cut the edges of the peppers too low.

• Trim the rim. Slide the knife around the rim of the peppers so they’re evenly flat all the way around.

• Clear out the membranes. Carefully cut and clean out all the white membranes and seeds inside. Be careful not to poke holes in the peppers so our filling doesn’t ooze out.

• Parboil them. Drop the peppers into the pot once the water comes to a boil. Make sure they’re fully submerged so they soften evenly.

How To Make Stuffed Peppers

1. Place a medium pot over high heat.
2. Add 2 quarts of water.
3. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.
4. Boil for 10 minutes, then set aside.
5. Place a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the ground beef and sweet Italian sausage.
7. Break up the meat and cook for 10 minutes or until browned.
8. Once done, drain the fat.
9. Add 1 cup of the chopped onions.
10. Add the celery salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, and black pepper, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
11. Once done, add the garlic paste and stir well.
12. Add the meat and rice to a large mixing bowl.
13. Add 1 cup of stewed tomatoes, 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes.
14. Stir until well combined and set aside.
15. Place a large pot over high heat.
16. Add 3 quarts of water.
17. Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers.
18. Once the water comes to a boil, add the peppers (3 at a time).
19. Boil for 10 minutes.
20. Preheat oven to 350°F.
21. Add 1/4 cup of onions and 1 cup of stewed tomato juice to the baking dish.
22. Once the peppers are done, place them in the baking dish.
23. Stuff the peppers with the filling.
24. Spoon 1 cup of stewed tomatoes and 1 cup of stewed tomato juice over the peppers.
25. Bake the peppers for 30 minutes.
26. Top the peppers with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese.
27. Garnish the peppers with parsley flakes.
28. Bake the peppers for 10 more minutes.

Tips for Best Results

• Use big peppers: Tall wide peppers hold all the filling so you don’t have any left over.
• Taste test: Give the filling a taste test before stuffing and baking the peppers. This is the best time to decide if the filling needs more of anything.
• Stir well: Make sure you mix the filling well so everything is fully incorporated. Break up the chunky stewed tomatoes while combining everything.
• Keep the cheese moist: Add plenty of tomato juice to keep the cheese melted and gooey.

Variations for Stuffed Bell Peppers

• Mozzarella cheese: Want to switch it up? Try mozzarella. It’s a fantastic alternative that stretches and melts down smoothly every time.

• Ground turkey: Use ground turkey if you’re looking for a leaner, healthier option. Just keep in mind that it’s lower in fat, so the filling won’t be as moist. Reduce the skillet cooking time and add tomato juice to the filling.

• Ground chicken: Ground chicken is another solid alternative. It will taste different, of course, but it’ll still turn out pretty good. Keep in mind it’s also leaner, so it won’t be as moist.

• Different rice: You can get fancy and switch to yellow or brown rice if you like. Use whatever type of rice you think pairs well with the other ingredients.

Storage and Reheating

• How do you store stuffed peppers? Keep them in the baking dish or place them in a glass dish. Cover them with plastic wrap or foil and store them in the fridge.
• Can you freeze stuffed peppers? Place them in a Ziploc bag or heavy-duty freezer container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months as long as they’re tightly sealed. Let them thaw in the fridge for a while before reheating them.
• How to reheat stuffed peppers in the microwave? Place them in a microwave-safe dish and cook for 2–3 minutes. Cook on high and flip halfway through so they warm up throughout.
• How to reheat stuffed peppers in the oven? I split the peppers and place them on foil or a baking sheet. Bake them at 350°F for 20 minutes or until warm throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long do stuffed peppers last? They taste best when eaten within 3 to 4 days.

• Can you use different-colored bell peppers? I use a mix of colors sometimes, but always include a few green peppers. Bell peppers change from green to yellow and turn orange before turning red. Red peppers are the ripest and sweetest, while green peppers are the most bitter.

• Do I have to parboil the peppers? Pre-boiling them for 10 minutes shortens the baking time. It not only gets them tender but removes the bitterness.

• What’s a bed? A bed is a pile or layer of food that more food is placed over. The bed infuses the peppers with flavor and prevents them from sticking as they bake.

• Do you cover them while they bake? Do you cover them while they bake? No! You only cover them with foil if you don’t parboil them first. We did for 10 minutes, so they’re already pretty tender.

Cookware and utensils you’ll need:

• Large pot: You’ll need a 4–5-quart pot to hold the peppers and water. A small 2-quart pot will work for boiling the bag of white rice.
• Large skillet: You need a large skillet to brown the meat.
• Cheese grater: You’ll need this to grate the cheese.
• Big spoon: Use a large spoon to stir the filling.
• Large mixing bowl: Make sure you have a large mixing bowl to create the filling.
• Sharp knife: You’ll need a sharp knife to remove the head of the pepper.
• Casserole dish: Use a 8×10 baking dish to hold six bell peppers.

Other ground beef and sausage recipes

• Easy Spaghetti And Meat Sauce Recipe 
• World’s Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
• Easy Dirty Rice Recipe 

Ok, so that’s it all for now, folks. Rate the recipe and leave a review in the comment section. Dont forget to share the recipe and subscribe for more delicious recipes.

Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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