The Classic Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

This classic Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe is the perfect weeknight meal prep hack!

I'll show you the home chef's secret to getting a perfectly tender pepper shell and a savory beef-and-rice filling that's baked right into its own vibrant serving vessel. This is complete, nourishing comfort food, made easy.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

4 Bell Peppers any color, but green is traditional Use large, firm peppers.
1 pound Ground Beef 85/15 blend
1/2 med Yellow Onion finely chopped
1 cup Cooked Rice white or brown Must be cooked before mixing with the beef.
1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)
1/2 cup Beef Broth
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese For topping.
2 Tbsp Olive Oil For sautéing
To taste: Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Prep the Peppers: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Slice the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place the pepper halves, cut-side up, in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Par-Bake (Chef's Tip): Pour about 1/2 inch of water into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Par-bake the peppers for 20 minutes. This crucial step ensures the peppers are tender, not crunchy, when the dish is finished. Remove and drain the water.
Prepare the Filling: While the peppers par-bake, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
Season the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained ground beef, cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Stuff and Bake: Fill each par-baked pepper half generously with the meat and rice mixture. Pour the reserved tomato juice (from the drained can of tomatoes) and a little more beef broth around the peppers in the baking dish—this keeps the dish moist.
Finish: Cover the dish with foil again and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of each pepper, and bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.

Notes

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👨‍🍳 Chef's Cooking Tips

Par-Bake for Tenderness: The single biggest mistake is skipping the par-bake. Cooking the raw peppers for 20 minutes under foil ensures they are soft and tender by the time the filling is fully heated. Otherwise, the filling is done, but the pepper is still crunchy.

Use Cooked Rice: Make sure your rice is already cooked before mixing it with the meat. If you try to cook the rice inside the peppers, it will absorb too much moisture from the filling and the final result will be dry.

Keep It Moist: The reserved tomato juice and a little beef broth added to the bottom of the baking dish creates a moist, flavorful steam bath that keeps the peppers from drying out during the second bake.

🌱 Ingredient Replacement & Swaps

Replacing Ground Beef: Use Ground Italian Sausage (skip the Italian seasoning if you do) or Ground Turkey. For a vegetarian option, use a mix of quinoa and black beans.

Replacing Cooked Rice: Swap with Cooked Quinoa for a gluten-free option, or use Breadcrumbs soaked briefly in milk for a richer, more traditional filling texture.

Replacing Mozzarella/Cheddar: Use Feta Cheese (crumbled and mixed into the filling) for a Mediterranean twist, or Provolone slices for a sharper, meltier top.

For a Spice Kick: Add 1/2 tsp of Chili Powder or a few dashes of hot sauce to the meat mixture.

Keyword peppers, stuffed pepper, stuffed peppers