Stuffed Green Peppers

Stuffed Green Peppers prove dinners don’t need extravagance to be good. The ease and fresh flavor of this stuffed green pepper recipe make this a reoccurring weeknight meal for the family!

We all have eaten peppers as a side or in our salad. They have great flavor and can even add a little heat. But have you ever tried stuffed peppers?

With the meat inside, the sauce ladled over, and the melty cheese to top it all off, these stuffed green peppers really do hit the spot. The best part is that you don’t need too much time or effort to make these Stuffed Peppers. So, you can tend to more important nightly activities. 

Tips for getting your Stuffed Peppers right!

1. Be sure there’s enough water in your baking dish. Check occasionally so that water doesn’t boil away. Add more if necessary.
2. If your peppers won’t stand up in the dish, just cut a thin slice off the bottom. Try not to cut into the pepper though, so you don’t lose any filling.
3.  Use two large spoons to remove the peppers and serve.
4. Cover the peppers with any remaining heated spaghetti sauce or serve it on the side.
5. Choose another ground protein, like ground sausage or turkey, or even shredded chicken if beef isn’t your favorite.

Ingredients for easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

You should have most of the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry already. Here are the simple ingredients for stuffed peppers:

• 4 medium-sized sweet green bell peppers (large green peppers will work, but need more filling)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup cooked rice (hot or cold)
• 24 ounces tomato sauce or pasta sauce
• Grated parmesan cheese

Can I use instant rice in this filling?

If you don’t want to wait an extra 20-ish minutes to cook fresh rice, cooking instant rice is a great alternative!

This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover rice from another night! You can use either white rice or brown rice in this classic recipe. I prefer long-grain rice, but other varieties work well too.

How to make Stuffed Peppers

This is a pretty quick and easy recipe to prepare. You’ll have dinner on the table in just over an hour!

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse the peppers and cut off the pepper tops with a sharp knife. Remove the core and seeds, then set them aside in an 8×8 baking dish.

For the rice filling:

In a large 10-inch skillet, drizzle and warm olive oil, then add the chopped onions and saute on medium-high heat until translucent and fragrant. Add the one-pound ground beef and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Drain fat if needed and reduce to low heat.

Add garlic powder, table salt, and pepper to the beef. Stir all ingredients with a wooden spoon over low heat until combined. Add cooked rice and 1 1/2 cups of pasta sauce to the skillet and mix thoroughly. Now, stuff peppers by placing the meat mixture evenly into each pepper.

Pour two cups of water around the peppers into the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until the peppers are tender. As they cool, pour the remaining pasta sauce into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel, and cook for one minute. Put the peppers into a serving dish and cover them with heated pasta sauce before sprinkling them with Parmesan cheese. 

This recipe is adapted from The New Doubleday Cookbook.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, these stuffed green peppers only serve four, but I think if there’s more of a family to feed, doubling the recipe won’t be that difficult to do. Remember, this isn’t a dinner where there needs to be that WOW factor. Just cook that beef, add the onions and garlic, and you got yourself something just as simple as cereal, but a lot better tasting and more filling, too!

Can I make these peppers ahead of time?

Though these are pretty quick to make before dinner, you might have the need to make them ahead of time. In that case, Cook the filling, stuff the peppers with that cheesy ground beef, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Place them in the fridge till ready to bake, up to 2 days ahead of time.

Can I freeze Stuffed Peppers?

Don’t freeze the peppers stuffed or they will go soggy on you when they thaw. The filling itself freezes great though! Feel free to make the filling ahead of time and freeze it, then continue the recipe as directed once everything is thawed and you are ready to bake.

What to serve with Stuffed Green Peppers

These are a pretty filling and healthy recipe, but if you just need a little more, try serving it with this Jalapeno Skillet Cornbread or this Corn Pudding. I also think they would go perfectly with Grandma’s Easy Homemade Italian Bread.

Favorite Pepper Recipes

If you can’t get enough of peppers in your meals, try one of these dishes for that sweet heat!

• Quinoa, Black Bean, and Turkey Stuffed Peppers (I used yellow peppers for this one!)
• Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Hummus
• Sweet Red Pepper Cornbread

Other Family-Friendly Meals You’ll Love

Here are some other recipes on my blog that I’m sure you’ll enjoy as well:

My Pepperoni Bread is one of those recipes you can make any time of the year. It’s quick and easy, and definitely family-friendly!

 I can’t say enough about this Taco Braid. This is a fun one to make for Taco Tuesday or any day of the week. It’s also really quick and easy to make, unlike a lot of recipes.

You can never go wrong with comfort food and that’s exactly what this recipe for a Classic Meatloaf is. Covered with a sweet and tangy glaze this is one dinner we never tire of and is even better the next day served as sandwiches for lunch.

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