Looking for the best recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers? This classic comfort food recipe is simple to make and will remind you of Sunday night dinners. Make this delicious dinner any night of the week and put a smile on your face.
Stuffed Peppers
When talking about comfort food, stuffed peppers are always mentioned. That is because they are delicious and filling and inexpensive to make. Everything about stuffed peppers just makes your mouth water and now you can make them at home.
Is the Ground Beef Cooked Before Adding to the Peppers
Yes, you want to cook the ground beef before adding it to the peppers. The ground beef will not cook properly when you stuff it into the pepper and by the time it gets cooked, your pepper would be mush. Spend the few minutes to cook the ground beef, add the seasoning and other ingredients and it will be well worth it.
How Long to Cook Stuffed Peppers?
When you are cooking the stuffed peppers, you will cook the peppers for 15 minutes to give them a jump start. Then you will add the filling and bake them for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the bell peppers.
Can I Use Ground Turkey instead of Ground Beef?
You can easily swap ground beef with ground turkey. You can use 99% ground turkey breast but it can taste a little dry then. I would recommend using 85% to give it a little bit of fat to keep it from tasting dry.
Can I Cook the Stuffed Peppers in a Slow Cooker?
You can make these stuffed bell peppers in the slow cooker. You will skip the prebaking step and fill the peppers with the cooked filling. Cook the peppers on low for about 4 hours and until the peppers are tender. Add the cheese, cover again and then cook until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
How to Freeze Stuffed Bell Peppers
If you want to freeze these peppers, you will want to freeze them after they are cooked. This is a great way to save the leftovers to make them last longer and it makes a fast lunch or dinner idea. I would either freeze the stuffed peppers as a large batch to use as dinner another night or individually so that it is easy to pull them out for a quick lunch.
When you freeze the peppers, place the peppers in the container and make sure they are covered well. The peppers will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to reheat the peppers, I recommend letting them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It heats better this way. Then you can reheat them in the oven, if a large batch, or in the microwave for a smaller amount. If you are reheating in the oven preheat the oven for 350 and heat for about 10 minutes or until the peppers are heated through.
Are the Peppers Cut for Stuffed Bell Peppers
Some people like to cut the peppers in half when they are making stuffed peppers. Some do not. This is a personal decision, however, for this recipe, I am not cutting the peppers in half. I am only cutting the tops of the peppers off.
Ingredients Needed to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Ground beef
- Bell peppers
- Onion
- Garlic
- Rotel
- Tomato paste
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Cajun seasoning
- Brown rice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Pepper jack cheese
How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prep
Preheat the oven to 350° and spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Wash and cut the stems off of each pepper. Remove the seeds and membranes. If necessary, trim the bottom of the peppers evenly so they stand upright.
Step 2 – Cook Filling
In a large frying pan, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease and return to the frying pan. Add Rotel®, tomato paste, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir and cook until hot. Add Worcestershire sauce and cooked rice. Stir. Next, add in 1 cup of cheese and stir well until fully combined.
Step 3 – Assemble and Cook Peppers
Spoon meat mixture into peppers and top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the peppers, or until the peppers are tender.
Try This Delicious Today
Here are more recipes you might enjoy that you can find on the blog:
- Potatoes and Green Beans with Sausage
- Broccoli Mashed Potato Bake
- and for dessert, here’s a delicious Pineapple Upside Cake
And here is another recipe from our main blog, Great Grub, Delicious Treats, Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole you might enjoy.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers, green, red, orange
- 1½ pound ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 ounces Rotel, drained
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1½ cups brown rice, cooked
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Wash and cut the stem off of each pepper.
- Remove the seeds and membranes and, if necessary, trim the bottom of the peppers evenly so they stand upright.
- Spray a 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Precook peppers for 15 minutes before stuffing them for a more tender pepper.
- In a large frying pan, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink.
- Drain and return to pan.
- Add Rotel, tomato paste, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes to pan. Stir and cook until hot.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and cooked rice. Stir.
- Add 1 cup of cheese into meat mixture. Stir.
- Spoon mixture into peppers.
- Top with cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the peppers or until the peppers are tender.
Stuffed peppers sounds good never made them but am going to try this recipe.
Thank you so much! We hope you enjoy them Marylou!