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Cheesy and savory, easy Stuffed Bell Peppers are made with flavorful ground beef and fluffy brown rice for a healthy recipe! These stuffed bell peppers are the best because they can be made with lean ground beef, sausage, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian ingredients. You will enjoy these stuffed peppers because they are made with homemade tomato sauce, cheddar cheese, garlic, onions, paprika, and juicy tomatoes.
Deliciously easy stuffed bell peppers are the best. Why? This healthy stuffed peppers recipe is made with tender and well-seasoned ground beef and mixed with fluffy rice to create a hearty satisfying meal filled with protein!
You can easily make this stuffed bell peppers recipe keto by substituting brown rice for cauliflower rice–or just make these peppers with no rice. It’s that easy! Enjoy healthy and cheesy flavors that taste so savory and delicious with classic southern ingredients like salt, pepper, oregano, tomatoes, etc.
This easy recipe for stuffed bell peppers is great for whenever you need new inspiration when it comes to dinner ideas. Family-friendly and the perfect mix of fresh veggies mixed with filling ground beef, these healthy stuffed peppers are ideal for dinners at home when you need something prepared in about 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
- Why this easy stuffed bell peppers recipe with fluffy rice and tomatoes is the best
- INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY STUFFED PEPPERS
- How to make this stuffed peppers recipe
- Frequently asked questions
- TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE
- MORE Easy and healthy dinner recipes to check out
- Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe with Ground Beef and Brown Rice Recipe
Why this easy stuffed bell peppers recipe with fluffy rice and tomatoes is the best
- Healthy: Filled with fiber, this stuffed pepper recipe is a great combination of ingredients that are delicious and nutritious at the same time. Gluten-free and made without artificial ingredients, these Southern-style stuffed peppers are healthy and wholesome.
- Delicious and Filling: Robust, homemade tomato sauce is absorbed into the ground beef and soft rice to create delicious aromatic flavors that taste delicious with garlic and onions. The bell peppers provide just enough crunch to give these peppers texture and fresh flavors.
- Family-Friendly: Most kids love cheesy ground beef with rice! You can serve these stuffed bell peppers deconstructed, too, if you need to make them a little more kid-friendly.
- Comforting: Cheddar cheese is melted until perfectly cheesy over the ground beef filling. This recipe has classic comforting flavors that are a little Italian due to the tomato paste and oregano.
- Easy and Versatile: You can serve these easy stuffed bell peppers all sorts of ways. Switch out different types of proteins for the fillings or leave the meat out altogether.
INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY STUFFED PEPPERS
- Bell peppers: You will need seven bell peppers. You can use any colored bell pepper such as green, yellow, red, or orange. Fresh bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, fiber, and other great nutrients. Be sure to remove the tops, cores, and seeds from the bell peppers before starting the recipe.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese makes these stuffed peppers cheesy and delicious. Feel free to switch the cheeses up.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley is used for garnishing the peppers right before serving. The fresh parsley adds a hint of fresh flavor to the peppers and is highly recommended!
GROUND BEEF FILLING
- Olive oil: Natural olive oil is smooth and a great vegetable-based oil for most cooking. Other types of cooking oils will work, too, such as avocado, grapeseed, coconut, etc.
- Onion: One medium yellow or white onion is enough to provide plenty of aromatic flavor to the stuffed peppers recipe. Get a head start by dicing your onion ahead of time or using frozen diced onion!
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is pungent and a great way to add a ton of flavor to a savory recipe. Pre-minced garlic will be your best friend if you are short on time.
- Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef when cooking with beef because it does not have as much grease. Other ground proteins will work, too, even meatless crumbles.
- Cooked rice: Fluffy brown rice is used because it is a little more nutritious than regular white rice; however, feel free to use any kind of cooked rice.
- Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are used to give these stuffed peppers a nice and tasty homemade tomato sauce.
- Tomato paste: The tomato paste is used to make the tomato sauce extra rich with tomato flavors.
- Oregano: Dried oregano is a great herb to use to give the ground beef mixture subtle Italian flavors.
- Smoked paprika: Fragrant smoked paprika is a great spice to use and can be used in all types of recipes. Smoked paprika is a little different than regular paprika and can be found in most spice aisles.
- Salt and pepper: Classic kosher salt and pepper are used to give these easy stuffed bell peppers all the seasoning they need.
How to make this stuffed peppers recipe
- Prepare bell peppers: First, cut the top of the peppers off and remove the seeds. Place open face up on a baking dish. Set the dish aside while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare the ground beef filling.
- Cook the beef: Next, heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add all the spices, tomatoes, and whatever veggies you would like to add. If you are using rice, then add cooked rice. Want to make stuffed peppers without rice? Skip this part and keep it as healthy and low-carb as you like.
- Simmer the tomato sauce: Cook the tomato sauce until it has thickened in texture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the peppers: Next, stuff the peppers with the cooked beef. Grate your cheese if you are using homemade grated cheese.
- Bake the peppers: Finally, bake the peppers for ten to twelve minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven, cover with shredded cheese, then bake for about five to seven more minutes. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
I’ve looked around to see what questions people usually ask about this recipe and I’ve answered a few for you below so you don’t have to go looking for them.
Not at all! In fact, if you avoid cooking the peppers beforehand, then they get a lot more crisp and crunchy!
Yes, it is highly recommended to cook meat before stuffing it into peppers because cooking it beforehand with the spices and seasoning gives it a ton of flavor and ensures it will be fully cooked prior to eating.
It takes around twenty minutes for the peppers to fully soften in the oven.
Be sure to avoid overcooking the bell peppers and add the shredded cheese towards the end of the cooking time. You can also sprinkle a few quick oats over the peppers once they have baked.
You do not have to boil the peppers beforehand, but boiling them ensures they are the perfect cross of firm but soft once they have been fully baked.
TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Instead of ground beef, use ground chicken, turkey, lean ground beef, bison, or ground pork like sausage.
- Make vegetarian stuffed bell peppers by omitting the meat and adding extra veggies or using soy or veggie-based meatless crumble.
- Use other types of cheese other than cheddar like mozzarella, Colby jack, Monterey jack, pepper jack, etc.
- Instead of rice, you can use fluffy quinoa.
- Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat the leftovers either in the oven or microwave.
- Freeze the peppers by placing them in an airtight container and placing them in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw the peppers in the refrigerator prior to reheating them in the oven. ‘
- You can use freshly diced tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes. Use premade tomato sauce to save time.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE
MORE Easy and healthy dinner recipes to check out
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
- Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna Boats
- Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Taco Stuffed Zucchini Cups
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Shrimp Fajita Bowls
- Ground Turkey Cauliflower Rice Recipe
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Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe with Ground Beef and Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1½ Cup Cooked Brown Rice
- 1 14.5 ounces Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika, see notes
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 7 Large Bell Peppers, top and core removed
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
- Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and place the peppers cut side up into a baking dish or a rimmed tray.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until softens, then stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.
- Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, for 5-6 minutes. Stir in cooked brown rice, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and smoked paprika.
- Cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 4-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Stuff each pepper with beef mixture and bake until peppers are mostly tender. About 10-12 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5-7 minutes more. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use quinoa instead of rice. For a low-carb option use cauliflower rice.
- Amount of paprika might be a bit intense for some, use 2 teaspoon instead
- You may use ground turkey instead of ground beef
- Any other bland or cooking oil in place of olive oil
- Use any other light or fat-free shredded cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Beef and brown rice is a wholesome, balanced meal that satisfies with tender meat and nutty, nutritious rice.
A family favorite!
Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Brown Rice is a satisfying and wholesome meal. Deliciously stuffed peppers make dinner both flavorful and nutritious. A family favorite.