Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef

Yellow bell peppers in a white dish topped with tomato sauce and cheese.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef

Craving a comfort food classic? Make my Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef using leftover rice, ground beef, spices mixed with tomato sauce, and stuffed into a bell pepper. Top with mozzarella cheese just before serving for a comforting dinner at home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 283kcal

Author Katie

Equipment

Glass Baking Dish
Frying Pan

Ingredients

6 Bell peppers
1 poun d Lean ground beef
¼ cup Onion diced
2 Garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 cups Leftover white rice
1 Zucchini shredded
4 cups Tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
½ cup Shredded mozzarella divided

Instructions

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.
While the water is heating begin cleaning and hollowing out the bell peppers. Once the water is to a boil carefully place each bell pepper in the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. *You want your peppers to be firm not mushy. Remove the peppers from the boiling pot of water and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
6 Bell peppers
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet begin browning the lean ground beef on medium heat (for about 5 minutes). Half way through the browning process as your breaking up the bits of ground beef add the diced onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
1 poun d Lean ground beef, ¼ cup Onion, 2 Garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
Once the ground beef is cooked through turn off the heat. Add the rice, shredded zucchini (if using) and 3 cups of tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning. Mix well until incorporated.
2 cups Leftover white rice, 1 Zucchini, 4 cups Tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
Carefully begin spooning the rice/beef mixture into each of the bell peppers until the pepper is packed full.
Add 1 cup of water to the baking dish.
Tent a piece of aluminum foil over the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the peppers from the oven. Add more sauce on top and sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
½ cup Shredded mozzarella
Remove from oven, garnish with fresh minced parsley and additional sauce if needed, and serve immediately.

Notes

Zucchini - I love to added shredded zucchini to my stuffed peppers. It blends into the peppers and a great way to add a hidden veggie in for the family (specifically kids who are picky eaters).
Bell Peppers - Two methods to pre-cooking the bell peppers (I prefer the boiling method as listed in my recipe above). If you don't want to dirty another pot you can place the peppers cut-side face down in the same baking dish you will bake them in with 1 cup of water. Tightly cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
Leftover Filling - You may have filling leftover depending on how large your peppers are. Reserve for serving once peppers are done.

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