This recipe originally appeared on Real Housemoms, where I am a contributor.
Classic Stuffed Peppers are a timeless family recipe. Made with ground beef, spices and rice, they are a filling one-dish meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes and can even be made ahead.
Classic Stuffed Peppers are bell peppers stuffed with ground beef, rice, cheese and spices. A timeless meal ready in 30 minutes and easily made ahead.
Stuffed Bell Peppers are part of my All-American recipe repertoire. You know, the ones that date back until …. Who knows when.
Dishes like meatloaf, chili and chicken cutlets. You can picture the 1950’s housewife in her pearls and petticoats proudly displaying the multicolored dish from the front door while serving her husband his coming home cocktail.
Perhaps an old fashioned? Pun intended…
These are the dishes that have passed the test of time and remain relevant today. Although stuffed peppers have undergone many fun and exciting variations, it is necessary to know the basic bell pepper recipe before you add any of those fun ideas.
This is a classic stuffed peppers recipe, so feel free to put your own spin on them. One of the best things about this recipe is that you basically can’t hurt it or mess it up. Seriously, it would take some pretty serious bad-cooking-expertise to do so.
Add odds and ends of vegetables leftover in the fridge. Top them with your favorite cheese or fresh herbs. Heck, even toss more cheese into the ground beef mixture!
Like them spicy? Add jalapenos, cayenne pepper or hot sauce. You can even add ground sausage or bacon.
I like to serve mine with a side of marinara sauce or even homemade salsa to sneak in more veggies and flavor.
You can use colorful bell peppers, but sometimes these can get pricey so feel free to use green bell peppers, which are typically cheaper.
Here are some commonly asked questions about stuffed peppers:
Are stuffed peppers healthy? Stuffed peppers can be healthy depending on what type of meat you are using. If you are using ground beef, try using a lean mixture or use ground turkey instead. Also sub white rice for brown rice.
Are stuffed peppers gluten free? If you just use rice, yes, stuffed peppers are gluten-free!
Can stuffed peppers be frozen? Sure! I would go ahead and assemble them and then wrap them super tight in plastic wrap and aluminum foil so there is very little air. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost or cook frozen for approximately 15 minutes longer.
Can you make stuffed peppers in the slow cooker? You can, but for this type of recipe, it doesn’t save you any time and cooking them in the slow cooker will actually make your bell peppers a little soggy. In this case, it is faster and more tasty to make them in the oven.
Can you grill stuffed peppers? Yes! And they have a whole new flavor when you do.. more smokey. Simply place them on the grill, sitting upright or in a grill basket, and close the lid until they start to soften and cheese melts. I recommend using indirect heat.
Can you make stuffed peppers vegetarian? Sure! Just omit the meat. I would suggest adding in more “meaty” vegetables like diced eggplant or squash.
If you liked this recipe, check these out:
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Grilled Turkey Zucchini Boats
- Sausage Stuffed Cherry Peppers
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Pepper Bake
Juicy Ranch Burgers
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Pizza Stuffed Peppers
Classic Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons onion , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 cup rice , cooked
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 bell peppers
- ¼ cup white cheddar cheese , finely shredded
- parsley , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain well, set aside.
- In the same skillet, add butter, onion and garlic, sauté until soft, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine drained ground beef, cooked rice, onion and garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and ground black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Cut the tops of each bell pepper, removing all seeds and membranes.
- Place in a baking or casserole dish. Fill with ground beef mixture.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until peppers start to soften. Remove and top with shredded cheddar cheese, return to oven until cheese has melted.
- Remove, garnish with parsley, and serve.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
Easy to follow recipe; appreciated that not a bunch of ingredients went into the making of the stuffing. I added diced tomato and a little bit of tomato paste because I like the sweetness :-). I didn’t have an onion on hand so I used minced onion plus added a little more spices only because I love spicy food! Thank you for the recipe!
Oh, fantastic! Glad you love them and thank you for coming back to let us know!
I liked the recipe, only problem was with making the stuffing with the amount that they called for there was not enough for 6 medium stuffed peppers. So I would double the stuffing and put the extra into a small casserole and bake it for those who don’t like peppers! I also added 2 tablespoons of Baby Ray’s honey barbecue sauce to give it a little bit of a kick! It was delish!!!
Thanks for the feedback!
This was one of my favorite meals as a kid. I can’t wait to make these classic stuffed peppers for my kids!
Right? I hadn’t made them in years and forgot how much I loved them!!!
Stuffed peppers are one of my favorites! Your version looks delicious. I’ll definitely have to give these peppers a try this week!
Stuffed peppers are such a great healthy dinner recipe, and we make them all the time in our house. These look particularly tasty!
Stuffed peppers are also very popular here in Italy! Yours look delicious. Definitely a great family meal!
These look perfcet for an easy weeknight meal! Packed full of flavor and texture. Yummy!