Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hey Hungry Friends! Let’s Make Magic in a Pepper Bowl

Picture this: it’s Tuesday night. You’re tired, maybe a little hangry, and the takeout menu sounds suspiciously similar to last Thursday’s regret. What if I told you there’s a hero dish waiting in your kitchen? One that wraps juicy beef, fluffy rice, and tangy tomato sauce in a vibrant bell pepper hug? That’s right – we’re diving into my Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers, the ultimate edible sunshine that turns basic ingredients into pure comfort. No fancy skills required, just hungry hearts ready to cook.

I call these “kitchen confetti” because they’re as cheerful as they are delicious. They’re my go-to when I need something nourishing that doesn’t babysit the stove. Think of bell peppers as nature’s cutest Tupperware – they hold everything together while adding that sweet crunch. We’re talking weeknight warrior meets dinner party rockstar. And that tomato bath they simmer in? Pure liquid gold. I’ll show you how to build layers of flavor so deep, your taste buds will send thank-you notes. Ready to roll up those sleeves? Let’s get stuffing!

The Night These Peppers Became My Culinary Comfort Blanket

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Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hearty, flavorful, and packed with classic Italian comfort — these beef and rice stuffed bell peppers are a satisfying all-in-one meal. Juicy bell peppers cradle a savory filling of seasoned beef, tender rice, garlic, and herbs, all simmered in rich tomato sauce. Simple, nourishing, and always a crowd-pleaser.

  • Author: Mason Hartman
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 60 min
  • Total Time: 80mins
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

6 bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeds removed

3 cups chunky tomato sauce, divided

½ onion, very thinly sliced

1 cup beef broth

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

lbs lean ground beef

1½ cups cooked rice

½ cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 375°F (190°C).

Make Sauce Base: In a baking dish, mix 1 cup tomato sauce, beef broth, red pepper flakes, and sliced onion.

Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, remaining tomato sauce, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended.

Stuff Peppers: Fill each bell pepper with the beef mixture. Place in the baking dish with the sauce base.

Bake Covered: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Finish Uncovered: Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes, until peppers are tender and tops are browned.

Garnish & Serve: Sprinkle with extra parsley and serve hot.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 340
  • Fat: 15g
  • Carbohydrates: 18g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 27g

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Rewind to my first tiny apartment kitchen – roughly the size of a broom closet with questionable ventilation. I’d just bombed a fancy French recipe (we don’t talk about the burnt shallot incident), and my best friend Ava showed up unannounced with grocery bags. “Emergency comfort rations,” she declared, dumping bell peppers and ground beef on my counter. “We’re making Grandma Rosa’s peppers.”

As we hacked pepper tops off like mad surgeons, Ava shared stories of her Nonna’s chaotic Sunday dinners. How these humble peppers always anchored the table, no matter who showed up or what drama unfolded. We laughed as tomato sauce splattered my rental-white walls (still there, 10 years later – consider it “flavor confetti”). When we pulled them from the oven, blistered and fragrant, I understood: great food isn’t about perfection. It’s about rice-stained fingers, shared stories, and that first bite where you close your eyes and go “Oh. YES.” Every time I make these now, I send Ava a pic. She replies with “Nonna approved.”

Your Flavor Arsenal: Simple Ingredients, Big Impact

Gather these kitchen friends:

  • 6 bell peppers (any color) – Pick vibrant, firm ones that stand tall! Reds are sweeter, greens are punchier. No peppers? Zucchinis work in a pinch.
  • 3 cups chunky tomato sauce, divided – Use homemade or a quality jarred marinara. Chef secret: Rao’s Arrabbiata adds a spicy kick!
  • ½ onion, very thinly sliced – They melt into silky ribbons during baking. Yellow or white onions work best.
  • 1 cup beef broth – This creates our flavor bath. Swap with veggie broth if needed.
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes – Just enough warmth to make things interesting. Omit if sensitive to spice.
  • 1½ lbs lean ground beef (90/10) – Lean prevents greasiness. For a lighter twist, ground turkey sings here too.
  • 1½ cups cooked rice – Leftover rice is PERFECT. White, brown, or jasmine all work. Pro tip: Slightly undercook it – it absorbs sauce while baking!
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano – None of that dusty green can stuff! Freshly grated melts creamier and adds umami magic.
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley – Brightens the whole dish. Dried works (use 1 tbsp) but fresh is king.
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced – Because life’s too short for bland food.
  • 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper – Season like you mean it!
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley (garnish) – The confetti finish!

Let’s Build Those Flavor Bombs: Step-by-Step

Preheat Oven to 375°F (190°C)
This sweet spot ensures peppers soften without collapsing. While it heats, blast your favorite cooking playlist!

Make Sauce Base
In your baking dish (a 9×13 works great), mix 1 cup tomato sauce, beef broth, red pepper flakes, and sliced onion. Swirl it around – those onions will caramelize into jammy goodness beneath the peppers! Chef hack: Add a splash of balsamic vinegar here for extra depth.

Prepare Filling
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, remaining 2 cups tomato sauce, Parmigiano, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Now, channel your inner kid making mud pies: use clean hands to mix JUST until combined. Overmixing = tough beef! Texture tip: It should look like a chunky, saucy Bolognese.

Stuff Peppers
Cut tops off peppers (save for snacks!) and remove seeds. Pack filling generously into each – really mound it! They’ll shrink as they bake. Nestle them snugly into the saucy bath. Leaning peppers? Trim a sliver off the bottoms to help them stand straight.

Bake Covered
Tightly cover the dish with foil. This traps steam, making peppers tender and infusing the filling with flavor. Bake 45 minutes. Your kitchen will smell like an Italian nonna’s hug!

Finish Uncovered
Remove foil – hello, beautiful! Bake another 15-20 minutes until peppers are fork-tender (pierce easily!) and filling tops are golden-brown. Watch for that caramelized cheese crust – that’s flavor gold!

Garnish & Serve
Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Let them rest 5 minutes (so they hold shape!). Spoon that glorious onion-tomato broth from the dish over each serving.

Plating Perfection: How to Serve Your Masterpiece

Slide a spatula under each pepper to keep it intact, and place it in a shallow bowl. Ladle that rich tomato-onion broth from the baking dish around the base like a moat of flavor! For a restaurant touch, sprinkle extra Parmigiano and a crack of black pepper. These stand tall on their own, but I love pairing them with garlic-rubbed toasted bread for sauce-dunking or a crisp arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut the richness. Family-style? Plop the whole baking dish in the center – let everyone dig in!

Mix It Up! 5 Delicious Twists

  • Mediterranean Magic: Swap beef for ground lamb, add crumbled feta, chopped Kalamata olives, and oregano.
  • Tex-Mex Fiesta: Use taco seasoning instead of salt/pepper, mix in black beans and corn, top with pepper jack cheese, and garnish with avocado.
  • Veggie Powerhouse: Replace beef with 2 cups cooked lentils or quinoa, and add diced zucchini to the filling.
  • Cheesy Dream: Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella to the filling. During the last 5 minutes uncovered, top each pepper with extra cheese and broil until bubbly!
  • Pizza Party: Stir ¼ cup chopped pepperoni into the filling, use pizza sauce, and top with mozzarella.

Mason’s Musings: Pepper Tales from the Trenches

This recipe has evolved from my early days of using minute rice and canned cheese (shudder!). The biggest game-changer? Using pre-cooked rice – it absorbs flavors better without turning mushy. And that saucy bath? Born from a happy accident when I ran out of marinara and improvised with broth. Now it’s mandatory! A funny memory: I once used gigantic peppers that barely fit in my dish. They baked into leaning towers of deliciousness – we ate them with spoons like edible soup bowls. Perfection’s overrated; flavor is king. Pro tip: Double the filling and freeze half for a future “I can’t even” night!

Stuffed Pepper SOS: Your Questions Answered

Q: My peppers are still firm after baking! Help?
A: Thick-walled peppers can be stubborn. Next time, blanch them whole in boiling water for 3-4 minutes before stuffing. Or, just bake covered longer (add 10-15 mins).

Q: Can I prep these ahead?
A: Absolutely! Assemble completely (unbaked), cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5-10 minutes to the covered bake time since they’re cold.

Q: Is the filling supposed to be loose?
A: It firms up as it bakes! If yours seems too wet pre-bake, add 2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs to the mix. Too dry? A splash of broth or extra tomato sauce helps.

Q: Freezer-friendly?
A: Yes! Bake completely, cool, then freeze individually wrapped peppers (sauce included!) for up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 350°F until hot (about 30-40 mins).

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)

⏱ Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 60 min | Servings: 6
🔥 Calories: ~340 | 💪 Protein: 27g | 🍚 Carbs: 18g | 🥑 Fat: 15g | 🌾 Fiber: 3g

Final Thoughts:

These stuffed peppers aren’t just dinner—they’re a hug from the inside out. With their savory beef-and-rice center, cozy tomato broth, and that sweet-crisp pepper shell, they prove comfort food can also be vibrant and fresh. Whether you’re feeding picky kids, impressing friends, or just trying to get through a Tuesday with something satisfying on your plate, these peppers always deliver. And every time you ladle that sauce over the top, it’s a reminder: sometimes the best meals come from simple roots and shared stories. So grab a fork, call your people, and let the kitchen confetti fly

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