Delicious, protein-packed stuffed bell peppers make for a crowd-pleasing meal the whole family will enjoy! This recipe is easy to make with rice, ground beef, veggies and melty cheese. Add this incredibly flavorful dish to your dinner menu or meal prep it for the week ahead!
6medium to largebell peppers (any combination of colors)
1-2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1smallyellow onionchopped
2clovesgarlicminced
2tablespoonstomato paste
1poundlean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1teaspoondried oregano
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce)can diced tomatoeswith juices
1cupshredded Monterey jack cheese or another favorite cheese
optional: freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a saucepan, follow package instructions to prepare the rice.
Meanwhile, cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds, then rinse. Lightly sprinkle the inside of the peppers with salt and place them in a microwave safe dish with about 1/2-inch of water. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until they start to soften. Alternatively, you can cover with foil and bake 20 minutes to soften the peppers.
While the peppers are precooking, make the meat filling. In a large skillet, over medium heat add extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Then, stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in ground beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain the excess fat.
Then stir in oregano, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes and the cooked rice. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes and until the liquid reduces some.
Scoop the beef mix into each pepper and sprinkle the shredded Monterey jack cheese over the tops.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes and until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storing leftovers. Place any leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
To reheat. Pop individual servings in the microwave and cook for about 2 minutes and until hot. To reheat in the oven, bake in a covered dish at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing. Make sure that they are completely cooled. Place in a freezer-safe container, seal, label, and date. Use within about 3 months of freezing.