Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed peppers are always a family favorite weeknight dinner. This classic version is packed with the best filling — juicy ground beef, fluffy rice, and plenty of veggies seasoned with Italian flavors. 

A baking dish filled with beef stuffed peppers.
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why These Stuffed Peppers Are a Dinner Favorite

Any recipe that involves “stuffing” something is always a winner in my book. It’s the best way to enjoy a handful of ingredients in one delicious bite — like my stuffed mushrooms, apple sausage stuffed butternut squash, and BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes. And when it comes to these stuffed peppers, they’re the perfect balance of protein, vegetables, and carbs for an all-in-one dinner recipe. You could even make my stuffed pepper soup for a fun variation! Here are some other reasons why you’ll love this recipe:

  • It’s easily customizable. You can tweak the filling to suit your dietary needs or personal preferences. Swap in different ground meats or vegetables, experiment with your favorite seasoning blends, or omit the cheese for a dairy-free option. I’ll share more ideas later in this post.
  • It’s perfect for meal prep. Not only can they be stored in the fridge for the week, but you can always freeze a few servings to enjoy in the future. It’s always nice to know you have a filling, healthy meal at your fingertips that just needs a quick reheat.
  • It’s made faster with my time-saving hack. Just pre-bake the peppers while you’re making the filling. This will save you an extra 15 minutes!
Ingredients for classic stuffed peppers.

Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

  • Ground Beef: I’m using lean ground beef for this recipe, but feel free to use any type of ground beef. You could also use ground chicken or ground turkey for a lighter option.
  • Rice: You can use any kind of rice, including white, brown, or wild rice.
  • Vegetables: I’m using a blend of onion, baby spinach, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a deliciously smoky depth of flavor. 
  • Aromatics & Seasoning: Fresh garlic and Italian seasoning give the filling so much flavor! If you don’t have Italian seasoning, swap in dried thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley.
  • Cheese: Monterey Jack cheese pairs nicely with this recipe. But you can also use shredded Pepper Jack, Swiss, or Mozzarella.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Stuffed Peppers

Bake the bell peppers. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membrane. Rub the insides and outsides with olive oil and arrange them face down in a baking dish. Then, bake them for 15 minutes to soften them up. 

Pro Tip: While some recipes slice the top off, there are a few reasons why I halve them through the stem. First, you won’t waste any of the bell pepper if you slice it lengthwise. Second, they don’t topple over when you try to slice into them after they’ve been baked. And third, they’re easier to store in flat storage containers for meal prepping.

Prepping bell peppers in a baking dish.

Sauté the ground beef. While the bell peppers are baking, sauté the onions, garlic, and ground beef. Make sure to drain off any excess liquid right after, especially if you have ground beef that has a higher fat content.

Cooking ground beef and onion in a pan.

Sauté the remaining ingredients. Add the rice, tomatoes, spinach, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Sauté for one to two minutes, until the spinach has wilted.

Ground beef filling cooked in a pan.

It’s time for stuffing. Remove the peppers from the oven and flip them over. Fill them with spoonfuls of the beef mixture, then top each one with a sprinkle of cheese. 

The final baking step. Place them back in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the peppers have softened enough. Then, just garnish with a little chopped parsley right before serving. 

Prepping stuffed peppers.

Stuffing Alternatives 

  • Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers: Ground beef, chickpeas, onion, rice, tomato sauce, feta, garlic powder and paprika.
  • Pesto Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers: Shredded chicken tossed with basil pesto, rice, diced cherry tomatoes, and spinach.
  • Vegan Mushroom and Walnut Stuffed Peppers: Diced mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, onion, rice, and taco seasoning.
  • Vegetarian Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers: Black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, rice, taco seasoning, pepper jack cheese, and chopped cilantro.
  • Breakfast stuffed bell peppers: Eggs, bacon, goat cheese, and a sprinkle of green onions. You can find this recipe in my Healthy Meal Prep cookbook!
Cooked stuffed bell peppers.

Storage Tips

  • Store for the week: After making the recipe, store the stuffed peppers in airtight containers in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
  • Freeze for later: You can freeze the peppers for up to 3 months. If you’re stacking them, be sure to place parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking.
  • For reheating: To reheat from frozen, bake the peppers directly in the oven at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 3 to 4 minutes. For quicker reheating, I recommend thawing them overnight in the fridge, which will reduce the reheating time by a couple of minutes.
Stuffed peppers sliced in half.

More Ground Beef Recipes

If you make this stuffed peppers recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Stuffed peppers in a baking dish.

Best Stuffed Peppers

4.97 from 124 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Stuffed peppers are always a family favorite recipe. They're filling, healthy, easily customizable, and are perfect for meal prep (if you're lucky enough to have any leftovers). Watch how I make them in the video below!

Video

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

  • 6 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
  • 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 (15-ounce can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cups cooked rice
  • ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
  • chopped parsley, for garnishing

Instructions 

  • Pre-roast the peppers. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil and rub both the inside and outside to coat them. Arrange them upside down in two baking pans or one sheet pan and pre-bake for 15 minutes.
    Prepped bell peppers in a dish.
  • Cook the onion and garlic. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes, until lightly softened.
    Cooked onions in a pan.
  • Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is browned, breaking it up with a spatula as needed.
    Ground beef and onions in a pan.
  • Add the flavoring. Drain off any excess liquid from the beef and stir in the diced tomatoes, rice, spinach, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir for a 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.
    Cooked stuffed pepper filling in a pan.
  • Fill the peppers. Remove the bell peppers from the oven and use tongs to flip them over. Fill the peppers with the beef mixture and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Place them back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.
    Stuffed peppers before baking.
  • Serve. Before serving, top with fresh chopped parsley.
    Ground beef stuffed peppers.

Lisa’s Tips

  • Each serving is two halves of stuffed pepper.
  • You can bake these in two casserole pans or one larger half-sheet pan. 
  • I prefer to use lean ground beef, so I don’t have to drain off any excess grease. But if you have a higher fat content ground beef, you’ll likely need to drain some fat. 
  • You can get 1 ½ cups of cooked rice by cooking ½ cup of dry rice (approximately). And if you don’t have time to make rice, you can also buy microwaveable rice as a quick and easy shortcut.
  • Freeze for later: You can freeze the peppers for up to 3 months. If you’re stacking them, be sure to place parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking.
  • For reheating: To reheat from frozen, bake the peppers directly in the oven at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 3 to 4 minutes. For quicker reheating, I recommend thawing them overnight in the fridge, which will reduce the reheating time by a couple of minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4736IU | Vitamin C: 156mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Stuffed Bell Peppers, stuffed bell peppers recipe, stuffed peppers, stuffed peppers recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally posted July 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.97 from 124 votes (1 rating without comment)

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286 Comments

  1. This recipe is a wonderful addition to our diet, my husband and I are trying to lose some pounds and this recipe is so tasty and also filling.5 stars

    1. Hi Shekinah – Thrilled to hear you and your husband are loving these stuffed peppers!