This classic stuffed peppers recipe features a rainbow of sweet red, yellow, and orange bell peppers filled with a rice and ground beef mixture. This is an easy, family-friendly dinner idea any night of the week and can even be made in advance.
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“We really, really like this recipe. We’ve made it several times and tweak it a bit each time, based on our mood. We’ve used ground beef, turkey and Italian sausage. I LOVE that you can change up the recipe to your liking and it still turns out terrific.” -Gary, FoodieCrush reader
You Can Have These Weeknight-Friendly Stuffed Peppers on the Table in an Hour
Ever since I was a starry eyed pre-teen, I’ve been a fan of drawing rainbows. Now I eat them.
But as a kid, I wrinkled my nose at the sight those orbed vegetables, and when they showed up on my dinner plate, I plotted how to ditch every single bite in a napkin that was slipped slyly to the dog anxiously waiting under the table. I was a kid, and eating a whole bell pepper even if it was stuffed with ground beef was not my idea of dinner. Now, it’s my favorite part!
As an adult, eating the food you hated as a kid suddenly becomes not. that. bad. and sometimes really, really good. So much so that I make these ground beef and rice stuffed peppers recipe on repeat pretty much all year long.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Customize the filling using what you have on hand. This is one of those throw-what-you-have-in-the-fridge type of recipes. Use my portions as guidelines but definitely put on your experimental hat when choosing ingredients.
Blanch the peppers to shorten the bake time. I always blanch the peppers briefly in the microwave to get the cooking process started while I work on making the filling.
Keep your peppers from falling over! To prevent the stuffed peppers from falling over, use a baking dish that snugly fits the peppers. The peppers shrink as they cook, so pack them in tightly when raw, and they’ll soften and fall a bit with heat. Another surefire way to keep them standing up straight is to trim the bottom of the pepper. This gives the bell peppers a flat surface to stand on by evening out their rollicking bottoms.
The Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Bell peppers — Today’s selection of peppers comes from a mix of grocery store varieties (red, yellow and orange) and ultra local farmer’s market (more yellows and purple) for a rainbow of sweetness begging to be stuffed. If you prefer green peppers, for sure go for it and use them instead.
- Lean ground beef — I choose 90% lean hamburger meat to prevent the filling from tasting greasy.
- Mushrooms — Use what you’ve got, be it white button, cremini, or portobello.
- Cooked white rice — Medium, long grain white rice or jasmine rice is the rice I use most often in stuffed peppers. But brown rice, Spanish rice, or other grains like farro or quinoa in these peppers are terrific options too.
- Diced tomatoes + tomato paste — Canned tomatoes are easy on the wallet and provide lots of moisture and flavor to the filling. Tomato paste lends the filling a been-simmering-for-hours flavor minus the time commitment.
- Corn, celery, onion and garlic — Mix and match the veggies and aromatics to create different flavor and texture profiles.
- Cheese — I added some grated fontina, but you could use Monterey jack or mozzarella or whatever’s on hand.
- Spices — I raided my spice cabinet and wound up using tried and true Italian staples like dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes to flavor the filling.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the white rice for cooked brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, farro, or another favorite grain.
- Omit the rice entirely for a high-protein, low-carb variation of this dish.
- Replace the ground beef with ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy), ground chicken, or ground pork will all work. If using a leaner ground meat, like chicken or turkey, you might need to add extra spices and / or oil to the pan since they’re drier and less flavorful than beef.
- Use a different cheese or omit entirely. Shredded Parmesan, crumbled feta, medium cheddar, or Pepper Jack could all be substituted.
- Make them Mexican-inspired with this easy Mexican stuffed pepper recipe.
How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice
- Brown the ground beef. Adding juicy, browned meat adds loads of flavor to this dish, so be sure not to skip this step. Brown the meat before adding the vegetables, where they will soften and gain flavor, and add the seasoning afterward to simmer and meld the flavors.
- Simmer the filling. Stir in the canned tomato products and spices, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. Stir in the rice last, cooking just long enough to warm it up (but not so long that it turns mushy).
Heidi’s Tip: This is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked rice. Or, while the meat is cooking, prepare the white rice or other grain you’re adding to the pepper mixture, and stir it into the meat and vegetables just before filling the peppers.
- Blanch the peppers (my secret time saver!). I always pre-cook my peppers by adding them to a microwave-safe baking dish and sprinkling the interior of the peppers with a bit of kosher salt, then adding ¼ cup water to the bottom of the dish. Cover the peppers and give them a 5 minute blast in the microwave to pre-cook and soften them.
Heidi’s Tip: Cut the tops off of the peppers to stuff the whole thing with beefy goodness. Or, if you prefer smaller portions, cut the peppers in half and serve open faced.
- Stuff, then bake. Pack those peppers with the hot filling, sprinkle liberally with cheese, then bake until the cheese is golden and the bell peppers are soft.
Make-Ahead Option
You can assemble these ground beef stuffed bell peppers in advance by blanching and filling them, then refrigerating for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, set on the counter while the oven preheats so they don’t go in fridge-cold.
Once baked, the peppers will last up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Frozen stuffed peppers can be reheated in the microwave or oven from frozen, no need to thaw first!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
THE BEST Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 4 mushrooms , chopped
- 3 ears fresh corn kernals (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn)
- 2 ribs celery , chopped thinly
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 ½ cups cooked long grain white rice
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Prepare the filling. Brown the ground beef in a large fry pan over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until cooked almost through. Add the mushrooms, corn kernels, chopped celery, onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer. Season with kosher salt and ground pepper to taste and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice. Stir in cooked rice and chopped parsley and cook for another 5 minutes or until the rice is warmed through.
- Prepare the peppers. Meanwhile, cut off the tops of the peppers and spoon out the ribs and seeds, then rinse. Lightly sprinkle the inside of the peppers with kosher salt and place in a microwave safe dish with ¼ cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Bake. Transfer to a 3 quart baking dish and fill the peppers with the hot meat and rice mixture. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is browned. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
If you blanch the bell peppers first as instructed, you can then stuff them with the warm filling and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until fork-tender and the cheese begins to bubble.
Absolutely! Freeze stuffed peppers after cooking them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them in individual servings for lunch or pull out for a quick-to-heat dinner.
To reheat frozen stuffed peppers, microwave in a microwave-safe container for 20 minutes on HIGH heat or until warmed inside. To cook in the oven, preheat to 375°F and cook for 1 hour.
Simple: you overcooked them! If you know your oven runs hot, start checking the stuffed peppers at the 15-minute mark to be safe.
What to Serve With Stuffed Peppers
More Easy Stuffed Pepper Recipes
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Jenna
Try crumbling italian sausage next time instead of ground beef, I swear it is unbelievable! :)
Minnie
I use a pound of ground turkey and add hot sausage to it for a great flavor.
Skeezix
That’s what I use for meatloaf, Minnie. Instead of breadcrumbs, which are bland, I use seasoned stuffing mix. That can be used for the stuffed peppers too.
DJS
90% of folks say ..this looks good…..but never actually made it. 5% say great, but I changed the recipe…..made something else!!! 5% actually made the recipe…good luck finding.
Marcia Harriman
You are not going to share? I agree with you, every single reply was from someone who HAD NOT EVEN TRIED THE RECIPE????? Correct me if I’m wrong, but why waste yours and my time if all you have to offer is “(it looks good or I’ll try I it!”
Norma T
I made the recipe exactly as shown. Made it as a birthday dinner treat for my brother who loves stuffed bell peppers and as I had no recipe of my own found this one. Mind you, I myself hadn’t eaten any in 40 years, not a dish i crave. To my surprise, my brother said these were the best he had ever eaten and I really liked them too ! Making them again today.
So glad you both enjoyed!
Max
Great recipe! I had to sub the tomatoes and tomato paste for basil pasta sauce but it worked ok haha
Hey now Max! That’s a great substitution. I’ll keep that in mind when I’m out of tomato paste. Thanks for sharing.
Ellen
I do not recommend microwaving anything wrapped in plastic. You do not want plastisizers leaching into your food. What I do in this case in place the peppers on top of a double boiler and steam them for 15 minutes. Takes a bit more time but is far better than nuking it in a microwave wrapped in plastic.
Ellen
i meant *in* a double boiler the top compartment for steaming :)
Hi Ellen, that’s a great alternative. Thanks for the tip.
Cynthia Williamson
I put mine in my Tupperware microwave steamer and covered it with my microwave splatter cover. No plastic wrap and much easier than steaming. Soft and delicious.
Skeezix
I agree. I use a glass bowl covered with a ceramic plate when using the microwave. If it’s absolutely necessary to top something with plastic wrap, poke a hole in the middle of it so that it doesn’t sink down and come in contact with the food as the dish heats up.
Jessy Dayani
Omgosh what a delicious meal! Perfect for my family of 5 and still have for lunch tomorrow!
Great tip about the peppers. I also substituted the rice for half cup brown and 1 cup of dark quinoa everything else was kept the same, and everyone including my daughter the picky eater, enjoyed this meal :) thank you!!
Ruth
These pictures of your stuffed peppers look mouth watering. I would like to try them out sometime. When you put the peppers in the microwave do you have to cover them with plastic?
We do cover them with plastic.
m delgatty
A lid works fine too, and doesn’t add to the planet’s plastic pollution…
LovesToCook
This stuffing is very close to meatloaf, so if your husband does not like peppers, you might divide the filling and add an egg for binder to half the mixture. When ready to bake, mound up half the mixture to make a mini meatloaf for those who would prefer no bell pepper. I might just do that tonight!
That’s a great idea Robbin. Thanks for commenting.
Linda
I have done that
Nicole
I love bell peppers but my husband really hates them. Would substituting a tomato for a bell pepper work?
You could certainly try it but monitor the cooking time. I haven’t ever tried it with tomatoes.
Jeni Clarizio
I used red and yellow tomatoes I found at a farmer’s market. I microwaved the two red peppers I had and did NOT do the same to the tomatoes, just hollowed out and stuffed, then baked the allotted time! DELICIOUS – both versions. I also used marinara sauce instead of canned tomatoes and added a bit of pecorino romano cheese for a bit of tuscan flair.
bridget
I hated bell peppers until I tried stuffed ones! If he really detests them, he doesn’t have to eat the bell pepper itself, just the stuffing.
Sheri
My husband also doesn’t like peppers, so I put the filling in a ramekin and baked it separately. He enjoyed it that way. You could probably put the filling in cabbage to make stuffed cabbage, too.
Ginger
I omitted the rice and we served the filling over mashed potatoes with shredded Asiago on top. It was delicious!
I think I’ll try adding shredded carrots when I make it again.
Thank you!
Skeezix
I also omitted the rice since my family and I don’t eat grain products. I replaced it with diced peeled eggplant, which picks up the other flavors. I left out the corn as well (didn’t have any), and skipped the cheese topping out of personal preference. I used two cans of diced tomatoes and poured some in the bottom of the pan, along with a little beef broth and wine. It made a lovely sauce for the peppers.
Elizabeth
This was outstanding, and I was out of a lot of the ingredients – I was out of celery and mushrooms and had to sub ketchup for tomato paste. Nevertheless, this still came out just perfect. Love the microwave technique to soften the peppers before baking!!
That’s what cooking is all about, using what you have to make it work! Yes, the microwave is a big time saver for pre-cooking the peppers.
Violet
I used black beans instead of ground beef As I am vegetarian. This was quite delightful, and I will do this again.
Byron Bradley
Can I substitute the 1 pound of ground beef with half pound ground lamb and half pound ground turkey? We already eat enough ground beef as a family and I’m trying to introduce the children to something different.
I haven’t made them with that combo before, but I don’t see why not. The meat may be a little drier since it’s leaner.
loraine
Replace ground beef with ground turkey dont even tell your family your doing if they most likely won’t know the difference I haven’t used ground beef in all most 20 year’s
Kerri
Are the herbs in this recipe dry or fresh? It will make a big difference on measurements.
jim
These were so damm good, I used ground italian sausage instead on beef. Also with the portion size of the stuffing that the recipe calls for it was enough to stuff at least 8 large peppers…which was fine by me..This would be a great stuffing for so many things..Pork chops,shells,ravioli,empanadas the list goes on…. thankx, the “carpenter cook”
anon
What size “cans petite diced tomatoes with juice” do you use? It isn’t specified in your recipe.
I use 14.5 ounce cans, two of them. Thanks for catching that omission. I’ve fixed it in the recipe.
bev @ bevcooks
Stuffed bellies are my FAVE. Bell peppers are, too.
Heather Horton
What are stuffed bellies
Tieghan
These look so incredible! Love that cheese! :)
Kelly
I love bell peppers, especially red and orange peppers. I will definitely try this recipe soon. Thanks for the tips on salting the inside of the pepper and then microwaving it for a bit!
Monique @ Ambitious Kitchen
These look so so wonderful, Heidi! I made stuffed peppers the other day and haven’t been able to stop. YUM!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
GORGEOUS! These are seriously calling my name! Up until last year (so tack on a few years after I turned 20 lol) stuffed peppers and I weren’t friends either…now I’m totally in love with them. Pinning to try this week!
Elaine Burke
I cook my stuffed peppers in a slow cooker. No need to do any pre-cooking, just fix the stuffing mixture (and your recipe sounds amazing!)’ stuff the peppers, and cook on low for 4hrs.
Thanks for the tip Elaine, I’m totally going to try this.
silvia
Do you put any liquid in the crockpot/slow cooker?
Brian
Despite being a pretty adventurous eater as a kid, I’m pretty sure peppers weren’t my favorite. I have grown to really appreciate their unique flavor and will often stuff them with quinoa or wheat berries or some other grain. These look so wonderful!
I was going to try these with quinoa, but my husband’s beef vote won out. Looks like I have more fodder for another recipe!
Carol
Hi!
Did you use dried or fresh oregano & basil?
Thanks! I’ll be making them tomorrow :-)
-Carol
I used dried herbs. Thanks Carol!
naomi
These are making me hungry! I love a good stuffed bell pepper.
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
These photos! These colors!! These peppers!!!
BEAUTIFUL. And they sound seriously delicious.
Joanie @ ZagLeft
I had no idea that sprinkling the peppers with salt and microwaving them for 5 minutes pre-cooks them. We love stuffed peppers and I pre-cook them in a little salted boiling water for a minute or so before baking but I’d much rather microwave them. What a smart idea. I’ll be making them this week with your tip. Thanks!
I didn’t know about pre-cooking them either until my husband discovered the secret. Funny thing, he was going to give them a quick boil last time instead!
Linda
Loved your recipe however, I used riced cauliflower (cooked) instead of rice and it was awesome! This recipe worked well for my low carb diet too. Thank you! Linda
Joyce
I cooked peppers in water for 10 minutes but I always filled them with the stuffing uncooked wondering if anyone else has done it this way If so how long do you cook them?
Joyce
My Mom never cooked the peppers first or stuffing but of every comment I READ THEY MUST BE FROM LADIES ALOT YOUNGER YHAN ME still waiting if anyone out there did their peppers this way
Cynthia Williamson
AGREED!! This idea was a game changer!!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife
I love all bell peppers, but it’s the yellow, red, and oranges that steal my heart too!