Classic Stuffed Peppers
What is it about the smell of classic stuffed peppers that gets you right in the feels? It’s the best of simple ingredients–fresh beef, onions, tomatoes, and seasonings that come together in their own little portable, edible bowls.
Jump to Recipe
But here’s my secret:
While these classic stuffed peppers are really tasty, I’ve been ruined on them.
We ate them alot as a kid but with their basic ingredients, no fuss and no frills, they really are the best slate for you to experiment with.
I know you will enjoy them.
How to make these classic stuffed peppers
- Make these stuffed peppers with any rice you like. I prefer brown but I only had white on hand so I went with it. It does need to be cooked before you put it in the peppers.
- Ground turkey would also work well in place of the beef if you want a healthier stuffed pepper recipe. They are already fairly healthy, but you can lighten them further by changing the meat you use.
- Remember that if your peppers won’t stand up in the dish, just cut a little bit off the bottom. Try not to cut into the pepper though. You don’t want to lose your filling. I used three very large peppers in this recipe. If your peppers are smaller you can probably fill 5-6 easily.
- Swap the tomato sauce for pasta sauce and some fancy parmesan cheese for an Italian flare.
- If you’re in to Mexican flavors, use salsa and pepper jack cheese mixed in. So many options! I have a great post on how to use leftover taco meat any extra filling would work great in.
Why do you boil stuffed peppers?
Bell peppers are quite firm and may take longer to cook properly if they don’t get a bit of a jump start.
Cut off the tops and remove the seeds and any large ribs but try not to break the pepper. Place the pepper into boiling water for a minute or so then turn upside down to drain before filling.
The goal isn’t to cook them to the point of being totally soft–just softer than what they were so that they will finish cooking in the oven with the filling.
You could also pre-bake the empty peppers for 5 to 7 minutes before adding the stuffed pepper recipe filling, then finish baking for the full time in the recipe.
Save time and skip cooking rice with this trick
Unless you keep cooked rice on hand, waiting 20 minutes or more for a batch to cook can feel like one extra step in your day you just don’t have time for. Instead, cut right to the chase with Thrive Life freeze dried brown or white rice. Simply refresh the cooked rice by pouring over a bit of warm water and in just a few minutes it’s ready to go in your next recipe.
To make these stuffed peppers ahead:
Cook the filling, stuff the peppers and place them in a baking dish. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge till ready to bake, up to 2 days ahead.
A note on freezing: Don’t freeze the peppers stuffed or they will go soggy on you when they thaw. The filling freezes great though!
To reheat: You may need to cover them loosely with some foil for the first half of their bake time to keep them from drying out, then uncover them for the last half or until they are hot all the way through.
Can I pack the meat in raw?
I’ve had a few readers who have done this over the years and I just can’t support it. Where is all that grease from the beef going to go? And the cook time is going to be much longer while the dense filling cooks through. This isn’t a method I would recommend.
How to make stuffed peppers in one pan
You could also deconstruct this and brown the beef, drain and add the remaining ingredients. Dice the peppers and add them to the skillet then bake it up in in the oven. Easy stuff! And it would make ahead like a dream. Even better for busy nights.
What to serve with stuffed peppers
This stuffed pepper recipe is basically a meal in one but try these sides to round out your meal:
Classic Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 very large green bell peppers or about 5 small ones
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds. Place the peppers in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes, just until the peppers are slightly soft. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside on paper towels to drain.
- In a skillet, heat the ground beef and onion and cook until no pink remains. Drain.
- Add the salt, pepper, rice, garlic powder and half of the tomato sauce.
- Stir well and spoon into the peppers.
- Top with the other half of the tomato sauce.
- Bake in an ungreased dish at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.
I have a taste for stuffed peppers. My mom would make them for me with cabbage as a side dish. I will be making these this weekend. Instead of the meat, I am using meatless meat crumbles. I don’t eat meat. I am positive it will be delicious. I will post the results. Thanks!
also try :
just use rice,ground beef, cream cheese, peppers,soy sauce.
clean your peppers and cut a small top, empty your peppers to where there hollow and then cooking your rice with soy sauce and add the ground beef and add cream cheese to it and mix it all together then stuff your peppers! cook 350 for about 45 minutes, it’s amazing!
and top with shredded cheese!
That sounds really great too Brittany! Thanks for those suggestions. I don’t think there’s ever anything wrong with cream cheese. 😉 –Rachel
Hi Rachel, My first time ever making these. I used my own home made Italian seasoned tomato sauce, sweet yellow onion, italian seasoned diced tomatoes, jasmine rice and parmesan cheese. Then covered them and put in the fridge to bake later. The filling tastes fantastic. I can’t wait to try them after they bake and the bell pepper flavor infuses them!
Hey Teri, that sounds like a wonderful filling! I hope you enjoy them. I’ve even had some readers who put some mozzarella in their too. You may try that on your next batch. 🙂 –Rachel
I was wondering if you could make them with red or yellow peppers? I know this is probably a silly question! LOL It’s just that my 7 yr old son prefers them to the green.
Hey Suzanne, that’s not a silly question at all! You sure can–the flavor will be a bit milder, since I think red or yellow peppers are a bit sweeter but they will still turn out just fine. Enjoy! –Rachel
Wonderful recipe! You seem to enjoy cooking as well as I do!.Of course, I’m much older(lol) and have loved being in the kitchen since I was 5 years old! Now I’m passing all my experience to the younger generation.
I find that if you “let children help in the kitchen, the “eat better and try new things because they “helped create the dish!
My hubby is a hunter, and venison (an 50 to 30% blend . Ask the butcher shop where you get your deer processed. I mix it with Ground chuck or ground pork)makes a great stuffed pepper filling!
As you mentioned, “you can use “different seasonings to “whatever “mood” you are in!
A tip I learned from my granny…Par -boil your rice,and “gently sautee your chopped onions till transulcent, then “let them cool” before adding to your rice.
Then, “add to your meat.”
***For “both stuffed peppers and Polish Stuffed cabbage”, I do as you suggested.
It seems “so much faster” on “dinner day”, to just be able to “stuff your peppers and into the oven to bake”
***When I make the seasoned meat filling(raw) ….add a “touch of your choice of sauce” to stuffing mixture, and ONE raw egg to every 2 pounds of meat added., when you mix the meat with the rice/onion mixture.Keep in separate bowl, till ready to actually put your peppers together and bake them.
The reason for “sauteeing the chopped onion(don’t over cook it), (and this is a trick to use for “a meatloaf or meatballs or ANYTHING with ground beef) is the flavor REALLY pops! OMG!
You’ll be delighted!
***Another tip…Take a sharp pointed knife and priece the bottom of your green peppers, as while “they bake”, steam(water) tends to collect in bottom of each individual stuffed pepper,
Nothing “worse”, than cutting into your delicious stuffed pepper and “watery juices run out! (into your delicious sauce….GRRRRR
I always make extra for frezzing, as they frezze up so well!
***Even when “making a “breakfast cassorole , that calls for “hash browns & chopped onion”…Sautee’ them first! BIG difference!
Didn’t use tomato sauce I used salsa. I even mixed some shredded pepper jack with the meat and onions! Delicious!!
That sounds awesome Chris!!! Way to think outside the box with the salsa!
This recipe sounds amAzing! I’ll be making this for dinner tonight for my guys (a truck driver and a rapidly growing 12 yr old boy) ^_^ Though I will be altering your recipe a little to suit the tastes of my guys, while hoping to maintain the scrumptious-ness of your recipe :”p I’m very much hoping it turns out tasty and filling! Going to mix equal parts mild Italian sausage w the ground beef and I make my own Spanish rice to mix in. *fingers crossed* Here Goes! Wish me luck!
*Will let you know how it turns out*
Ok, it was downright Delicious! <3 ^-^ Both guys Loved it, and so did the dogs (they each got their own LoL) Thank you So Much for the inspiration! 5 out of 5 here! ;")
Wow Ashlee way to make this recipe your own! I think that’s fabulous! Thank you for keeping me updated. –Rachel
I make them with broccoli rice augraten and it comes out so delicious. I cook then meat while starting the rice then add the cooked meat to the rice to simmer then add the meat and rice to the peppers to cook in the ice for about 30 minutes.
Friends gave us some of their bell pepper bounty from their garden. My husband and I immediately thought of stuffed bell pepper. Found your recipe and it is excellent! My husband especially loved it!
Wonderful Regina! My peppers are long gone for the season this year but when they are here, this is a great way to use them!
Hello I have made theses and I thought they were a bit on the bland side. So I made them again, with a few tweaks and that really helped.1 to 2 tablespoons of onions, 1 cup of diced tomatoes don’t drain(no sauce) but I use paste about 1 to 2 tablespoons 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (cheese on top,opt.). Peppers had more flavor,give it try. 🙂
Thanks for those suggestions! Everyone’s taste buds are different and it’s great that you feel confident enough to tweak a recipe until it suits you instead of just labeling it as “terrible” or something. 🙂 Thanks! Rachel