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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. 

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one green pepper stuffed with meat on a small white plate with a baking dish full of green stuffed peppers in the background on a wooden cutting board

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.
a skillet with rice, tomato sauce and cooked pepper fillings

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.

a stuffed pepper sliced open to show the filling

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:

one green pepper stuffed with meat on a small white plate with a baking dish full of green stuffed peppers in the background on a wooden cutting board

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Classic stuffed peppers go the traditional route and deliver the familiar flavors you crave.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Author Rachel Ballard

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 257mgPotassium: 745mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 670IUVitamin C: 106.4mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 3.3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @feastandfarm and hashtag it #feastandfarm
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword how to make stuffed peppers, stuffed pepper recipe

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275 Comments

  1. I’m making these tonight for supper! I’m not big on putting cheese on the top either. I love the flavors without the added carbs. I’m excited to try this new recipe ?

  2. We love this receipe. So easy to make. Great for a late night coming home. They r quick to make.

  3. I loved the classic stuffed peppers ,, I am making them again. I would give them a 5 star.

  4. 5 stars
    This is such a good base recipe!! Thank you for sharing! I woke up this morning wanting Costco stuffed bell peppers, but being newly lactose intolerant I knew I should probably just make some rather than make the journey to costco & end up making myself sick.

    I modified the recipe a little: did brown rice, ground turkey, 2/3rds a packet of taco seasoning,1/4 cup water & 2/3rds a can of black olives chopped in the filling. They’re SO GOOD. I also doubled the filling recipe for 6 large bell peppers and it worked almost perfectly! I had a little filling to snack on while they cooked the rest of the way in the oven. I’ll definitely be making these again <3

  5. Really good But instead of using regular white or brown rice I used quinoa and brown rice with roasted red peppers and basil.

    1. That’s an awesome suggestion Wendy! When I originally wrote this recipe quinoa wasn’t even really a thing–or at least not as popular as it is now–but that would be great here. –Rachel

    1. Nope Linda–it’s there. 1 cup cooked brown or white rice. This recipe has been made so much that when I saw your comment my eyes got huge and I thought “How in the world have tons of people made these without the rice?!” Hahaha! It’s there! –Rachel

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.