Description
This recipe for Stuffed Peppers features bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and aromatic seasonings, baked to tender perfection and topped with melted Monterey jack cheese and fresh parsley. It’s a hearty, comforting meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Filling
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers, tops and cores removed
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare filling: Arrange a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 400°F (200°C). In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Then stir in the finely chopped garlic and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant for about 1 more minute. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat is no longer pink, roughly 6 minutes.
- Finish filling mixture: Stir in the cooked rice and diced tomatoes, and season the mixture with dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Let the mixture simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare peppers and fill: Arrange the hollowed-out bell peppers cut side up in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the peppers. Spoon the beef and rice mixture evenly into each pepper, filling them generously. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to retain moisture during baking.
- Bake peppers: Bake the covered peppers in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add cheese and finish baking: Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded Monterey jack cheese evenly over each stuffed pepper, and return the dish to the oven uncovered. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve: Once baked, sprinkle the stuffed peppers with chopped fresh parsley for a bright, fresh finish before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
- If preferred, use brown rice for added fiber and a nuttier flavor.
- Feel free to customize the seasoning with additional herbs like basil or thyme.
- Prepare peppers in advance and refrigerate before baking for a meal prep option.
- Use different varieties of bell peppers for a colorful presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
