Home » Recipes » Classic Stuffed Peppers

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Name: Classic Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4-6 bell peppers (use any color – green, yellow, red, orange); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 lb ground beef (450g - you can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or other similar); 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped (optional, for spicy)); 5 cloves garlic (chopped); 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes ((canned - or use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)); 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend – I LOVE pepperjack for myself); 1 tablespoon paprika; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or wild rice); For Garnish. Fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes

by Mike Hultquist · Jun 28, 2024 · 173 Comments · Jump to Recipe

This is the quintessential stuffed bell peppers recipe I grew up on, with bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, rice, and melty cheese, so good!

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Do you love stuffed peppers? Stuffed bell peppers are the perfect easy-to-make dinner that can be made inexpensively, and are always a crowd pleaser. They're such a nutritional powerhouse, ready for your endless creativity, and they're always on the menu in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen.

The thick, succulent flesh and hollow insides of the peppers make them the ideal vessels for stuffing and baking with all manner of foods, from ground meats, cheeses, grains, spices, even leftovers.

I grew up on stuffed green peppers, something my mother made regularly. Her stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef is the inspiration for this recipe, which I've adapted to include a flavorful balance of herbs, spices, rice, meat, cheese, and fire roasted tomatoes that I'm sure you'll love.

It's dinner time, my friends! I'm ready to get cooking!

Let's talk about how to make stuffed peppers, shall we?

Two stuffed bell peppers on a serving plate

Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Bell Peppers. Use any color bells – green, yellow, red, orange. You can also use other larger peppers, like Italian sweet peppers or poblano peppers.
Olive Oil. For cooking.
Ground Meat. I am using ground beef today, but you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, ground Italian sausage, or a combination. Ground turkey or chicken are great low-calorie options.
Vegetables. Onion, jalapeno (optional, for spicy), garlic.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Use canned. You can use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce as well, but I recommend the flavor boost of fire roasted tomatoes.
Shredded Cheese. I love spicy pepperjack cheese, but shredded cheddar or shredded mozzarella are great for stuffed peppers. I used mozzarella today. Try a combination of cheeses for a variation.
Seasonings. Paprika, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Try this with a blend of your favorite Italian seasonings.
Cooked Rice. Use white rice, brown rice, or wild rice. I used white rice here.
For Garnish. Fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes.

How to Make Stuffed Peppers - the Recipe Method

Oven and Pot. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a large pot of water (enough to cover the bell peppers) to a boil.

Prep the Bell Peppers. Wash the bell peppers, slice off the tops of the peppers, and scoop out the insides (seeds and membranes). You want the inside to be nice and hollow to accommodate your stuffing mixture.

If needed, slice a small part off the bottom of the peppers so they will stand upright.

Hollowed and cored bell peppers, and chopped peppers to make stuffed peppers

TIP: Don't throw away those pepper tops! I like to toss the stems, but chop up the tops to cook with the onion later. Nothing goes to waste, and it's a great flavor builder.

Soften the Peppers. Blanch the bell peppers for 5 minutes to slightly soften. Alternatively, you can roast the peppers for 20 minutes to soften.

Set the softened peppers into a lightly oiled baking dish.

Par cooking bell peppers, and cooking down onion, and chopped peppers to make stuffed peppers

Cook the Vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the onions, chopped pepper tops, and jalapeno (if using). Cook for 5 minutes to soften.

Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Cook the Meat. Add the ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking apart as you go, until cooked through.

Tomatoes, Rice, and Spices. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, seasonings, and cooked rice mixture. Stir together and remove from heat.

Cooking ground beef with vegetables and rice for the stuffed peppers filling

Cheese. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese until incorporated. You can add in a bit more if you'd like it more cheesy.

Stuff the Peppers. Stuff each pepper with the meat filling mixture, then top each with the remaining shredded cheese.

Stuffing cored bell peppers with the meat and rice filling, and topping them with cheese

Roast the Peppers. Roast the stuffed peppers for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to your preference, and the cheese is nice and bubbly. So good topped with cheese! This is a pretty forgiving recipe, so you can usually bake them longer if you want the peppers extra softened up.

Cool slightly, garnish, and serve.

Boom! Done! Your stuffed peppers are ready to serve. Don't they look gorgeous? I love the vibrant colors of the bells. I'm ready to dig in!

4 stuffed bell peppers out of the oven with melty cheese on top, ready to serve

Recipe Tips & Notes

Feel free to use other ground meats for your stuffed peppers, including chicken, pork, turkey, sausage, or others. Use tofu for a vegetarian version.
You can easily adjust the spices to your preference by using your favorite blends, like Cajun seasonings or a nice Italian seasoning. Worcestershire sauce is a popular addition.
This recipe is great for any types of pepper, though it is ideal with thicker walled peppers that can hold up to the baking process. I often make this with large Italian peppers that I grow in my garden, like Carmen Italian or Marconi peppers. Try it with jalapenos for awesome poppers!

Storage

Leftover stuffed peppers will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can warm them in the oven to enjoy them again.

You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. See my post on How to Freeze Stuffed Peppers.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my stuffed bell peppers recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.

The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)

The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook - Fiery, No-Fuss Meals, by Michael Hultquist

Tools Used For This Recipe

Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!

HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Stainless Steel Wok Pan with Stay-Cool Handle - I've been loving this wok, makes stir frying and clean up so easy.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

4 stuffed bell peppers out of the oven with melty cheese on top

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Classic Stuffed Peppers Recipe

This is the quintessential stuffed bell peppers recipe I grew up on, with bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, rice, and melty cheese, always a hit! They bring back so many memories.

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bell peppers, ground beef

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Calories: 534kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

Tap or hover to scale

4.99 from 68 votes

Leave a Review

Ingredients

4-6 bell peppers use any color – green, yellow, red, orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground beef 450g - you can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or other similar
1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper chopped (optional, for spicy)
5 cloves garlic chopped
14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (canned - or use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
1 cup shredded cheese cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend – I LOVE pepperjack for myself
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked rice white, brown, or wild rice
For Garnish. Fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a pot of water (enough to cover the bell peppers) to a boil.
Wash the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and scoop out the insides. If needed, slice a small part off the bottom of the peppers so they will stand upright. (NOTE: Chop the extra bell pepper tops to cook later with the onion - discard the stem.)
Blanch the bell peppers for 5 minutes to slightly soften. (Alternative, you can roast the peppers for 20 minutes to soften).
Set the softened peppers into a lightly oiled baking dish.
Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat and add the onions, chopped pepper tops, and jalapeno (if using). Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking apart as you go, until cooked through.
Add the fire roasted tomatoes, seasonings, and cooked rice. Stir together and remove from heat.
Stir in half of the shredded cheese until incorporated.
Stuff each pepper with the meat filling mixture, then top each with the remaining shredded cheese.
Roast the stuffed peppers for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to your preference, and the cheese is nice and bubbly.
Cool slightly, garnish, and serve.

Video

Notes

Bell pepper sizes can vary, so you may need more bell peppers for filling, or save any leftover filling for another use. It freezes nicely.

Worcestershire sauce is a nice flavor addition.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 534kcal Carbohydrates: 29g Protein: 30g Fat: 33g Saturated Fat: 13g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 14g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 103mg Sodium: 419mg Potassium: 712mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 5233IU Vitamin C: 162mg Calcium: 236mg Iron: 4mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/28/24 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 8/14/23.