Description
Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, vegetables, and Italian seasonings, topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This comforting and colorful dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Bell Peppers
- 6 bell peppers (medium to large)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for seasoning peppers)
- 3 tablespoons water
Rice
- 3/4 cup dry white rice
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water (for the rice)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (for the rice)
Filling
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion (medium or large, chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (for the filling)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes (preferably petite diced)
- 1 cup frozen corn (do not thaw)
Topping
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers: Decide whether to slice the bell peppers in half or remove just the tops and seeds. Removing seeds and membranes is essential. If halved, leave the stem on to prevent filling from spilling out.
- Precook the peppers: Place peppers cut-side up in a microwave-safe dish, add 1/2 cup water, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Discard the water. If microwaving in batches, transfer cooked peppers to a baking sheet.
- Cook the rice: In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup dry rice, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil with lid on, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Cook ground beef and onions: In a 12-inch skillet, cook ground beef and chopped onion over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until beef is no longer pink and onion is soft. Drain excess grease.
- Add garlic: Add smashed and minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Season the meat: Stir in Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke (if using).
- Add spices: Mix in Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper.
- Add tomatoes: Pour in the diced tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine filling: Stir in frozen corn and cooked rice. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Stuff the peppers: Spoon the filling into each pepper.
- Add cheese and bake: Top each stuffed pepper with about 1 tablespoon of mozzarella or Italian cheese blend. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.
- Serve: Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your delicious stuffed bell peppers!
Notes
- If you do not have a microwave, the peppers can be precooked by boiling or baking.
- Using halved peppers increases the crispy cheese topping surface but requires more pan space.
- You can adjust the spice level by varying the amount of crushed red pepper.
- Leftover cooked rice can be used instead of cooking fresh rice.
- For a vegetarian version, replace ground beef with cooked lentils or plant-based meat alternatives.
- Liquid smoke is optional but adds a subtle smoky flavor to the filling.
