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This easy recipe for Italian Stuffed Peppers is loaded with tender rice, seasoned ground beef in a delicious tomato sauce. They’re finished with Parmesan cheese for a crisp topping that can’t be beat! Serve with warm Garlic Bread for the perfect weeknight meal!
Stuffed Peppers are an American classic. It’s one of those feel-good meals that just satisfies! I make my stuffed peppers Italian style with Italian flavors as well as the classic ingredients of rice and ground beef coated in a flavorful tomato sauce. I also start with oven-roasted peppers instead of the flavorless parboiled ones you see in so many
Why This Recipe Works
- Oven roasting the peppers keeps them from getting overcooked, losing flavor and helps them retain their shape for easy stuffing.
- Seasoning the peppers before roasting adds flavor, keeping them from being a bland shell to the delicious stuffing.
- Starting with Roasted Peppers keeps the baking time minimal keeping the stuffing from drying out.
- Topping with parmesan cheese adds a crunchy topping that’s the perfect Finishing touch!
What Peppers for Stuffed Peppers
Large bell peppers should be used for stuffed peppers. I use red, yellow, and orange because they are sweeter and milder than green, but if green peppers are your thing – go right ahead!
How to Make Italian Stuffed Peppers
Cook the rice until firm and just underdone. You want to stop the cooking process before just before it’s fully cooked to avoid it getting mushy. I do this by rining it with cold water, but you can cook it the day before and place it in the fridge until it’s needed.
To find the right pan, place the peppers in the pan and make sure they can sit snug next to each other. This will keep them from falling over when baking.
Start by preparing the peppers. Start by slicing the top off. Free the stem by cutting around for easy removal.
Place top side up in the pan, coat the inside with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast until just undercooked.
While the peppers are roasting, start the stuffing by cooking in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, cook another minute.
Add the meat and cook until browned.
Add the tomatoes, crush them with the spoon, and add the rice.
Add the herbs and taste for seasoning (adding more salt or pepper if needed). Divide evenly by spooning into the roasted peppers. Top with fresh parmesan cheese.
Bake until the tops are golden and crisp.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cook the rice until just underdone to avoid it becoming mushy in the stuffing.
- Be sure not to cook the peppers completely when roasting. This can cause them to be overcooked once stuffed and collapse.
- Choose a pan that the peppers fit snug into so they don’t fall over when stuffed.
- Not a fan of beef? you can substitute the beef with ground turkey, chicken, or pork.
- Line the pan with nonstick foil for easy cleanup.
FAQs
Can Stuffed Peppers Be Frozen?
Stuffed Peppers can easily be frozen. and a big time saver and an easy way to enjoy make ahead meals. Frozen stuffed peppers will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Why are my homemade dinner rolls hard?
Bread can turn out hard if you use too much flour, overwork your dough, or use the wrong kind of flour. Overbaking can also be the culprit.
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Recipe
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup long-grain white rice (cooked until just underdone (cooled))
- 6 bell peppers (any color (large size))
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced or thin sliced)
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (with juice)
- A good handful fresh parsley (chopped)
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- To prepare the peppers, trim about 1/4-inch from tops of bell peppers. Snip around the core and then remove it. Place snug into a baking dish just large enough to fit the peppers.
- Brush or spray the inside of each pepper with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the peppers until just undercooked and firm (about 15 minutes).
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent (around 4-5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add beef season with salt and pepper then let cook until browned. Break up the beef and toss it with onions and continue to cook another 2 minutes, Remove from heat, drain off excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in tomatoes and crush them with a spoon or potato masher. Mix in the cooked rice, parsley, basil, and oregano.
- Taste for seasoning and if needed, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the roasted peppers. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese bake 20-25 minute or until the peppers are tender and the tops are crisp and golden. Serve warm.
Tips
- Cook the rice until just underdone to avoid it becoming mushy in the stuffing.
- Be sure not to cook the peppers completely when roasting. This can cause them to be overcooked once stuffed and collapse.
- Choose a pan that the peppers fit snug into so they don’t fall over when stuffed.
- Not a fan of beef? you can substitute the beef with ground turkey, chicken or pork.
- Line the pan with nonstick foil for easy cleanup.
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