Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice
- Total
- 67 min
- Active
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- moderate
Blanching the peppers first means they finish cooking in the same time it takes the filling to heat through, so nothing comes out raw at the stem end or collapsed at the base. Everything happens in one Dutch oven: blanch, brown, stuff, bake.
Ingredients
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil in the Dutch oven, blanch the peppers 4 minutes until just pliable, then drain and set them aside; dry the pot.
4 min -
Warm the olive oil in the same pot over medium heat and cook the onion until soft.
5 min -
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
1 min -
Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until no pink remains. Season with salt and pepper.
7 min -
Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, half the crushed tomatoes, the oregano, the Worcestershire sauce and half the cheese.
2 min -
Stand the peppers upright in the pot and spoon the beef and rice mixture into each, packing gently.
3 min -
Pour the remaining crushed tomatoes and the stock around the peppers, spooning a little over each top. Cover and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot through.
20 min -
Uncover, scatter the remaining cheese over the tops, and bake until melted. Rest 5 minutes, then scatter with parsley before serving.
5 min
Substitutions
- Ground beef — Ground turkey or Italian sausage. Turkey cooks drier, so stir in an extra splash of stock with the rice.
- Cooked rice — Cooked quinoa, or raw cauliflower rice stirred in uncooked — it softens fully during the bake.
- Cheddar or mozzarella — A dairy-free shredded cheese, or skip it and finish with a spoonful of yogurt instead.
Storing leftovers
Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven or in the microwave. Baked peppers also freeze well for up to 3 months — thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Questions
Why blanch the peppers before stuffing them?
It softens them just enough that they finish cooking in the same window as the filling heats through, so the pepper isn't still crunchy at the stem end when the filling is hot.
Can I use raw rice instead of cooked?
Yes, but it needs more liquid and a longer covered bake, around 55 to 60 minutes, since the rice cooks inside the pepper using the surrounding liquid.
Can I stuff the peppers ahead of time?
Yes. Fill them, cover, and refrigerate up to a day ahead, then bake straight from the fridge, adding a few extra minutes to the covered bake.
What if my peppers won't stand up straight in the pot?
Slice a thin sliver off the bottom of each pepper (without cutting through) to level it, or nestle them against each other so they lean upright.