These colorful Italian Stuffed Peppers are a wholesome, incredibly flavorful meal. Bell peppers are stuffed with a seasoned ground beef and rice mixture and baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese until perfectly fork tender.
Recreating nostalgic flavors from recipes we grew up with can be a challenge but I think I’ve nailed it with this Italian Stuffed Peppers recipe. The unique and delicious ground beef and rice stuffing has a bit of tang that is balanced with a touch of sweetness and lots of Italian flavor.
The tried and true method is the same for my Mexican Stuffed Peppers, but the ingredient list creates an entirely different flavor profile for this Italian version of stuffed bell peppers. It’s the kind of meal you try and then constantly crave until you just have to make it again.
Ingredient Notes
For the Stuffed Peppers
- Bell peppers – Use an assortment of similarly sized colored bell peppers for a pretty effect. Yellow, red, and orange bell peppers are milder and sweeter, while green peppers have a stronger flavor. This recipe makes enough stuffing for 3 large or 4 small bell peppers.
- Long grain white rice and water – Cooked according to the package directions.
- Olive oil
- Lean ground beef
- Diced white or yellow onion
- Tomato paste
- Apple cider vinegar – Vinegar adds a little tang and something really special to the flavor of the filling.
- Brown sugar – Just a small amount of brown sugar balances the vinegar and seasonings.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
For the Topping
- Tomato sauce
- Italian seasoning
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
Slicing Peppers for Stuffed Peppers
Slicing bell peppers lengthwise means you’ll get two stuffed peppers from one bell pepper and gives you a nice ratio of filling to pepper. It’s important to choose bell peppers that are close in size so they will cook evenly.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the bell peppers in half, lengthwise, right through or next to the stem. You can leave the stem intact or trim and discard it if you want.
- Trim the membranes inside and knock out the seeds from both pieces.
How to Make Italian Stuffed Peppers
Cook the rice according to the package directions before beginning.
Pre-Bake the Peppers and the Make the Filling
- Place the peppers in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with the hollowed out sides facing up and add about 1-inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake in 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes, until just slightly tender. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the peppers from the baking dish, pour off the water, and return the peppers to the empty baking dish.
- While the peppers are in the oven, cook the ground beef and onion in a skillet coated with olive oil. Break the beef up with a spoon and cook until no pink remains. Drain the excess grease from the skillet and return it to the heat.
- Add the tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, Parmesan and parsley and stir to combine.
- Stir in the cooked rice and remove the skillet from the heat.
Stuff and Bake the Peppers
- Spoon an equal amount of the filling mixture into each bell pepper.
- Combine the tomato sauce with Italian seasoning and spoon the mixture evenly over the bell peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the peppers are very tender. Remove the foil, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
To reduce the cooking time once stuffed and ensure the peppers will be perfectly fork tender, it’s best to partially cook the peppers in advance of stuffing them. Instead of boiling them, place the peppers in a casserole dish with a small amount of water, cover the dish with foil and bake them until just slightly tender. Pour off all the water from the dish before stuffing and baking the peppers.
Soggy stuffed peppers can result if you pre-cook them for too long or add liquid to the baking dish after they are stuffed. Once stuffed, don’t add any additional liquid to the bottom of the baking dish or you’ll risk overcooking the peppers to an undesirable texture.
Definitely. Covering the dish with foil helps the peppers cook properly and prevents the filling from drying out. Remove the foil at the end of the baking time to add the mozzarella and continue to bake just long enough for the cheese to melt.
Variations
- Rice – You can substitute the same amount of cooked brown rice for the white rice.
- Meat – Switch out the ground beef for ground turkey.
- Sauce – Omit the tomato sauce topping and use leftover marinara sauce. This is a great way to use up an open jar of pasta sauce lingering in your fridge.
- Cheese – You can any shredded cheese you love. Try a 3-cheese Italian blend or a mixture of mozzarella and sharp cheddar.
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
These Stuffed Peppers are a complete meal so I usually just serve them with a warmed loaf of French bread. If you want to add more choices to your menu, toss a Simple Italian Salad or bake some Crispy Parmesan Smashed Potatoes.
Storage Tips
These Italian Stuffed Peppers are a great make-ahead choice. They can be frozen either before or after baking, just remember that the filling should always be thoroughly cooked before freezing.
Refrigerate
Leftovers should be covered and refrigerated within two hours. Transfer the stuffed peppers to an airtight container to keep them at their freshest and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freeze
Freezing Cooked Stuffed Peppers – Once cooled, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Individual servings can be wrapped in plastic wrap or foil and stored in freezer-safe plastic storage bags. Allow frozen stuffed peppers to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until warmed through.
Freezing Unbaked Stuffed Peppers – Partially cook the peppers and thoroughly cook the filling, as directed. Assemble the stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe dish. Cover the dish with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty foil, label it with the date, and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Allow the frozen, unbaked stuffed peppers to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before following the baking directions in the recipe.
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Video
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 small bell peppers, assorted colors (choose equal sized peppers)
For the Filling
- ½ cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound 85% to 90% lean ground beef
- ¼ cup diced white or yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Topping
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or as needed
Instructions
Prepare the Rice and Bell Peppers
- Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil (I added about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil). Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- While the rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the bell peppers in half, lengthwise right through or next to the stem. Trim and discard the stems, if desired. Trim the membranes and knock out the seeds.
- Place the peppers in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with the hollowed out sides facing up and add about 1-inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until just slightly tender. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
- Remove the peppers from the baking dish, pour off the water, and return the peppers to the empty baking dish. Set aside.
Make the Filling (start while peppers are baking)
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over MEDIUM heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until no pink remains and then drain the grease from the skillet.
- Return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and parsley, and stir to combine. Stir in the cooked rice and remove from the heat.
Assemble and Bake the Peppers
- Spoon an equal amount of the filling mixture into each bell pepper. Set aside.
- Combine the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and spoon the mixture evenly over the bell peppers.
- Spray the underside of a sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray (so topping won’t stick) and cover the baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the peppers are very tender. Remove the foil, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Notes
- Refrigerate – Leftovers should be covered and refrigerated within two hours. Transfer the stuffed peppers to an airtight container to keep them at their freshest and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Cooked Stuffed Peppers – Once cooled, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Individual servings can be wrapped in plastic wrap or foil and stored in freezer-safe plastic storage bags. Allow frozen stuffed peppers to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until warmed through.
- Freezing Unbaked Stuffed Peppers – Partially cook the peppers and thoroughly cook the filling, as directed. Assemble the stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe dish. Cover the dish with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty foil, label it with the date, and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Allow the frozen, unbaked stuffed peppers to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before following the baking directions in the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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these were so delicious, one of my favorite meals
Fantastic! Love to hear this. 🙂
can i make these ahead and bake them next day
They reheat so well that I think it would work fine, but once the rice is mixed in, it could soften a bit as it rests overnight.
Valerie, I receive your emails and you always have such yummy-sounding recipes. As for today’s recipe of Stuffed Peppers, I like your version although I make my differently, using the whole pepper (with the insides cleaned out), stuffed with meat, onions, garlic and some sort of grain (rice, barley, quinoa, farro), standing upright in a pot or slow cooker, generously covered with tomato sauce (but no cheese because I honestly never thought to add it). The house always smells so tantalizing!
Your peppers sound delicious, Deborah! I’m glad you’re enjoying the email newsletters and I appreciate your comment. 🙂