One of my Family’s MOST FAVORITE Meals
Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: These stuffed peppers are made in only a handful of simple steps! Sit back and relax while these fragrant peppers cook for dinner.
- Versatile: With this recipe, you can switch up the ingredients and use different proteins and rice.
- Comforting: Classic and the ultimate recipe for when you’re craving comfort food, this filling recipe is loaded with all the hearty ingredients you adore.
Ingredients for Easy Stuffed Peppers
For the full measurements, be sure to scroll down to the recipe card!
Rice: You can use either instant brown or white rice for this recipe. If you’re wanting to keep things on the healthier side, then be sure to use brown rice.
Bell peppers: Any colored bell peppers can be used for this recipe. When I’m looking for a bit of variety and wanting to change things up, then I like to use a few different colors!
Ground beef: Lean ground beef can be used for a healthier recipe. Feel free to make these stuffed peppers with ground turkey, ground chicken, or meatless crumbles.
Diced tomatoes: Two cans of diced tomatoes are needed for this recipe.
Salt and pepper: The only seasoning you need for this easy recipe!
Optional: Feel free to add cheeses to this recipe. Mozzarella would be amazing! Want to spice things up? Serve them with fresh jalapeño slices!
What is the best rice for stuffed peppers?
It’s up to you! I like to use brown rice because it is healthier and leaner.
Do you have to boil the peppers before stuffing them?
If you’re looking for extra crispy bell peppers, then no, you do not need to cook them prior to stuffing. Easy, right?
How long to bake stuffed peppers?
You will want to make sure you have enough time to bake these peppers! Since we’re using raw meat in this recipe, these peppers will need a little bit more time to cook.
How to Make These Stuffed Peppers
You will love how simple to make these stuffed peppers are. This is the best meal for when you’re looking for something minimal with hardly any steps Perfect for busy weeknights!
Step 1
Preheat the Oven: First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the cooking dish with oil spray.
Step 2
Cook the Rice: Next, prepare the rice according to the package directions. Feel free to add beef bouillon to the water for extra flavor. Then, transfer some of the rice to the bottom of the pan.
Step 3
Fill the Peppers: Place the peppers on top of the rice. Fill each bell pepper with ground beef while leaving room at the top for the rice and tomatoes.
Step 4
Add Rice: Next, add the rice to the tops of the peppers. Place the rest of the rice in the dish.
Step 5
Season and add Tomatoes: After that, season the peppers and rice with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes.
Step 6:
Bake in the Oven: Season the peppers again. Place the tops of the bell peppers on top of the peppers and cover with a lid. Finally, cover and bake for one and a half to two hours.
Enjoy hot right from the baking dish.
LOVE IT? PIN IT!
Definitely make sure to save this recipe on your Pinterest board before you go. You’ll want to make this recipe for dinner ASAP!
Why are my stuffed peppers watery?
Your bell peppers can get too watery if you don’t use precook the rice before adding it to the peppers. Make sure the rice is prepared!
What to eat with stuffed peppers?
We like to eat these stuffed peppers as is because all the delicious ingredients are inside! If you’re feeling like you want something extra, then you can pair these stuffed peppers with pea salad with cauliflower, Italian bean salad, or cucumber tomato salad.
Tips
Here are some helpful tips in making the very BEST stuffed peppers:
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days.
- Make sure to spray the lid with oil before placing it on top of the peppers.
- Make sure the bell peppers are cored and cleaned.
Stuffed Pepper Meatloaf {Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf}
More Stuffed Peppers Recipes You’ll Love
As I mentioned, I have a bit of an obsession with all things “stuffed pepper.” Here are some of my favorites!
- Stuffed Pepper Meatloaf (pictured above)
- Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Easy Stuffed Pepper Meatballs
- Skillet with Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers
These Stuffed Peppers are everything you could ever hope for in a dinner recipe. Healthy, full of savory flavors, and so easy to make, this classic stuffed pepper recipe is the best! Made with lean ground beef, tomatoes, tender rice, and fresh bell peppers, this yummy recipe is a favorite in my household!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 4 cups prepared instant brown rice (white can be used)
- 2 - 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 6 large bell peppers, tops cut off, cored and cleaned
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350, and prepare a covered baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Prepare rice according to the package. You can add a bit of beef bouillon to the water when you make the rice if you want a little extra beef flavor. Add about half of the rice to the bottom of the pan.
- Place peppers on the rice, reserving tops. Fill each bottom of the pepper with some ground beef, leaving enough room to top with rice and tomatoes. Reserve remaining rice.
- Take remaining ground beef, roll into balls and place around the peppers.
- Add rice to the peppers, and put the rest of it around the peppers in the dish.
- Salt and Pepper the whole thing.
- Pour tomatoes over the top of all of it.
- Salt and Pepper again. Place tops of peppers on. Cover with lid to baking dish. (make sure you spray the lid with non-stick cooking spray,too!!)
- Bake 1 1/2-2 hours, or until beef inside peppers is no longer pink.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 548Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 347mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 48g
Please note that nutrition is not guaranteed accurate.
This recipe was originally shared on February 3, 2013. It was updated to improve user experience and re-shared on June 1, 2021.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela
Linda (Meal Planning Maven) says
Your stuffed peppers looks fantastic…so easy, healthy and family-friendly too!
Tara Teaspoon says
Love your take on stuffed peppers. This is much more kid friendly and the rice looks amazing!
Jessica Formicola says
Now this is a meal my whole family will love! Hearty, delicious and so easy to make!
Heidy says
I’ve always been more of an old-fashioned girl when it comes to stuffed peppers. My grandmother always made the meat and slightly pre-cooked rice mixture and placed it in the bell peppers raw and then cooked them until the meat was done in an Italian-based tomato sauce—but I am so glad I tried your version. They were delicious, and I will make them again- (don’t tell grandma) lol!!!
frank says
such a delicious and healthy recipe the fam loved every bite
Anjali says
These stuffed peppers were unbelievably easy to make but were so flavorful!! Everyone in my family loved it!
Biana says
These peppers look delicious! The stuffing looks amazing.
Jill says
Going to add these to my menu plan for this week. They look absolutely fabulous!
maryanne says
I love stuffed peppers and this recipe was so simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Beth says
These stuffed peppers are so tasty and so flavorful. My family loves this recipe even my picky eater! Beyond excited to make these very tasty peppers again!