These ground beef stuffed peppers are filled with tasty seasoned ground beef, rice, cheddar cheese, and tomato sauce. A delicious classic!
Stuffed peppers are the kind of thing to make when you don't mind spending a bit of extra time in the kitchen. Perhaps a quiet Sunday afternoon kinda thing. This recipe is simple, but it is a little more time consuming. That's ok, though... stuffed peppers are yummy, and this recipe makes six of them, so you're practically guaranteed leftovers if you don't have a big family. You can make these classic stuffed peppers for meal prep if you're trying to plan out your week!
If you love stuffed peppers, try my Sausage Stuffed Peppers, these Mexican Stuffed Peppers, or my Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe.
These beef and rice stuffed peppers are sure to be a hit with the whole family. I imagine it's a good way to get your kids to eat their veggies since it's like they're able to eat the container their dinner comes in. 😉
Recipe notes & tips:
- If you don't have any Worcestershire sauce, you don't need to go out and buy some just for this recipe, but I do like to always keep some in my fridge since it adds flavor to so many dishes.
- Use whatever color bell peppers you prefer. I think it's fun to use different colors, but any will work.
- I use Italian seasoning because it's a good all-around herb blend that eliminates the need to add individual herbs in many recipes, but you can definitely use individual herbs if you prefer (try oregano). You can give the filling a taste prior to stuffing the peppers and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Feel free to swap the shredded cheddar with any cheese that easily melts. Mozzarella would work too, or even a spicy southwest/Tex-Mex blend.
How to reheat stuffed peppers:
Trying microwaving the stuffed peppers for 3-5 minutes (microwaves vary so check them as needed) or reheating them in the oven (place them in a baking dish and cover it with foil) at 350F until the internal temperature reaches 165F. It'll vary based on the size of the peppers and whether they're straight out of the fridge or not. Check them after about 20 minutes.
What to serve with stuffed peppers?
They're a meal in themselves, but you could definitely eat them with a salad on the side.
Other tasty ground beef recipes to try:
- Simple Ground Beef Casserole
- Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells
- Ground Beef Pasta
Let me know in the comments below if you've made these ground beef stuffed peppers or if you have any questions!
Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice I used white jasmine rice
- 6 large bell peppers any color
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese blend, divided
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you don't have cooked rice, make some (this step can be done ahead of time if you want). I typically just make 1/2 cup uncooked rice which ends up making a bit more than you need for this recipe, and then I save the rest for another time.
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Meanwhile, prep your ingredients. Cut the tops off the peppers as if you were carving a pumpkin (do it as evenly as possible so the filling doesn't fall out). Remove any seeds/membrane. Chop up the usable stuff from the pepper tops (you'll add it to the filling).
- Place the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish (I used a 9x13). Add one cup of water to the bottom of the dish (the peppers will steam and cook faster).
- Add the oil, onion, and chopped up pepper tops to a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook it, breaking up the meat as you go along, until it's browned and cooked through (about 8 minutes). Spoon out most of the fat/liquid.
- Stir in the garlic, followed by the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Let it warm through and then take the pan off the heat.
- Stir in the cooked rice and 1/2 of the cheese. Season the mixture with salt & pepper as needed (give it a taste). I was generous with both the salt & pepper. Spoon the mixture into the peppers.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Place it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Take the dish out of the oven. The peppers should be still a little bit firm to the touch (you don't want them to go limp and fall apart, but if they feel too firm, cook them for longer). Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top. Return the peppers to the oven (uncovered) for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. You can broil at the end for a few minutes if you want the cheese to be a bit browned.
Notes
- This recipe works best with bell peppers that are roughly the same size. Also, the ones with 4 "bumps" on the bottom are less likely to fall over, so I look for those.
- Cooking technique adapted from The Kitchn.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Alana says
Hi, I am thinking about fixing these, however I am planning to exclude the rice so will this affect the recipe? Should I use more beef to ensure the peppers are sufficiently stuffed?
Natasha says
Hi! Yes, it'll definitely affect the recipe. The rice also soaks up some of the liquid. I would definitely add more beef (perhaps double?). There's a chance they'll also be more liquidy... I haven't made them without the rice before, so I can't really say how they'll turn out. Let me know! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Delicious. Best stuff peppers I have made. I mixed half ground sausage and ground beef. I am not usually a stuffed pepper fan but it was very good.
Natasha says
That's awesome!! I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks for reviewing my recipe! 🙂
Melissa Buller says
I made this and loved it. The steaming tip, to tenderize the peppers by adding water to the baking dish, was helpful. The mixture needed a little more flavor. Perhaps some additional spice, to one's own tasting, is something to consider.
Natasha says
Glad you enjoyed them!! Yup, they're definitely easy to tweak. 🙂
Renae says
Good but sauce is bland..would probably use marinara sauce next time..loved the idea of putting a cup of water in bottom of baking dish it made peppers tender!
David says
I used 1 ten ounce can Rotel Original diced tomatoes and green chilies for the tomato component and it worked quite well!
Natasha says
Excellent!
Helen says
Hi!
I love this recipe!
Can we substitute the rice with orzo?
Thanks!
Natasha says
Hi! You could try, but I've never done stuffed peppers with orzo. My only concern is it could get a bit soggy since it's pasta, but I think it should probably be ok.
Caroline says
Made these tonight for dinner! So good!! Instead of using beef, I substituted with Impossible Beef and they came out delicious! I also added a little extra Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning. Prep didn’t take long, and they baked perfectly. Thank u for another great recipe!
Natasha says
I'm so glad it worked out!! Thanks for reviewing the recipe. 🙂
Maria Kleinman says
I made these last night and they were a big hit! Yet another S&L to add to my list. Thank you Natasha!
Natasha says
Excellent!! I'm so glad they were enjoyed. You're very welcome 😀
Amy says
Can I make all of the ingredients to stuff the peppers the night before and refrigerate?
Natasha says
Yes! They make take a bit longer to cook straight from the fridge, though, so I'd ensure that they're properly cooked.
Amy says
If doubling the recipe, does that change the cooking time at all? Thanks!
Natasha says
Hi! If you’re cooking the meat all in one batch it may take a bit longer, but I don’t see why the peppers would take any longer to cook in the oven once they’re stuffed. I hope you enjoy the recipe ♥️
Judy P King says
Really easy and SO good...I'll be using this recipe again! 🙂
Natasha says
So happy to hear that you enjoyed them, Judy! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Paula says
This,is similar to how I make mine except I par boil my peppers before stuffing them.
I also just tomato puree..
I have always put cheese in the filling and on top.
Baking time is reduced if peppers are par boiled and you don't need water in the pan.
Best stuffed peppers ever!!.
Natasha says
Yes! There's definitely plenty of different ways to make 'em. 🙂
Chrystal Blackburn says
This is soooo delicious!! I made this exactly as the recipe reads and it was perfect, including cook time. I made six and froze four. They freeze really well if wrapped well in freezer paper or foil. Another great recipe from Salt & Lavender.
Natasha says
Wonderful!! I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks so much for commenting, Chrystal! And thanks for the freezer tip.