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Cheesy Baked Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe Easy Comfort Meal with Ground Beef and Rice

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A quick and easy comfort meal featuring ground beef, rice, and melty cheese stuffed inside tender bell peppers and baked to perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large red bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
  • 1 pound (450g) ground beef, preferably 80/20
  • 1 cup (200g) cooked white or brown rice, cooled
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce, plain or lightly seasoned
  • 1 to 1 ½ cups (100-150g) shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • A handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease your baking dish with olive oil to prevent sticking.
  2. Prepare the bell peppers: Cut the tops off and carefully remove seeds and membranes. Rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add ground beef to skillet with onions and garlic, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for about 6–8 minutes until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.
  5. Stir in salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook for another minute to let the spices bloom.
  6. Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked rice and tomato sauce to the beef mixture. Stir well to combine. The filling should be moist but not soupy.
  7. Spoon the beef and rice mixture evenly into each bell pepper cavity. Pack gently but don’t overfill to avoid spills.
  8. Arrange peppers upright in the baking dish, spaced evenly. Pour about ¼ cup (60ml) water into the bottom of the dish to keep peppers moist while baking.
  9. Generously sprinkle shredded cheese over each stuffed pepper.
  10. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until peppers are tender and cheese is melted and golden brown. The filling should be hot and bubbly.
  11. Let peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top for garnish.

Notes

If peppers brown too quickly on top, tent loosely with foil halfway through baking. Add extra tomato sauce or broth if filling seems dry before baking. Cook rice ahead and cool to prevent mushy filling. Drain excess fat from beef to avoid greasy filling. Variations include using ground turkey, plant-based meat, or lentils for vegetarian options, and swapping rice for quinoa or cauliflower rice for gluten-free or low-carb versions.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed bell peppers, baked stuffed peppers, ground beef recipe, comfort food, easy dinner, cheesy stuffed peppers

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/cheesy-baked-stuffed-bell-peppers-recipe-easy-comfort-meal-with-ground-beef-and-rice/