Classic Stuffed Peppers

This recipe takes everything you love about comfort food—savory ground beef, tender rice, tomatoey sauce, and melty cheese—and tucks it neatly into sweet, softened bell peppers. Parboiling the peppers first keeps them pleasantly tender without collapsing, and the beef and rice mixture stays juicy thanks to the tomato sauce and a simple egg binder. The result is a satisfying, fork-and-knife meal that feels nostalgic in all the best ways.

It’s also a practical, make-ahead-friendly dish. You can prep the filling while the peppers simmer, then bake everything together until the peppers are bubbling and the cheese is melted. The peppers reheat well, they’re easy to portion, and you can tweak the filling with different herbs, cheeses, or even alternative meats without losing that “classic stuffed pepper” feel.

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• True comfort food flavor. The combination of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and cheese gives you that cozy, old-fashioned stuffed pepper vibe—savory, gently herby, and satisfying without being overly heavy.
• Tender peppers, not mushy. Parboiling the pepper shells just briefly softens them so they bake up tender but still hold their shape. You get peppers that are easy to cut and eat, but not collapsing by the time the filling is done.
• Balanced, saucy filling. Using both diced tomatoes and tomato sauce keeps the filling moist and flavorful, while a portion of the sauce goes directly into the beef mixture. The rest bakes over the top, so every bite has plenty of sauce.
• Make-ahead friendly and easy to reheat. You can stuff the peppers earlier in the day and bake later, or bake them fully and reheat. They reheat beautifully for lunches and next-day dinners, and they portion nicely for smaller households.
• Flexible for different tastes. You can use any color bell pepper, adjust the herbs, or swap cheeses without rewriting the whole recipe. The base method stays the same, so it’s easy to adapt for your family’s preferences.

Ingredient Notes

• Bell peppers – Green peppers give the most classic, slightly bitter contrast to the rich filling, while red, yellow, or orange peppers are sweeter and a bit milder. Choose large peppers that can stand upright and have enough room for a generous amount of filling.
• Onion and celery – These aromatics soften in the skillet and form the savory backbone of the filling and sauce. Finely chopping them helps them cook quickly and distribute evenly so every bite has flavor and texture.
• Garlic – A small amount of minced garlic rounds out the aromatics without taking over. Since it’s added after the vegetables soften, it can bloom briefly in the oil and sauce and lose its harsh raw edge.
• Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce – The diced tomatoes add texture and little bursts of acidity, while the tomato sauce gives body and a smoother, clingier consistency. Using both keeps the filling moist and helps the peppers bake in a flavorful, saucy base.
• Italian seasoning – This simple blend of herbs (usually oregano, basil, thyme, and others) gives the filling a subtle, familiar Italian-American flavor. You can swap it for your own mix of dried basil and oregano if you prefer.
• Egg – The egg works as a binder in the beef and rice mixture, helping the filling hold together in neat slices rather than crumbling when you cut into the peppers. It also adds a bit of richness.
• Worcestershire sauce – Just a small amount adds depth and umami, enhancing the beefy flavor without standing out on its own. It’s a quiet but important layer in the background.
• Ground beef – A lean grind (around 90%) is ideal here, since the peppers bake in their sauce and you don’t want excess grease pooling at the bottom of the dish. If you use a fattier blend, you can partially cook and drain the beef before mixing.
• Cooked rice – Rice stretches the filling and gives it that classic stuffed pepper texture. Leftover rice works well as long as it isn’t overly sticky; white long-grain, jasmine, or even brown rice all fit nicely.
• Cheese – Mozzarella gives a stretchy, mild topping; cheddar brings sharper flavor; and fontina melts beautifully with a slightly nutty taste. Any good melting cheese, or a combination, works well for the final layer.

Steps to Make Classic Stuffed Peppers

1. Prepare the peppers by trimming off the tops, removing seeds and membranes, and parboiling them briefly so they begin to soften while still holding their shape.
2. Arrange the drained pepper shells upright in a baking dish that fits them snugly, so they support each other as they bake.
3. Build the tomato base by sautéing the chopped pepper tops with onion and celery until softened, then adding garlic briefly before stirring in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs, and seasoning. Let this mixture simmer so the flavors concentrate.
4. Mix the filling by whisking together the egg, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire in a large bowl, then adding the ground beef, cooked rice, parsley, and some of the tomato mixture. Gently combine until everything is evenly distributed without overworking the meat.
5. Stuff each pepper shell with the beef and rice mixture, packing it lightly so it fills the cavities but isn’t compacted into a dense mass.
6. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over and around the stuffed peppers in the baking dish so they bake in a flavorful sauce.
7. Bake until the filling is cooked through and the peppers are tender, then top with shredded cheese and return the dish to the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt and bubble.

Pro Tips

• Choose peppers that are similar in size so they cook at the same rate and stand evenly in the baking dish.
• Parboil the peppers just until slightly tender; overdoing this step can make them too soft by the time the filling is fully baked.
• Cool the tomato mixture slightly before stirring a portion into the raw beef and rice so the egg doesn’t begin to scramble.
• Mix the filling gently with your hands or a fork rather than mashing; this keeps the texture tender instead of dense.
• Check doneness in the center of one pepper, making sure the filling is no longer pink and has reached a safe internal temperature (at least 160 F, or 165 F if you use ground poultry) before adding the cheese.

Recipe Variations

• Make it extra cheesy. Add a small handful of shredded cheese directly into the beef and rice mixture as well as on top. This gives a richer, more indulgent filling with little pockets of melted cheese inside.
• Use a different meat. Substitute part or all of the ground beef with Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground pork. A mix of beef and sausage adds a bolder, more aromatic flavor.
• Go a bit spicier. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a small spoonful of chopped pickled jalapeños to the filling or sauce if you want a gentle heat running through the peppers.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with crusty bread or garlic toast.
• Add a fresh green salad or roasted green beans on the side.
• Garnish with chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, or red pepper flakes.
• Pair with mashed potatoes or a light soup for a full meal.

How to Store

• Refrigerate: Let the stuffed peppers cool until just warm, then cover the baking dish tightly or transfer individual peppers to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days, making sure each pepper has a bit of sauce in the container to keep it moist.
• Reheat: Warm peppers gently in the oven, covered, until heated through, then uncover briefly if you’d like to re-melt or slightly brown the cheese again. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave, though using a lower power setting helps the filling heat evenly.
• Freeze: Cool completely, then wrap each pepper tightly or pack them into freezer-safe containers with some of the sauce. Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, and add a little extra cheese if needed to refresh the top.

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Diana Rattray

The filling for these classic stuffed peppers includes ground beef, rice, tomato sauce, and melty cheese. The ultimate comfort food!

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Servings 6 servings

Calories 505

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Course Comfort Food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  

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• 6 large bell peppers, green, red, or combo
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5-oz, undrained
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lean, I use 90%
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus some for garnish, optional
• 1/2 cup cheese, shredded , e.g., mozzarella, cheddar, or fontina

Instructions

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• Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and stems. Chop the edible part of the pepper tops and set aside.
• Place the pepper shells in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the peppers for 5 minutes, then drain and place them in a 3-quart baking dish or one that will accommodate all of the peppers.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped pepper tops, onions, and celery and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to the skillet. Bring to a simmer. Simmer the tomato sauce mixture for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the egg, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce; whisk to blend.
• Add the ground beef, rice, parsley and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture; mix to combine.
• Stuff the pepper shells with the ground beef mixture and pour the remaining tomato sauce over them.
• Bake the stuffed peppers for 45 to 55 minutes or until the beef is thoroughly cooked. The beef filling should reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F (165°F if you use ground poultry).
• Top each pepper with shredded cheese and continue cooking for 3 or 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 27gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 1548mgPotassium: 1022mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 5621IUVitamin C: 221mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 5mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword ground beef, rice, stuffed peppers

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