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Classic Stuffed Peppers

Classic stuffed peppers are baked until tender, filled with savory ground beef, cooked white rice, and tomato sauce. The peppers are finished with melted mozzarella that turns golden and bubbly.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bell peppers
  • 6 large bell peppers
Meat and aromatics
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
Filling and sauce
  • 1.5 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce divided
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes drained
Cheese
  • 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep peppers
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds, then place peppers in a baking dish and set aside.
Cook the filling
  1. Brown ground beef with diced onion over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through, then drain fat.
  2. Stir in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
  3. Stir in cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, and 3/4 of the tomato sauce until combined.
Fill and bake
  1. Spoon filling into each pepper.
  2. Top peppers with remaining tomato sauce, then cover the baking dish with foil.
  3. Bake 30 minutes, then uncover.
  4. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top and bake 15 more minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is golden.

Notes

For the best bake, choose peppers that stand upright so the filling stays put. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3–4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes: cool completely, freeze in portions up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. To make it lighter, swap half the ground beef for lean ground turkey or use 93% lean beef.