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Baked stuffed bell peppers with melted cheese in a white ceramic dish

Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers

Bell peppers roasted hollow side down, then packed with a beef and rice filling and finished with melted cheese.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 large bell peppers any color
  • 2 tbsp 30 ml olive oil
  • 1 lb 450 g ground beef, 85/15
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (1 cup / 150 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup 185 g cooked white rice, a day old if possible
  • 1 can 14.5 oz / 411 g diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup 240 ml tomato sauce, divided
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups 170 g shredded mozzarella or cheddar, divided
  • 1/4 cup 60 ml beef broth
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for serving

Method
 

  1. Roast the cored, hollowed peppers cut side down at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes.
  2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain the fat, and check for 160°F (71°C).
  3. Cook the onion in the same skillet for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in rice, tomatoes, half the tomato sauce, and seasonings. Taste and adjust.
  5. Flip the peppers upright in the baking dish and pour the broth in the bottom.
  6. Fill each pepper, pressing down and mounding slightly above the rim.
  7. Top with remaining tomato sauce, cover, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes.
  8. Uncover, add cheese, and bake 10 to 12 minutes more until melted and browned.
  9. Rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving with parsley on top.

Notes

Buy peppers with flat bottoms so they sit upright without tipping in the dish.
The filling looks slightly wet before baking; that's normal, it tightens up in the oven.
Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate unbaked, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the covered bake time.
 
Storage Notes:
Keeps refrigerated in a sealed container up to 4 days.
Freezes well for up to 3 months, wrapped individually once cooled.
Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes from the fridge.