This Italian Stuffed Peppers recipe is one of my favorite to make and eat! One of the things I love about this recipe is that you can prepare it ahead of time and then pop it in the oven (or try the grill!) when you’re ready for dinner. If you like to cook ahead and freeze, I wouldn’t recommend actually stuffing the peppers. Just prepare the filling and freeze that, then stuff the peppers when ready.
Don’t let the list of ingredients fools you; it’s actually not that many, as you likely have most of these in your spice cabinet or pantry.
Easy Weeknight Dinner: Italian Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed
- ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- Optional: shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top of peppers
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers for 3 minutes. Remove and let dry on paper towels.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onions and chopped bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes, and add garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Continue cooking until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps. Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
- Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
