Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers are a hearty and healthy dinner that’s better than takeout. After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly cooked peppers every time. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Air Fryer Ravioli and Cinnamon Apple Bread.

What You'll Need for Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 6 large bell peppers
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Optional: Fresh parsley
• Optional: Sour cream
• Optional: Diced avocado

How to Make Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

1. Prepare peppers: Cut off tops of peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
2. Cook rice: Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
3. Brown beef: In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain fat.
4. Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook until softened.
5. Combine filling: Add cooked rice, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to the skillet. Stir to combine.
6. Stuff peppers: Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, pressing down gently.
7. Bake: Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Storing & Reheating Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: You can assemble the peppers up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Freezing Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

Freeze stuffed peppers before baking for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños to the filling.
• Best substitution: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or a plant-based alternative.
• Make-ahead: You can assemble the peppers up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your peppers are not cooking evenly, try placing them in a single layer in the baking dish.

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

45 mins

⏳

Total

60 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 6 large bell peppers
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Seasonings

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Optional Toppings

• Fresh parsley
• Sour cream
• Diced avocado

Instructions

1. Prepare peppers: Cut off tops of peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
2. Cook rice: Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
3. Brown beef: In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain fat.
4. Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook until softened.
5. Combine filling: Add cooked rice, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to the skillet. Stir to combine.
6. Stuff peppers: Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, pressing down gently.
7. Bake: Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños to the filling.
• Best substitution: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or a plant-based alternative.
• Make-ahead: You can assemble the peppers up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your peppers are not cooking evenly, try placing them in a single layer in the baking dish.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze stuffed peppers before baking for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
• Make ahead: You can assemble the peppers up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 25g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 35g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Cholesterol: 60mg
• Sat. Fat: 6g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!