These flavorful Stuffed Bell Peppers are filled with lean ground beef, brown rice, roasted corn, and cheese. They’re great for making in advance for busy nights!
Stuffed Bell Peppers take a bit of time to prep but the great thing is that all the prep work can be done a day or two in advance. For more make-ahead meals, try my Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole, Baked Ziti with Sweet Italian Sausage, and Pesto Pasta Salad.
Classic Stuffed Peppers
These Stuffed Peppers are so flavorful and moist! Do all the prep work when you have time and then just 30 minutes before dinner pop the pan in the oven. So great for busy nights! It’s also really nice for feeding to company because it can be timed really well and all the prep dishes/kitchen can be cleaned up well in advance.
Ingredients for Stuffed Peppers:
- Bell Peppers– Use any colors you’d prefer. Red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter (which I prefer) while green peppers have a slightly bitter and grassy flavor.
- Ground Beef– Lean ground beef works great. If using a higher fat beef, be sure to drain the meat after browning.
- Onion– Sweet or yellow onion works great.
- Corn– Use frozen or canned. Trader Joe’s frozen Fire Roasted Corn is phenomenal!
- Rice– For more fiber, use brown rice. This recipe is a great way to use leftover rice!
- Ketchup– This adds moisture, flavor, and sweetness.
- Barbecue sauce– This adds a little kick. Use your favorite BBQ sauce. KC Masterpiece’s Original BBQ Sauce is my favorite in this recipe but Baby Ray’s is good too.
- Water– Just a little is needed to simmer the meat until tender (like ground beef tacos).
- Mustard– Yellow or dijon works great in this recipe. It helps round out the flavors. There is no distinct mustard flavor.
- Seasoned Salt– This not only adds salt but other seasonings.
- Cheddar Cheese– Added in the last few minutes of baking for extra deliciousness. Feel free to use a different cheese.
How to make Stuffed Peppers:
Time needed: 1 hour
- Cook Rice
Cook rice according to direction on package and set aside. (Or skip this step and use leftover rice.)
- Brown meat
Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onions. Add corn, ketchup, barbecue sauce, water, mustard, and seasoned salt. Bring to simmer, cover, and turn heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Boil Peppers
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and toss in the halved peppers. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove peppers from water and place in an ice bath.
- Prep oven
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Stuff Peppers
Add the cooked rice to the simmered beef and then stuff into the peppers. (Spoon and press mixture in, mounding it high.) Place stuffed peppers in casserole dish.
- Bake
Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom of the casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes or until top is crisp. Remove from oven and add a slice a cheese to the top of each pepper and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.
FAQs
Boiling the peppers and placing them in an ice bath before stuffing helps them retain their beautiful color. It also decreases the baking time.
Yes! Use 1 1/2 cups leftover white or brown rice in the filling. Next time you have leftover rice, freeze it so you can use it later on in this recipe!
Yes! This is a great recipe to double! You’ll need an extra 9×13 pan but the process and times all remain the same.
Cutting in the peppers in half allows you to get more filling in. When stuffing, you’ll press the filling in with the back of the spoon and then mound it on top.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS:
- 9×13 inch Casserole Dish– This is a standard size casserole dish and can be used for everything from casseroles, to chicken breasts, to brownies. I love that it’s white because it looks nice and goes with any table setting.
- Cast Iron Skillet– A cast iron skillet is a kitchen must have. It heats evenly and gives meats a nice crust.
- Meat Chopper– This is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets! It makes crumbling and browning ground meat so easy!
LOOKING FOR MORE GROUND BEEF RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE:
- Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti
- Easy Dorito Taco Salad
- Southwest Cornbread Sloppy Joes
- Picadillo
- Skillet Lasagna
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 large bell peppers, cut vertically in half, seeds removed
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup frozen fire roasted corn
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 cup raw brown rice, (or 1 1/2 cups cooked leftover rice)
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, (6 slices)
Instructions
- Cook 1/2 c. rice according to package directions and set aside.
- Meanwhile, brown 1 lb. ground beef and 1 c. onion. Stir in the 3/4 c. corn, 1/2 c. ketchup, 1/4 c. barbecue sauce, 1/4 c. water, 1 tsp. mustard, and 1 tsp. seasoned salt. Bring to simmer, cover, and turn heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and toss in the halved peppers. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove peppers from water and place in an ice bath.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Add the cooked rice to the simmered beef and then stuff into the peppers. (Spoon and press mixture in, mounding it high.) Place stuffed peppers in casserole dish. (If not baking right away, cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate.)
- Add 1 1/2 c. of water to the bottom of the casserole dish and bake peppers for 20 minutes or until top is crisp. (If baking from fridge, bake for 30 mintues.) Remove from oven and add a slice a cheese to the top of each and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.
These are the best! Love the corn addition. I no longer live near Trader Joe’s so I can’t buy the roasted frozen corn, instead I use my homegrown frozen corn and it is delicious. These are great reheated leftovers! We love these with scalloped potatoes.