Name: Classic Stuffed Peppers - Easy Dinner Recipes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 4 large bell peppers (any color, but red and yellow are sweeter); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 heaping tsp from the jar, I won't tell); 1 lb lean ground beef (85/15 is perfect); 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with their juices; 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce; 1 cup cooked white rice (leftover rice is a hero here); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for the boiling water); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided); Fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional, but pretty)

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Okay, let’s talk stuffed peppers. I have a deep, nostalgic love for them that stems entirely from my Grandma Eleanor (yes, I’m named after her, and yes, the pressure was on). Her version involved a whole afternoon, a mysteriously stained recipe card, and at least one muttered swear word when a pepper wouldn’t stand up straight. My version? We’re getting all that cozy, hearty flavor on the table in about an hour, with minimal fuss and maximum praise. Think of these as the comforting hug of Easy Dinner Recipes, without needing your grandma’s cryptic handwriting to decode. You know what’s great about a recipe like this? It forgives you. Forgot to buy ground beef? I’ve used turkey, chicken, even that half-pack of Italian sausage lurking in the freezer. Rice not cooked? No one will know once it’s baked in that glorious tomato sauce. It’s a perfect canvas. While I adore a good project like stuffed mushrooms recipes or the cheesy madness of lasagna stuffed chicken, sometimes you just need dinner to be… easy. Reliable. Something that makes the house smell amazing and fills everyone up. So, if you’re staring down a busy week and the question of ‘how to make food’ that everyone will actually eat feels overwhelming, start here. These peppers are your answer. They’re simpler than stuffed chicken recipes, heartier than stuffed olives as a snack, and they legitimately make leftovers you’ll fight over for lunch. Let’s get those peppers standing tall (or leaning lazily, I won’t judge).

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Stuffed Peppers Recipe
3) Ingredients for Stuffed Peppers
4) How to Make Stuffed Peppers
5) Tips for Making Stuffed Peppers
6) Making Stuffed Peppers Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Stuffed Peppers
8) Try these Main Course dishes next!
9) My Grandma’s Classic Stuffed Peppers
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

What’s the best kind of pepper to use for stuffing? Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any color. I lean towards the red, yellow, or orange ones because they’re sweeter and a bit more tender after baking. Green bells hold their shape like a champ but have a more robust, slightly bitter flavor. Pick the personality that fits your mood.

How can I keep my peppers from tipping over in the baking dish? The great pepper tip-over is a rite of passage. Blanching them for a few minutes first helps soften the base so they sit better. If you still have a wobbly one, don’t sweat it. A small nest of leftover filling or a crumbled foil ball tucked in the dish can act as a discreet support beam.

Can I use something other than rice? Absolutely. This is a forgiving recipe, one of those fantastic easy dinner recipes that adapts. Cooked quinoa, orzo, or even small-diced bread cubes from a stale loaf will soak up the sauce and add substance. I’ve used it all.

Is there a secret to the best flavor? Simmer the filling. Let that beef, tomato, and spice mixture bubble together for a good five to seven minutes off the heat before you stuff. This marries the flavors and gives the rice time to drink up the savory juices. Patience here pays off in every bite.

2) Easy Stuffed Peppers Recipe

I need you to picture my grandmother’s kitchen. It was a place of wonderful chaos, often with a pot of something simmering and a faint dusting of flour on every surface. Her stuffed peppers were a weekend project, an event. I loved them, but as an adult staring down a Wednesday, that timeline just doesn’t work. So I tinkered. I streamlined. What you’re getting now is the soul of her recipe—the cozy, beefy, tomatoey heart of it—but engineered for reality. This is a prime candidate for your easy dinner recipes rotation.

The process is simple. You’ll blanch the peppers quickly to take the raw edge off. You’ll brown some beef with onions and garlic, which is basically the best smell in any home. Then you stir in tomatoes, rice, and cheese. Stuff. Bake. The whole beautiful mess comes together in about an hour, most of which is hands-off oven time. It’s the kind of meal that feels like you fussed, but the secret is you really didn’t. You just made something honest and good.

This recipe understands life. It gets that you might only have ground turkey. It doesn’t mind if your “cooked rice” is the last scoop from last night’s takeout container. It welcomes a handful of spinach thrown into the filling. It’s a blueprint for comfort, not a rigid rulebook. That flexibility is what makes it a staple for me, and I think it will for you, too. These stuffed peppers deliver on the promise of a satisfying, complete meal without the accompanying stress.

3) Ingredients for Stuffed Peppers

Bell Peppers: Four large ones. Color is your choice. The red and yellow ones are sweeter and mellow beautifully in the oven. Green peppers have a sharper, more distinct flavor that holds up well. Just make sure they have flat bottoms so they don’t do the salsa in your baking dish.

Ground Beef: A pound of the good stuff. I like an 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio. It has enough flavor without leaving a pool of grease in your pan. If you want to go lighter, ground turkey or chicken works perfectly. For a richer twist, try Italian sausage (just remove the casings).

Onion & Garlic: The aromatic foundation. One yellow onion, chopped not too fine. Three cloves of garlic, minced. If you’re in a real rush, a heaping teaspoon from the jar is a fine substitute. We’re making dinner, not applying for a Michelin star.

Canned Tomatoes: Two cans do the heavy lifting. One 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, with all their zesty juices. One 15-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. This combo gives you texture and a silky, clinging sauce without needing to simmer for hours.

Cooked White Rice: One cup. This is the ultimate use for leftover rice. If you don’t have any, cook a quick 1/3 cup of raw rice, or use instant rice right in the skillet with the tomatoes—just add a splash of water.

Seasonings: Dried oregano, dried basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simple, classic, effective. They build that familiar, savory flavor profile we all love. My grandma’s one extra move was a tiny pinch of sugar if the tomatoes tasted too sharp.

Cheddar Cheese: A cup of shredded sharp cheddar, divided. Most of it gets stirred into the warm filling, where it melts into a glorious, binding glue. The rest gets sprinkled on top to form that irresistible golden-brown crust.

4) How to Make Stuffed Peppers

Step 1. Prep and Blanch the Peppers. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. While it heats, slice the tops off your peppers. Scoop out all the seeds and white ribs. You want a nice, clean cavity. Gently lower the peppers into the boiling water. Let them blanch for 4-5 minutes, just until they soften slightly and turn a brighter color. Use tongs to lift them out, and let them drain upside down on a plate lined with paper towels. This stops the sogginess.

Step 2. Make the Savory Filling. Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Crumble in the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains. If there’s excess grease, drain it off. Now, stir in the diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, cooked rice, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let it all simmer together for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar.

Step 3. Stuff and Bake. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stand your peppers upright in the dish. Spoon the beef and rice mixture into each pepper, packing it gently. You’ll probably have extra filling—spoon it right into the dish around the peppers. Top each pepper with the remaining cheese. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.

Step 4. Bake to Perfection. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. You’re looking for the cheese to be melted and bubbly, and the peppers to be tender when pierced with a fork. Let them cool for a solid 5 minutes before serving. Trust me, the filling is like edible lava straight from the oven.

5) Tips for Making Stuffed Peppers

Blanching is your friend, but don’t overdo it. We’re not fully cooking the peppers in the water, just giving them a head start. Four to five minutes is perfect. Any longer and they can become too soft and lose their structure, turning your beautiful vessel into a slumped-over canoe in the oven. The goal is a pepper that still has a bit of personality and bite after baking.

Season your filling boldly. That skillet mixture is your one chance to build deep flavor. Taste it before you stuff. Does it need more salt? A crack of black pepper? Remember, the plain rice and mild pepper will mellow things out. The filling should taste a little assertive on its own. This is a good rule for many stuffed dishes, from these peppers to more intricate stuffed chicken recipes or even elegant stuffed mushrooms recipes.

Let them rest. I know it’s hard when your kitchen smells that good. But giving the baked peppers five to ten minutes to settle is non-negotiable. It allows the filling to firm up just enough so it doesn’t spill out everywhere when you cut into it. It also saves the roof of your mouth from a serious scolding. Use the time to set the table or chop some fresh parsley for a bright garnish.

6) Making Stuffed Peppers Ahead of Time

This is where stuffed peppers truly shine as easy dinner recipes. You can prep them completely a day in advance. Just follow all the steps through stuffing the peppers and placing them in the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or its lid and pop it in the fridge.

When you’re ready to bake, take the dish out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes to take the chill off. This helps them bake more evenly. You might need to add 5-10 extra minutes to the covered baking time since you’re starting from cold. It’s a small trade-off for having dinner practically ready to go into the oven.

You can also freeze them for a future emergency meal. Assemble the unbaked peppers in a freezer-safe dish, wrap it well, and freeze. To cook, thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed. It’s like giving your future, exhausted self a very delicious gift.

7) Storing Leftover Stuffed Peppers

Let’s be honest, leftovers might be the best part. Once cooled, pack any extra peppers in an airtight container. They’ll keep beautifully in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavors actually meld and improve, making the second-day pepper a coveted lunch.

Reheating is easy. You can microwave a single pepper for a couple of minutes until hot through. For a nicer texture, especially if you want to revive that cheese topping, reheat them in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to prevent drying out. I sometimes sprinkle a tiny bit of fresh cheese on top before the oven.

Can you freeze the baked peppers? You can, though the pepper itself will become quite soft upon reheating. If you do, freeze them individually on a baking sheet before transferring to a bag, then reheat from frozen in a covered dish in the oven. It works in a pinch, but fresh fridge leftovers are superior.

8) Try these Main Course dishes next!

9) My Grandma’s Classic Stuffed Peppers