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Stuffed bell peppers filled with ground beef and rice served on a white plate.
Dreena Grace Burthon

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Lean Ground Beef

Simple stuffed peppers with lean beef, vegetables, and just enough rice to make it feel like dinner. Nothing fancy, easy to adjust, and good for leftovers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Bell peppers Any color
  • 1 lb Lean ground beef About 90 percent lean
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil For cooking
  • 1 Onion Diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves Minced
  • 1 cup Cooked rice Optional, use less if needed
  • 1 cup Diced tomatoes No added sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt Or to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Black pepper Or to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Optional
  • 0.5 cup Shredded cheese Optional, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Oven Standard home oven
  • 1 Baking dish Fits 4 peppers upright
  • 1 Large Skillet For cooking the filling
  • 1 Cutting board Any kind
  • 1 Knife Sharp enough
  • 1 Spoon or Spatula For mixing and filling
  • 1 Aluminum foil To cover while baking

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grab a baking dish while it heats up.
  2. Wash the bell peppers. Cut the tops off and pull out the seeds. Stand them upright in the dish. Trim the bottoms a little if they wobble.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks.
  4. Add the diced onion to the beef. Cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  5. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if using. Spoon off excess grease if there is a lot.
  6. Stir in the diced tomatoes and cooked rice. Mix until everything looks evenly combined and not too dry.
  7. Spoon the filling into the peppers. Press it down lightly. Do not pack it tight.
  8. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
  9. Remove the foil. Add cheese on top if using. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, until peppers are tender.
  10. Let the peppers rest for a few minutes before serving. They will be hot.

Notes

  • If the peppers keep tipping over, trim the bottoms a little. Nobody will notice.
  • Less rice makes them heavier and more filling. More rice makes them softer. Both are fine.
  • These taste better after they sit a few minutes. Hot filling burns fast.
  • If they fall apart, eat them from a bowl. Same food. Still good.