Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers are a hearty and healthy dinner delight 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 Easy Coconut Chicken Rice Bowl Recipe and Creamy Swirl Ice Cream Bread Treat.
Why This Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight Is Pure Comfort
- Packed with protein and veggies
- Ready in under 45 minutes
- Perfect for meal prep
- Better than takeout!
What You'll Need for Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
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 cooked rice
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: Fresh cilantro
- Optional: Diced avocado
- Optional: Sour cream or Greek yogurt
📝 Ingredient Notes
- bell peppers: Use any color you like, or mix them up!
- ground beef: You can substitute with ground turkey or chicken if you prefer.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stainless Steel Skillet — Even heat distribution for perfect browning of the beef. → See on Amazon
- Box Grater — Makes quick work of grating cheese for topping the peppers. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
- Prepare the peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Set aside.
- Cook the beef: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook until softened.
- Mix the filling: Stir in the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Stuff the peppers: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, pressing down gently. Place in a baking dish.
- Bake the peppers: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, top each pepper with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
- Time-saving tip: Prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use. This makes for an even quicker dinner!
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the peppers or they'll become mushy. Keep an eye on them and remove from the oven once the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Make-ahead tip: These peppers can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Nutrition tip: For a lower-carb version, use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
Storing & Reheating Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
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: The filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
Freeze stuffed peppers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add a little water to the bottom of the dish to prevent drying out.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicier version, add some diced jalapeños to the filling.
- Best substitution: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles.
- Make-ahead: Stuff the peppers ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to bake. This makes for an easy, stress-free dinner!
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the peppers aren't softening enough in the oven, you can cover them with foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Want to level up this recipe?
Instant Read Meat Thermometer — Ensures the beef is cooked to a safe temperature, preventing foodborne illness. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
Seasonings
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Optional Toppings
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Set aside.
- Cook the beef: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook until softened.
- Mix the filling: Stir in the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Stuff the peppers: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, pressing down gently. Place in a baking dish.
- Bake the peppers: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, top each pepper with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicier version, add some diced jalapeños to the filling.
- Best substitution: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles.
- Make-ahead: Stuff the peppers ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to bake. This makes for an easy, stress-free dinner!
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the peppers aren't softening enough in the oven, you can cover them with foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze stuffed peppers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add a little water to the bottom of the dish to prevent drying out.
- Make ahead: The filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 14g
- Carbs: 32g
- Fiber: 6g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sat. Fat: 7g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the filling ahead of time and stuff the peppers up to a day in advance. Store them in the fridge until ready to bake.
Overcooking the peppers can cause them to become mushy. Keep an eye on them and remove from the oven once the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Yes, you can freeze stuffed bell peppers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Yes, you can cook the stuffed peppers in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
These peppers are great served with a side of garlic bread, a green salad, or some steamed vegetables.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers – Hearty & Healthy Dinner Delight 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!
