Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 bell peppers (any color)
• 3 cups chunky tomato sauce, divided
• onion, very thinly sliced
• cup beef broth
• teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cups cooked rice
• cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375F (190C) and let it preheat while you prepare the peppers.
2. Prepare the peppers: Slice the tops off the bell peppers, about -inch from the top, and set them aside to use as lids. Carefully remove the core and seeds from the inside of the peppers. Cut a thin slice from the bottoms of the peppers so they can stand upright. Poke about four tiny holes in the bottoms to allow juices to drain.
3. Prepare the baking dish: Pour 2 cups of tomato sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the sliced onion, beef broth, and red pepper flakes. Spread this mixture evenly across the bottom of the dish.
4. Stuff the peppers: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked rice, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, cup of parsley, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
5. Fill the peppers: Lightly stuff each pepper with the prepared beef and rice mixture. Once stuffed, spoon 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce onto the top of each stuffed pepper. Place the reserved tops of the peppers back on top.
6. Cover and bake: Cover the dish loosely with a piece of parchment paper, then cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 1 hour, until the peppers have softened slightly.
7. Finish baking: Remove the foil and parchment paper. Continue baking for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the peppers are tender, sweet, and slightly caramelized.
8. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle each pepper with teaspoon of fresh parsley and drizzle a spoonful of the pan juices over the top.

Chef's Notes:

I prefer using parchment paper in this recipe to avoid direct contact between the foil and the acidic tomato sauce while baking. If you skip the baking sheet, the peppers may cook faster.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

• Calories: 376
• Total Fat: 17g (22% DV)
• Saturated Fat: 7g (35% DV)
• Cholesterol: 82mg (27% DV)
• Sodium: 1724mg (75% DV)
• Total Carbohydrates: 26g (10% DV)
• Dietary Fiber: 4g (16% DV)
• Total Sugars: 9g
• Protein: 30g (61% DV)
• Vitamin C: 111mg (123% DV)
• Calcium: 141mg (11% DV)
• Iron: 5mg (26% DV)
• Potassium: 937mg (20% DV)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.