Stuffed Bell Peppers have been a huge favorite of mine since my aunt first made them for me many, many years ago. At the time, it seemed like such an elaborate, fancy recipe, but who knew they were really this simple to make! It’s a classic comfort food recipe that’s hearty, filling, easy to customize, and can feed a large family. Plus, the flavors in this version are incredibly delicious! So much so that we’re still talking about it over a month later! ;)
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“I love this simple recipe and I like how much easier it is filling the bell peppers cut this way over the traditional way. This is a great budget friendly recipe for families. Buy the green bell peppers because they’re cheaper and taste just as good!”
Kerri
Easy Recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers
There are several versions of stuffed bell peppers out there, and most usually include ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and cheese. I got a little creative with this recipe as I wanted it to be simple to make, but still have tons of flavor!
Instead of beef, I went with ground Italian sausage for an extra boost of flavor. I also used long-grain white rice, which helps bulk up the filling for cheap. In this recipe, the rice is cooked in the same skillet as the meat filling. It gives the rice a ton of flavor and let’s be honest…who wants to clean more dishes by cooking a separate pot of rice? Not me! Everything else is simple, flavor-packed pantry staples, and is perfect for feeding your family without breaking the bank.
Budget-Saving Tips!
Here are a few tips to help you stretch your money when making Stuffed Bell Peppers:
- Use the green bell peppers! Although it makes for a colorful final dish when you use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, these colors often cost a little bit more. You can just buy all green bell peppers instead and save some coins.
- Cut a 4th bell pepper in half and stretch the filling out to make 8 servings instead of 6. Trust me..I stuffed these bell peppers quite a bit, but you could totally stretch the filling if you wanted to.
- If you want to just use 1/2 a pound of sausage, that works too! Just add an additional 1/2 cup of rice and 3/4 cup of broth to what is listed in the recipe below, to increase the filling and make up the difference.
- Feel free to use ground beef instead if it’s cheaper than the Italian sausage at your local store. You may need to add a bit more seasoning to make up for the flavor you would get in the sausage, though.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Servings 6 servingsIngredients
Peppers
- 3 bell peppers ($2.96)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil (divided, $0.08)
- 1¼ tsp salt (divided, $0.06**)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
Filling
- 1 lb. Italian sausage ($3.87*)
- 1 yellow onion (diced, $0.70)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced, $0.24)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.10)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1 cup marinara sauce ($0.71)
- ½ cup long grain white rice (uncooked, $0.21)
- ¾ cup chicken broth ($0.11)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, $1.25)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash and dry each bell pepper, then cut the bell peppers in half horizontally. Make sure to cut them as evenly as possible. Using a sharp paring knife carefully cut and remove the stem from the top half of each bell pepper (see picture below). It's okay if there is a small hole left where the stem was removed.
- Place each bell pepper half in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Brush the bell peppers with 1 Tbsp oil and season with ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp cracked black pepper. Bake the bell peppers in a preheated oven for 20 minutes to soften. After 20 minutes remove the bell peppers from the oven and set aside. ***
- While the bell peppers are baking, make the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of oil. Brown the Italian sausage.
- Once the sausage has browned, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Next add the uncooked rice, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 1 tsp of salt, and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the mixture to come to a full boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer, without lifting the lid or stirring, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest, without lifting the lid, for an additional 5 minutes.
- Next remove the lid, fluff the rice, and stir the mixture again to redistribute the ingredients. Begin to fill each bell pepper with the meat filling. Stuff as much filling as you can into each, filling them all the way to the top.
- Top each bell pepper evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Loosely place some tented aluminum foil over the top of the casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes the bell peppers should be tender but not mushy.
- Now remove the foil and turn the heat on to broil. Broil the stuffed bell peppers for 2-3 minutes or just until the cheese gets a little brown on top. Be sure to watch the bell peppers closely at this step to prevent the cheese from over browning. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and enjoy!
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Video
Equipment
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet*
- Glass Casserole Dish
Notes
Nutrition
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Also try our Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers!
How to Make STUFFED BELL PEPPERS Step-by-Step Photos
Prep the peppers: Preheat your oven to 350°F, then wash and dry 3 bell peppers. Cut the bell peppers in half horizontally, yes, horizontally. Most stuffed bell pepper recipes either keep the bell peppers whole or cut them vertically, but by cutting them horizontally, you end up with a flatter bottom surface and it’s easier to stuff. Trust me! Make sure to cut them as evenly as possible. Using a sharp pairing knife, carefully cut and remove the stem from the top half of each bell pepper. It’s okay if there is a small hole left where the stem was removed.
Prebake the peppers: Place each bell pepper half in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Brush the bell peppers with 1 Tbsp cooking oil, divided between all 6 halves, and season with ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, also divided between all 6 halves. Bake the bell peppers in a preheated oven for 20 minutes to soften. After 20 minutes, remove them from the oven and set aside.
Make the filling: While the bell peppers are baking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of oil. Add 1 lb Italian sausage and cook until brown.
Once the sausage has browned, add the 1 diced yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Next, add ½ cup uncooked white rice, 1 cup of marinara sauce, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp of salt, and ¾ cups chicken broth to the skillet. Stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the mixture to come to a full boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer, without lifting the lid or stirring, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest, without lifting the lid, for an additional 5 minutes.
Next, remove the lid, fluff the rice, and stir the mixture again to redistribute the ingredients. Begin to fill each bell pepper with the sausage and rice mixture. Stuff as much filling as you can into each, filling them all the way to the top.
Bake the peppers: Divide 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each bell pepper evenly. Loosely place some tented aluminum foil over the top of the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the foil and turn the heat to broil. Broil the stuffed bell peppers for 2-3 minutes or just until the cheese gets a little brown on top. Be sure to watch the bell peppers closely at this step to prevent the cheese from getting too brown. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and enjoy!
Variations to Try!
These peppers are delicious as-is, but sometimes I mix it up depending on what I’ve got in my kitchen. Here are a few simple swaps to try:
- Try a different seasoning. If you decide to swap out the Italian sausage for ground beef, chicken, or turkey, you could switch up the flavor and sub in taco seasoning, a Greek seasoning blend, Cajun seasoning, or any seasoning mix you love for the Italian seasoning!
- Make it vegetarian or vegan! Swap in your favorite vegetarian/vegan Italian sausage alternative, use vegetable broth to make the filling, and top it with vegan cheese. Don’t forget to add more Italian seasoning if your sausage substitute doesn’t already contain it.
- Swap the cheese. I usually go with mozzarella, but sometimes I’ll use cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack when I want a little extra kick.
- Try brown rice. I know some readers prefer brown rice to white, so feel free to use it here! You’ll just need more broth and a longer cook time, since brown rice takes longer to cook. Be sure to follow the package directions for the right rice-to-liquid ratio.
What to serve with Stuffed Bell Peppers
The filling inside each of these stuffed bell peppers is pretty hearty by itself, but if you want to serve something with it on the side, they would also be great with a simple salad or some crusty garlic bread. If you want to double down on the veggies, you can also serve these with some roasted broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, or a side of simple sautéed vegetables.
Storing & Reheating
Got leftovers? No problem! These stuffed bell peppers hold up very well in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or the oven, and the leftovers taste just as good the next day, making them perfect for meal prep! As for freezing, I wouldn’t freeze the whole pepper because they can become very watery and mushy once thawed. Instead, I’d freeze only the filling for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge as needed.
I made this exactly as written. I agree with a previous comment, just cut the tops off. Don’t cut them in half—you will end up with large holes in half of them.
When it comes to the filling—my rice was still VERY crunchy after the 20 minutes of simmering. I ended up having to add more broth and simmer for another 15 minutes or so before the rice was cooked. Otherwise extremely yummy and will make again with some modifications!
Made this! Same stuff you would make with ground beef and rice dish. Not my favorite not because of the recipe, but because bell peppers are not my fav
I love this simple recipe and I like how much easier it is filling the bell peppers cut this way over the traditional way. This is a great budget friendly recipe for families. Buy the green bell peppers because they’re cheaper and taste just as good!
I love this recipe for the flexibility of seasonings and fillings. Since Italian sausage is often on sale, I keep it in the freezer at all times. I also keep an eye out for discounted bags of peppers at the store so I can double the recipe and freeze marvelous lunches for later. I’ve also tried a “taco version” with ground beef, taco seasonings and different cheeses! This recipe stays on repeat at our house!
Can these be frozen once they are cooked? Will peppers be ok?
My only concern is that peppers can get get a little watery after being frozen so they may have some excess liquid and not hold their shape. That being said, others have frozen with success! Just keep that in mind.
This is a great recipe! I just made it tonight and my husband and I really enjoyed them =)
You guys, this is a surprisingly bad recipe! Cutting the peppers in half leaves you with some very small “cups” to put your filling in, and half of the cups will have very large holes in the bottom. Yes, you mention that, but normal bell peppers have pretty large stems. Just cut the tops off and scoop out the innards to give you greater volume. Avoid waste by dicing pepper flesh around the stem and saving it for an omelette or frittata or something.
The volume of the filling ingredients (1lb sausage, an onion, a cup of sauce, the rice, et. al.) probably results in about 8 cups prepared. That doesn’t fit in 3 bell peppers. Probably needs 2x that number.
One onion is overpowering, especially since you call for processed marinara sauce. And you’ve got a fair amount of fresh garlic and dried garlic.
Precooking the peppers is unnecessary. Cut the cooking time of the filling. Brushing and salting the peppers — huh?
I’m hardly Julia Child, and I’m sure you are all great cooks, but this one seems “off.” Lol I know the internet is a nasty place, I don’t remember the last time I bothered to post something negative about a recipe, and I feel bad about adding negativity, but I can’t help it. God bless and thanks for doing what you do.
I always cut my peppers in half–lengthwise–and mound the filling. I also precook the peppers slightly in a covered dish in the microwave, unbrushed and unsalted, as we love peppers and prefer them soft enough to cut with a fork. The amount of filling in the recipe is about right if the peppers are cut this way, but if there’s any extra, just put it in the pan and surround the peppers. We like onion, so the amount is ok for my family–about 1 c of diced onion. I also use fresh garlic–3 cloves is about 1 T if they are large, but if not I use another clove or two. Italian sausage tends to be pretty salty, although it can vary widely, so I didn’t add any more. There is at least one complaint about this recipe being “too salty,” which makes me wonder why the cook–who already knows how much salt satisfies their individual taste–didn’t start without it and taste the filling it see if more was needed before stuffing the peppers. And a bit more cheese as my cutting difference created more surface area. The leftovers freeze just fine as anyone who has purchased a well known brand of stuffed peppers from the freezer section of their supermarket can attest.
With minor changes which in no way affect the recipe as written–only some procedural differences–the recipe is absolutely delicious!! I did use ripe peppers–a package of 3 from Aldi is always a bargain–we love the sweet taste of ripe ones over the more bitter taste of green peppers.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Pablo! Just a couple of notes from me. Our thinking with cutting the bell peppers this way is getting more servings from your (sometimes pricey) bell peppers. We’ve found a lot of times people don’t want to eat the whole pepper as well as the filling and it ends up being more of a vessel and less a part of the dish. This is also one reason why we brush and season the peppers and pre-cook. We want the peppers themselves to be tasty and tender enough to eat enjoyably. Marsha did also mention in the post that you could add an additional bell pepper to make 8 servings if that’s in the budget :)
this may be the first time I’ve posted a comment about a recipe. the only reason I gave you five stars is because there wasn’t ten. This is hands down the best recipe I’ve ever found on line for anything. these are the bomb and so are you, keep up the awesome work thank you
Great recipe utilizing things already in the pantry! Thank you!
These were phenomenal! The filling is so good. Because reading comprehension is hard, I forgot to add salt to the filling but remembered before I stuffed the peppers. Lots of filling and did 3 and a half peppers. Hubby and I both loved it and have leftovers!
I love the filling! Easy to make and super yummy! We made stuffed peppers for the grown ups and just baked a bowl of the filling topped with cheese for the kid and everyone was happy!
Simple to follow instructions and a delicious recipe
I love this recipe!
The filling was very yummy, however roasting the bell peppers for 20 mins isn’t enough my bell peppers were tender on top but the bottoms were still very firm and uncooked, next time i would put water in the baking tray.
I made two changes —- Rotel tomatoes and jalapenos and I used Adaptable beef and pork seasoned with basil, oregano and thyme. Best stuffed peppers ever.