main-dishes
Stuffed Bell Pepper
These Stuffed Bell Peppers are a classic summertime favorite at RizzieFarms, especially when the garden is overflowing with crisp, colorful peppers. Sweet bell peppers are quickly blanched to soften, then filled with a savory mixture of lean ground beef, tender rice, sautéed onions and garlic, and a bright tomato sauce seasoned with oregano, Worcestershire, and a dash of Tabasco for gentle heat. The peppers bake until the filling is hot and flavorful, the peppers are tender, and everything is finished with a blanket of melted cheddar cheese. It’s a complete, comforting main dish in a single edible bowl—perfect alongside a simple salad or fresh vegetables from the garden.
Ingredients
Peppers
- 4 bell peppers, any color
- Salt, for blanching water
Filling & Sauce
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
- 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Dash of Tabasco sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated cheddar cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Blanch the peppers: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add several generous pinches of **salt** to the boiling water, then add **4 bell peppers** with stems, seeds, and membranes removed. Boil the peppers, using a spoon to keep them submerged, for about **3 minutes** until brightly colored and slightly softened. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the tomato sauce mixture: In a small bowl, combine **1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce**, **1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce**, a **dash of Tabasco sauce**, **1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano**, and **freshly ground black pepper to taste**. Stir well and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics and beef: Preheat the oven to **350°F**. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat **4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil**. Add **1 chopped medium yellow onion** and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add **1 chopped garlic clove** and cook 1 minute more. Add **1 lb lean ground beef** and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks, then drain off any excess fat.
- Combine the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion–garlic–beef mixture from the skillet, **1 1/2 cups cooked rice**, and **half of the tomato sauce mixture** made from **tomato sauce, Worcestershire, Tabasco, oregano, and pepper**. Stir until the filling is evenly blended.
- Stuff the peppers: Lightly oil a baking dish with **1 tbsp of the remaining extra-virgin olive oil**. Arrange the **4 blanched bell peppers** upright in the dish. Spoon the beef–rice filling into each pepper, packing it gently so all **4 peppers** are filled. Pour the remaining **tomato sauce mixture** evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated **350°F** oven and bake for **40–50 minutes** (or longer if the peppers are very large), until the internal temperature of the stuffing in the **4 peppers** reaches **150–160°F** and the peppers are tender.
- Finish with cheese: Remove the stuffed bell peppers from the oven and immediately top each of the **4 peppers** with **grated cheddar cheese**. Return to the warm oven for a few minutes, just until the cheese melts. Serve hot with extra sauce from the pan spooned over each pepper.
Notes
- You can par-cook the peppers a little longer if you prefer them very soft; just keep the blanch time closer to 4–5 minutes.
- Use whatever bell pepper color looks best in the garden—green for classic flavor, or red, yellow, and orange for sweetness and color.
- For a spicier filling, increase the Tabasco or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes along with the oregano.
- Leftover stuffed peppers reheat well; cover and warm gently in a 300°F oven until heated through.