main-dishes

Stuffed Bell Peppers (Without Rice)

When the bell pepper plants at RizzieFarms explode with fresh green peppers, this hearty no-rice recipe becomes a summertime staple. These Stuffed Bell Peppers skip the grains and instead pack each pepper with a rich, savory mixture of ground beef, Italian sausage, onions, garlic, Italian bread crumbs, basil, and chunky marinara. The filling becomes tender and deeply flavored as it bakes inside the softened peppers, and a generous topping of melted mozzarella finishes the dish with creamy comfort. It’s simple, satisfying, and perfectly suited for using up an abundance of garden peppers—no rice needed.

Servings: 4 servings
Total Time: 65 min

Ingredients

Peppers
  • 4 bell peppers (green recommended)
  • Salt, for blanching water
Filling
  • 1 lb ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 1/4 cups chunky marinara sauce (divided)
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
  • 1 tsp chives, optional
Baking
  • 1/4 cup water, for baking dish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to **350°F** in preparation for baking the **4 stuffed bell peppers**.
  2. Blanch the peppers: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tops off **4 bell peppers** about 1 inch from the stem end and remove seeds and membranes. Add several generous pinches of **salt** to the boiling water, then submerge the **4 peppers** using a spoon. Boil for **3–5 minutes** until slightly softened. Drain and set aside to cool.
  3. Cook the meat: In a skillet over medium heat, cook **1 lb ground beef** and **1 lb Italian sausage** for **6–7 minutes** until fully cooked. Drain the grease and transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.
  4. Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, heat a splash of oil (if needed) and sauté **1/2 cup chopped yellow onion** and **3 tsp minced garlic** for **4–5 minutes** until softened.
  5. Build the sauce mixture: Add **1 cup chunky marinara sauce**, **2 cups Italian bread crumbs**, **1 tsp dried basil**, **1/2 tsp sea salt**, and **1/4 tsp ground black pepper** to the onion–garlic mixture. Simmer on medium-low heat for **2 minutes** until heated through.
  6. Combine with meat: Stir the cooked **ground beef and Italian sausage mixture** into the skillet and heat through. Add **1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese** and stir until melted into the filling.
  7. Stuff the peppers: Spoon the meat-and-breadcrumb mixture into each of the **4 blanched bell peppers**, packing the filling firmly. Top each pepper with a small spoonful of the remaining **1/4 cup chunky marinara sauce** and the remaining **1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese**.
  8. Prepare for baking: Pour **1/4 cup water** into the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the **4 stuffed peppers** upright in the dish.
  9. Bake: Place the dish in the **350°F** oven and bake for **40–50 minutes**, or longer if the peppers are large, until the internal temperature of the filling reaches **150–160°F**.
  10. Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with **1 tsp chives** if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Using both ground beef and Italian sausage gives the filling rich flavor and tenderness without needing rice.
  • You can substitute spicy Italian sausage for a hotter version.
  • If peppers soften too quickly when blanching, reduce time to 2–3 minutes.
  • Add crushed red pepper flakes to the filling for extra heat.
  • This recipe freezes well—cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze.

Tags

main-dishes peppers beef sausage baked summer