I’ve perfected my stuffed peppers recipe over years of kitchen experiments, and I’m thrilled to share this second version with you. These hearty ground beef stuffed peppers combine savory meat, fluffy rice, and zesty tomato sauce inside colorful bell pepper shells. Unlike traditional recipes, I’ve added a few unexpected ingredients that transform this classic dish into something truly memorable. The secret lies in how the flavors meld together during baking, creating a comfort food that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
Key Takeaways
- Stuffed peppers combine ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce in hollowed bell peppers for a complete meal.
- Blanch peppers for 5 minutes before stuffing to ensure they become tender while baking.
- Various protein substitutions work well, including ground turkey, chicken, lentils, or plant-based alternatives.
- The stuffed peppers bake at 350°F for one hour, developing rich flavors that improve overnight.
- Complement stuffed peppers with light sides like green salad, garlic bread, or steamed vegetables.
Why You’ll Love these Hearty Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
Comfort food at its finest, these stuffed peppers deliver a complete meal in one colorful package. I’ve found that combining ground beef with rice and tomato sauce creates the perfect savory filling that satisfies even the heartiest appetites.
The peppers themselves become tender during baking while still maintaining their shape, creating natural vessels for the flavorful mixture.
You’ll appreciate how this recipe balances nutrition and taste—protein from the beef, complex carbohydrates from the rice, and vegetables from the peppers and onions.
The pre-boiling step guarantees your peppers achieve the ideal tenderness, while the hour-long baking time allows all the flavors to meld beautifully together.
These stuffed peppers also make excellent leftovers, with flavors that deepen overnight in the refrigerator.
What Ingredients are in Hearty Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers?
Making stuffed peppers is one of those comforting cooking projects that fills your kitchen with amazing aromas. The combination of savory ground beef, tender rice, and sweet bell peppers creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
This classic recipe has stood the test of time for good reason—it’s hearty, nutritious, and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients for Stuffed Peppers:
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup rice
- 1 large onion
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, plus additional 1/2 cup for topping
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Ketchup for topping
When shopping for these ingredients, look for bell peppers that stand up straight and have relatively flat bottoms—they’ll be much easier to stuff and will stay upright during baking.
The recipe doesn’t specify what type of rice to use, but medium or long-grain white rice works perfectly. You could substitute brown rice for a nuttier flavor and more fiber, but you might need to adjust the cooking time.
And while the recipe calls for ketchup as a topping, you could use the additional tomato sauce instead if you prefer a less sweet finish. The beauty of stuffed peppers is their versatility, so don’t be afraid to make the recipe your own.
How to Make these Hearty Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers start with a bit of prep work that’s totally worth the effort. First, you’ll need to clean 6 large peppers, cut off their tops, and remove all those pesky seeds inside. Then give them a quick 5-minute bath in boiling salted water—this softens them just enough without making them mushy.
After boiling, transfer them to cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain them well. This blanching step is essential, trust me. Without it, you’d end up with crunchy peppers that fight back when you try to eat them.
While your peppers are having their spa treatment, brown 1 pound of ground beef with a large chopped onion in a skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat—nobody wants greasy stuffed peppers, right?
Now for the filling magic: mix your meat and onions with 1 cup of rice, a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, and a quarter teaspoon of pepper. This mixture should be moist but not soggy. For perfectly cooked rice every time, consider using a professional rice cooker that eliminates guesswork and delivers consistent results.
Now comes the fun part: stuff this savory mixture into your cooled, drained pepper shells, packing it in firmly but not too tightly. Top each pepper with a generous dollop of ketchup (the recipe calls for 1/2 cup total), which will create a tangy, slightly sweet glaze as they bake.
Pop these stuffed beauties into a 350-degree oven for an hour, and what emerges will serve 4 to 6 very happy people.
Hearty Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers Substitutions and Variations
While the classic recipe for stuffed peppers offers a delicious meal, you can easily customize it to suit your dietary needs or taste preferences with several simple substitutions.
For a leaner option, I recommend swapping ground beef with ground turkey or chicken. You can also go vegetarian by using cooked lentils or a plant-based meat substitute.
Brown rice can be replaced with quinoa for added protein, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.
Don’t have tomato sauce? Try using salsa or marinara sauce instead.
For different flavor profiles, I like adding Mediterranean touches with feta cheese and olives, or Mexican flair with corn, black beans, and taco seasoning.
Bell peppers come in various colors—each offers a slightly different sweetness level, so mix and match for visual appeal.
What to Serve with Hearty Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers shine as a complete meal on their own, but pairing them with complementary side dishes creates a truly satisfying dining experience.
I recommend serving a crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette to balance the hearty flavors of the beef and rice filling. A simple cucumber and tomato salad also works beautifully.
For bread options, consider warm garlic bread or crusty French bread to soak up any extra sauce.
If you’re looking for another vegetable, roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli provides nice textural contrast. During cooler months, I love serving these peppers alongside a cup of creamy tomato soup for a comforting meal.
Remember that these stuffed peppers already contain protein, starch, and vegetables, so keep your sides relatively light.
Final Thoughts
After making this classic recipe countless times in my kitchen, I’ve come to appreciate how stuffed peppers represent the perfect combination of nutrition, flavor, and simplicity.
They’re incredibly versatile—swap ground beef for turkey, add different cheeses, or incorporate seasonal vegetables to make this recipe your own.
I’ve found that parboiling the peppers before stuffing is essential for achieving that perfect tender-yet-firm texture. Don’t skip this step!
The rich combination of beef, rice, and tomato sauce creates a hearty filling that satisfies even the hungriest dinner guests.
What I love most about this recipe is its make-ahead potential. You can prepare these stuffed peppers in advance, refrigerate them, and simply pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Like arborio rice in risotto, the rice in stuffed peppers absorbs flavors and provides essential texture to the dish.
