Classic beef-and-rice stuffed bell peppers baked in a savory tomato sauce with melted cheese, optimized for make-ahead meals and reliable reheating.
Ingredients
1,050g bell peppers (6 medium)
180g long-grain white rice
300 ml water
30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
150g yellow onion, small dice
80g diced bell pepper tops (from above)
12g garlic, minced
600g 85% lean ground beef
12g fine sea salt, divided
3g freshly ground black pepper, divided
3g smoked paprika
2g dried oregano
1g red pepper flakes (optional)
60g tomato paste
400g crushed tomatoes, divided
10 ml Worcestershire sauce
250 ml low-sodium beef broth, divided
4g granulated sugar (optional)
15g fresh parsley, chopped
180g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
30g Parmesan, finely grated (optional)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water.
Combine 180g rice and 300 ml water in a small saucepan.
Bring the saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the saucepan.
Simmer the rice for 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Rest the rice covered for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork.
Slice 1 cm from the stem end of each bell pepper.
Remove the cores and seeds from the peppers.
Dice 80g of the trimmed pepper tops into 5 mm pieces.
Place the peppers cut-side up in a 23×33 cm baking dish.
Brush the peppers with 10 ml olive oil.
Season the peppers with 4g salt and 1g black pepper.
Bake the peppers for 10 minutes.
Heat 20 ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion to the skillet.
Cook the onion for 5 minutes.
Add the diced pepper tops to the skillet.
Cook the diced pepper for 3 minutes.
Add the garlic to the skillet.
Cook the garlic for 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef to the skillet.
Break the beef into small pieces with a spoon.
Cook the beef until browned for 6 minutes.
Drain excess fat from the skillet.
Combine 8g salt, 2g black pepper, 3g smoked paprika, 2g dried oregano, and 1g red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the spice mix over the beef.
Stir the beef until coated.
Add the tomato paste to the skillet.
Cook the tomato paste for 2 minutes.
Add 100g crushed tomatoes to the skillet.
Add 50 ml beef broth to the skillet.
Add the Worcestershire sauce to the skillet.
Add the sugar to the skillet.
Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
Fold the cooked rice into the skillet.
Fold the parsley into the filling.
Pack the filling firmly into the peppers.
Pour 200 ml beef broth into the baking dish around the peppers.
Spoon 300g crushed tomatoes over the peppers.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Bake the peppers for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil.
Top the peppers evenly with mozzarella.
Top the peppers with Parmesan.
Bake the peppers for 10 minutes.
Broil the peppers for 2 minutes to brown the cheese (optional).
Rest the peppers for 5 minutes.
Notes
Meal prep and storage:
Cool to room temperature within 1 hour.
Refrigerate in airtight containers with some pan sauce for up to 4 days.
Freeze individually in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Reheat covered in a 180°C oven for 20–25 minutes (thawed) or 35–45 minutes (from frozen), or microwave on 60% power for 4–6 minutes, adding a splash of broth if needed.
Best practices:
Par-baking peppers prevents toughness and keeps reheated peppers tender.
Briefly cooking tomato paste deepens flavor and avoids a raw taste.
Folding rice at the end preserves texture and prevents mushiness during reheating.
Variations:
Swap beef for 600g ground turkey and use chicken broth.
Use 180g cooked brown rice or 170g cooked quinoa in place of white rice.
Make it vegetarian with 300g cooked lentils and 200g finely chopped sautéed mushrooms.
Cooksmith