In this article
Stuffed peppers were a weeknight dish in American kitchens for most of the last century, and for a good reason: a pound of ground beef, a cup of leftover rice and two cans of tomato sauce fed six people and looked like an occasion. The peppers were green, because that was what the store had, and they stood up in the dish like a row of little pots.
Every family also had the child who ate the filling with a spoon and left the pepper standing empty on the plate, usually because the pepper was tough, a little bitter and half raw. The cooks who got it right had one habit the others did not: they dropped the hollowed peppers into boiling water for three minutes before filling them. It is a tiny step, and it changes the dish. The pepper turns tender and sweet, and it gets eaten.
Why this stuffed bell peppers works
- A three minute parboil. Blanching softens the pepper walls so they finish tender in the oven, and it takes the raw, grassy edge off green peppers.
- Cooked rice, not raw. Cooked rice stays fluffy and does not steal moisture from the beef. It is the best use there is for a cup of leftover rice.
- Sauce in the dish. The second can of tomato sauce keeps the peppers from scorching, steams them under the foil, and becomes the gravy you spoon over at the table.
- Packed tight. Peppers that lean on each other stay upright, hold their filling and cook evenly.
Ingredients
Makes 6 stuffed peppers, one per person with a side, or two for a big appetite. US cups with grams in brackets.
For the peppers
- 6 medium to large green bell peppers, with flat bottoms if you can find them
- Salt for the blanching water
For the filling
- 1 pound ground beef (450g), 80 to 85 percent lean
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked white rice (160g), from about 1/3 cup raw rice
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces, 425g)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For baking
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces, 425g)
- 1/4 cup water (60ml)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese (170g)
Choose squat peppers that sit level on the counter. If there is no leftover rice in the house, cook 1/3 cup of raw rice in 2/3 cup of water while you prepare the peppers.
How to make stuffed bell peppers
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers about 1/2 inch below the stem and pull out the seeds and the white ribs.
- Lower the peppers into the boiling water for 3 minutes, pushing them under with a spoon. Lift them out with tongs and stand them upside down on a clean towel to drain while you make the filling.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Add the garlic for the last minute. Spoon off the fat.
- Stir in the cooked rice, one can of tomato sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, the salt and the pepper. Let it bubble gently for 2 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Stand the peppers in a baking dish that holds them snugly, a 9 by 13 inch dish for large peppers or an 11 by 7 inch dish for medium ones. Spoon in the filling, pressing lightly and mounding it a little at the top.
- Stir the second can of tomato sauce with the 1/4 cup of water and pour it around the peppers, not over them. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Take off the foil, divide the cheese over the tops and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the peppers stand for 5 minutes, then serve with sauce from the dish spooned over the top.
Tips that make the difference
- If a pepper will not stand up, slice a very thin piece off the bottom to make a flat base. Keep it thin, or the filling runs out.
- Drain the peppers upside down the whole time you make the filling. Trapped water thins the filling and makes the bottoms soggy.
- Drain the beef well, or the fat ends up floating on the tomato sauce.
- Put the cheese on only for the last 10 minutes, so it melts and browns instead of turning leathery under the foil.
Variations
- Red, yellow or orange peppers. They are sweeter and softer than green ones. Blanch them for 2 minutes instead of 3.
- Halved peppers. Cut the peppers from stem to tip and lay them cut side up like boats. They need no balancing and take 10 minutes less under the foil.
- Ground turkey. Use the same weight and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet.
- A little more seasoning. Stir 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and a pinch of sugar into the filling if your tomato sauce tastes sharp.
Storage and make-ahead
Leftover stuffed peppers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, with their sauce. Reheat them covered in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes each.
To freeze, cool the baked peppers completely, wrap each one in plastic wrap and pack them in a freezer bag, with the sauce in a separate container. They keep for 3 months.
To make ahead, fill and arrange the peppers in the dish with the sauce, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really have to boil the peppers first?
For green peppers, yes. Three minutes in boiling water is what makes the pepper tender and sweet by the time the filling is hot. Without it the walls stay firm and slightly bitter.
Should the rice be cooked before it goes into the filling?
Yes. Raw rice would need far more liquid and a much longer bake, and it tends to come out crunchy in the center. Day old rice from the refrigerator is perfect here.
Why are my stuffed peppers watery?
There are two usual causes: peppers that were not drained upside down after blanching, and beef that was not drained after browning. Green peppers also release juice as they bake, which is why the sauce gets only a splash of water.
What do you serve with stuffed peppers?
They are nearly a full meal on their own. Mashed potatoes to catch the tomato sauce are the traditional choice, along with a green salad, buttered corn or a slice of bread for the dish.
Blanch the peppers, pack them tight, and put the cheese on late. Done this way, even the one at the table who always ate the inside and left the pepper will clean the plate.
Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers (Ground Beef, Rice and Tomato Sauce)
Old-fashioned stuffed green bell peppers with ground beef, rice and tomato sauce, finished with melted cheese. With the three minute parboil that makes the pepper tender instead of raw.
Ingredients
- 6 medium to large green bell peppers, with flat bottoms if you can find them
- Salt for the blanching water
- 1 pound ground beef (450g), 80 to 85 percent lean
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked white rice (160g), from about 1/3 cup raw rice
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers about 1/2 inch below the stem and pull out the seeds and the white ribs.
- Lower the peppers into the boiling water for 3 minutes, pushing them under with a spoon. Lift them out with tongs and stand them upside down on a clean towel to drain while you make the filling.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Add the garlic for the last minute. Spoon off the fat.
- Stir in the cooked rice, one can of tomato sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, the salt and the pepper. Let it bubble gently for 2 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Stand the peppers in a baking dish that holds them snugly, a 9 by 13 inch dish for large peppers or an 11 by 7 inch dish for medium ones. Spoon in the filling, pressing lightly and mounding it a little at the top.
- Stir the second can of tomato sauce with the 1/4 cup of water and pour it around the peppers, not over them. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Take off the foil, divide the cheese over the tops and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the peppers stand for 5 minutes, then serve with sauce from the dish spooned over the top.
