Ah yes—stuffed peppers are a classic comfort-food win: tender bell peppers packed with a savory, cheesy, flavorful filling. 🌶️🧀
Here’s a simple, crowd-pleasing recipe:
Cheesy Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients (serves 4–6):
- 4 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, turkey, or chicken
- 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or quinoa)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup marinara or tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions:
- Prep peppers:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Lightly blanch in boiling water 3–4 minutes to soften slightly (optional but helps with even cooking).
- Cook filling:
- In a skillet, sauté onions and garlic until soft.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned.
- Stir in cooked rice, 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Stuff peppers:
- Spoon the filling into each pepper. Top with remaining marinara sauce and shredded cheese.
- Bake:
- Place peppers in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake 25–30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 5–10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
- Serve:
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
💡 Pro tips:
- Extra cheesy: Add a cube of mozzarella inside each pepper before baking—molten cheese surprise!
- Flavor boost: Mix some cooked sausage or bacon into the filling.
- Vegetarian version: Swap meat for extra mushrooms, zucchini, or lentils.
If you want, I can write an “ultimate loaded cheesy stuffed pepper” recipe—think cheese-stuffed, bacon bits, and spicy kick, basically a pepper-version of a cheese bomb.
Do you want me to do that?
