Beef And Cheddar Stuffed Peppers Recipe

These days, stuffed veggies are all the rage, and we're not going to lie — we are most definitely on board with the trend. In this filling recipe, you get your serving of vegetables as well as a meal with meat-filled stuffing complete with rice and even more veggies. We also love a recipe that thinks outside of the box and this one is definitely different from your typical protein and starchy or veggie side, as everything is all-in-one. 

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes came up with this great recipe, and there's a lot to love about it. "Stuffed peppers are fun to prep and great to serve to guests," she raves. "The combination of spiced beef, rice, and cheese is so mouth-watering, and they look so bright and colorful too!" Another great part about this recipe is that you can make it for either an appetizer or a main course. "I would typically serve two halves as a main with some salad or other sides, or a half as an appetizer," Brookes notes.

The first order of business is to make a list and venture out to the grocery store. You will need to grab olive oil, bell peppers, onion, garlic cloves, ground beef, cooked rice, and chopped tomatoes. The recipe also calls for a few spices like oregano, cumin, and chili powder mix. To complete the list, get cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Brookes provides a few alternatives if beef isn't at the top of your list. "Ground turkey, chicken, or even lamb could work great here," she shares. "Or to make them veggie, you could use black beans."

Before you do anything else, turn the dial of your oven to 400 F. Then, grab your peppers, a cutting board, and a sharp knife. Slice the peppers in half and remove all of the seeds and the white parts. "The stems and seeds of the bell peppers are generally fairly soft and easy enough to remove by gently pulling them away with your hands," Brookes notes.

Place the peppers to a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. The olive oil helps them brown nicely. Once the oven finishes preheating, pop the peppers in and bake for 20 minutes.

While you wait for the peppers to cook, you can use your time to prep the pepper filling. Take out a large frying pan and place it on your stove. Add the remaining olive oil and turn the heat up to medium.

Toss in the onion first, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened. Then, add the minced garlic and fry together with the onion for another minute.

Once the onion and garlic are good to go, you can add the main protein: the ground beef. Turn the heat up a notch to medium-high and use a wooden spoon to break the meat into little pieces.

Be sure to stir the beef as it cooks. Continue frying until the meat gets nice and browned. "The sweet and succulent flavor of the peppers is so delicious with the rich, meaty beef," Brookes raves.

There are still a few more ingredients that you need to add to the mix, including rice, tomatoes, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with the contents in the pan and cook for about 5 more minutes. Once finished, drain any excess liquid from the pan. 

Go ahead and fill each pepper half with the beef mixture. "The pepper filling is meaty and savory with plenty of garlic and spice coming through," Brookes notes of the flavorful filling.

Then, add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and pop them back into the oven for 12 minutes to melt the cheese.

Now, the only thing left to do is serve and kick back and enjoy! These peppers are wonderful on their own, but Brookes also provides a few of her favorite serving suggestions. "You could also serve these with some fries or potato wedges on the side, or a fresh quinoa salad," Brookes adds.