Stuffed Bell Peppers Are Truly Slept On As A Breakfast Food

A stuffed bell pepper is exactly what the name describes: a bell pepper that's "stuffed" or hollowed out and filled with ground meat, other vegetables, and melted cheese. While it's a pretty good dinner option, it's probably something that doesn't exactly scream breakfast food. You're not alone if you never considered serving pancakes and stuffed peppers or having a leftover bell pepper with your morning coffee.

But, much like the hot-button topic of breakfast for dinner, it's entirely possible to serve a stuffed bell pepper whenever you want. A very good way to do this involves filling your choice of bell pepper — a red or yellow pepper may work best, as these two varieties are sweeter than other types of bell pepper — with rice and a meat like bacon, chopped ham, or sausage. Any other additives, like cheese, onions, or other vegetables, can also be added, but the important ingredient, the one that makes it a breakfast, is the fried egg placed on top of the pepper after it's done baking. This way, you get the bubbling hot interior, the sweet, tender pepper, and the savory, runny yolk of the egg combined into one dish.

Of course, this isn't the only way you can make a stuffed bell pepper for breakfast. If you want, you can actually make a version of an omelet inside of the pepper.

What do you usually think of when you think of an omelet? You most likely envision a scrambled egg folded like an envelope and stuffed with cheeses, meats, and vegetables –  including chopped bell peppers. If eggs and peppers are usually paired together in omelets, then wouldn't it make sense to combine the stuffed pepper and omelet in a different way?

A very simple approach to such a dish begins with cutting open and hollowing out the interior of the bell pepper. Microwave it until tender, then combine chopped ingredients like peppers, onions, ham, and cheese in a skillet for a few minutes. Combine this with a beaten egg mixture, fill the pepper with it, and bake until the filling has become firm. The end result should be an omelet — vegetables, meat, eggs, and all — stuffed inside a tender pepper, much like soup in a bread bowl.

You're free to add or omit any sort of ingredients you like, as long as you include eggs and peppers in the recipe. This isn't the only breakfast dish one can make using stuffed peppers, but it's a simple and tasty one.

Of course, stuffed peppers aren't strictly an American cuisine. You'll find many cultures enjoy stuffed pepper dishes for lunch, dinner, and, yes, breakfast. 

In Israeli culture, Ashkenazi Jews consume stuffed peppers and other stuffed vegetables, the act of stuffing a vegetable being meant to symbolize "plenty" or great abundance. Shakshuka stuffed peppers are often served as a breakfast meal. A blend of Ashkenazi and Middle Eastern Jewish cuisine, these peppers are prepared with a homemade tomato sauce and topped with an egg, crumbled goat cheese, and cilantro. 

If you're looking for something that has a little more heat, you can try using poblano peppers, a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine which can be stuffed with anything from ground meats to eggs. You could stuff poblano peppers with eggs and chorizo for a hearty, spicy breakfast. Of course, you could always substitute different types of peppers if you so want, but the mild heat of the poblano may be just the thing you're looking for to help you wake up in the morning.