Mini Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice

Name: Mini Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 peppers (about 12 oz) (340 g) mini sweet bell peppers, rinsed, halved lengthwise through the stem, seeds and white ribs removed (leave stems on); ½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce, plain, canned or jarred, to spread in the dish; 1½ cups (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 6 oz); 2 tablespoons (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional); 1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil; 12 oz (340 g) ground beef, 85% lean, cold from the refrigerator; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ small onion); 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced; 1 cup (160 g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooled or warm, fluffed with a fork; ½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce, plain, canned or jarred, for the filling; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning; ½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Sweet mini peppers are halved and piled with savory beef, rice and tomato sauce, then baked under melted mozzarella. They work as a party appetizer or a light dinner, and they cook in about half the time of full-size stuffed peppers.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 24 stuffed pepper halves (about 4 per serving)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the peppers
12 peppers (about 12 oz) (340 g) mini sweet bell peppers, rinsed, halved lengthwise through the stem, seeds and white ribs removed (leave stems on)
½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce, plain, canned or jarred, to spread in the dish
1½ cups (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 6 oz)
2 tablespoons (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
For the filling
1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
12 oz (340 g) ground beef, 85% lean, cold from the refrigerator
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ small onion)
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
1 cup (160 g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooled or warm, fluffed with a fork
½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce, plain, canned or jarred, for the filling
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet
Cutting board and sharp paring or chef's knife
Wooden spoon or spatula for breaking up the beef
Aluminum foil
Instant-read thermometer
Tablespoon measure or small spoon for stuffing

Steps

Before you start

Use cooked rice that is cool or warm, not hot and wet. Leftover rice is ideal, and about ⅓ cup (65 g) uncooked long-grain rice makes 1 cup cooked.
Pick mini peppers that are fairly straight and about 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) long so they hold filling and sit flat.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 400°F (200°C) before you begin.
The filling makes about 2¼ cups (roughly 1½ tablespoons per pepper half). Expect to have just enough, so don't overfill.

1
Preheat and sauce dishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread ½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce in an even layer over the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- The sauce keeps the pepper bottoms from scorching and gives you extra sauce to spoon over each serving.
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Ready when: Sauce covers the whole bottom of the dish in a thin layer.
2
Halve the peppers
- Rinse the mini peppers and pat dry.
- Slice each one in half lengthwise from stem to tip, keeping the stem attached to one half if you like how it looks.
- Scrape out the seeds and white ribs with the tip of a spoon or a paring knife to make 24 open boats.
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Ready when: All 24 halves are hollow and clean, with no seeds left to turn bitter.
Tip: Cut through the peppers gently. Mini peppers have thin walls and can split along the sides if you press hard.
3
Brown the beef
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add the cold ground beef, sprinkle with the salt and black pepper, and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes.
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Ready when: No pink remains and the beef is in small crumbles with some browned edges.
Tip: If the pan holds more than 2 tablespoons of fat, spoon off the excess so the filling isn't greasy.
4
Soften onion and garlic
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion to the beef and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until it turns translucent and soft.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning and smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Garlic burns quickly. Add it last and keep stirring.
5
Mix the filling
- Turn the heat to low.
- Stir in the cooked rice, ½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce and the Worcestershire sauce.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, so the rice absorbs some of the sauce.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Remove from the heat and let the filling sit for 5 minutes so it is cool enough to handle.
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Ready when: The mixture is moist and holds together on a spoon, not soupy or dry.
Tip: If it looks dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of water or extra tomato sauce.
6
Stuff the peppers
- Spoon about 1½ tablespoons of filling into each pepper half, pressing it in gently and mounding it slightly.
- Set the halves cut-side up in the prepared dish, nestled snugly side by side so they stay upright.
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Ready when: All 24 halves are filled with a small mound and the filling is used up.
Tip: If a pepper wobbles, trim a thin slice from its rounded bottom so it sits flat.
7
Bake coveredOven 400°F / 205°C
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes so the peppers steam and soften without drying out the filling.
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Ready when: Peppers look slightly wilted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
8
Add cheese and finishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Remove the foil.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the peppers, then the Parmesan if using.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake 8–10 minutes at 400°F (200°C), until the cheese is melted and spotty golden brown.
- A thermometer inserted into the filling of a pepper should read 160°F (71°C).
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Ready when: Cheese is fully melted with golden spots and the filling reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: For deeper browning, broil on high for the last 1 minute, watching closely.
9
Rest and serve
- Let the peppers rest in the dish for 5 minutes so the cheese sets and the filling won't spill out.
- Sprinkle with parsley if using, and serve warm with a spoonful of the tomato sauce from the dish.
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Ready when: Cheese no longer slides when you nudge the dish.

Good to know

Tips

Seed the peppers thoroughly. Leftover seeds and ribs add bitterness and make the boats less stable.
Don't overfill. Mounded filling slides off when the peppers soften, so aim for a modest mound.
Choose peppers of similar size so they all cook at the same pace. Roast any very small ones for 3–4 minutes less.
For a spicier version, add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to the filling.

Make ahead

"Assemble the stuffed peppers in the dish, without cheese, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake covered for 20 minutes (add about 5 minutes since they start cold), then add cheese and finish as directed. The filling can also be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze baked peppers in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer container for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven, covered, for 10–15 minutes (20–25 minutes from frozen) until hot in the center, or microwave individual portions for 1–2 minutes."

Substitutions

ground beef, 85% lean → ground turkey, ground chicken or Italian sausage (casings removed). Poultry must also reach 165°F (74°C). Turkey and chicken are leaner, so add an extra teaspoon of olive oil when browning.
cooked long-grain white rice → cooked brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice. Use the same volume. Squeeze cauliflower rice dry first so the filling isn't watery.
low-moisture mozzarella → provolone, Monterey Jack or a cheddar blend. Use the same amount. Provolone gives a similar melt.
dried Italian seasoning → ½ teaspoon dried oregano plus ½ teaspoon dried basil. Gives a similar herby flavor.