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5 from 2 votes

Stuffed Italian Peppers

Ultra comforting stuffed Italian peppers with an easy beef, sausage, rice, parsley, and cheese stuffing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 large bell peppers tops cut off and seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella grated
  • 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
  • 3/4 pound ground beef
  • 3/4 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 2 cups cooked white rice
  • 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup low sodium beef stock
  • 4 cups tomato sauce see notes below
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350f and set rack to middle.  Grate both cheeses.  Mince garlic cloves and chop parsley.  Saute garlic on medium heat in a large pan with 2 Tbsp olive oil.
  • After 1 minute add the beef and sausage.  Break apart any large pieces with a wooden spoon and saute for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and drain all but 1/4 cup of the meat fat.
  • Add the Parmigiano Reggiano, cooked rice, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup beef broth, parsley, oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper to pan.  Mix thoroughly and taste stuffing now and adjust with more salt or pepper if necessary. 
  • While the stuffing is cooling, cut tops off peppers and remove seeds and core.  Season the interior of the peppers with remaining 1 tsp of kosher salt and some black pepper. 
  • Place 3 cups sauce and 1 cup of water into baking dish.  Stuff the peppers and place into dish.  The sauce should come up about 1-2 inches on sides of peppers.  Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of each pepper and drizzle each with olive oil.  Bake the peppers lightly covered with foil for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour check doneness.  They should be very soft, but not quite falling apart.  If they are still firm bake for 15-30 minutes longer.  During the last 2 minutes remove foil and broil if desired for a nice charred top.  Spoon the pan sauce on the peppers and serve with grated parmigiano reggiano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Enjoy! 

Video

Notes

  • Use this 15-minute marinara sauce or your own
  • Baking covered with foil helps keep the peppers moist.
  • This recipe will most likely have extra stuffing.
  • Salting the interior of the peppers is very important.
  • Taste test the stuffing and adjust the seasoning before filling the peppers.
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
  • Stuffed peppers can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.8g | Protein: 30.2g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 540mg