Stuffed Bell Peppers
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I like meatloaf. I always have. These Stuffed Bell Peppers are stuffed with a meatloaf-like mixture that my family loves. The barbecue sauce and cheese topping make them especially tasty.
(Post modified with new photos on 9/25/23.)
There is no better time to make stuffed peppers than during summer or fall, when perhaps, your garden is full of peppers needed for this recipe! If not, it’s a good time to purchase them in the stores when they are in season and less expensive.
I ate my first stuffed pepper a few years ago when my mom served me one at dinner one day. She and Dad had a bountiful pepper harvest that fall and had a surplus of bell peppers, so she was doing all she could to not waste them. Tired of freezing them, she decided to make stuffed peppers. And they were so delicious!
That’s what you do when you have lots of garden produce. You figure out ways to use them or give them away to your family, neighbors, and friends.
More Garden Produce Recipes
- Baked Italian Zucchini Boats
- Baked Jalapeno Poppers with Bacon
- Cheesy Squash Bake
- Zucchini Fritters with Ranch Dip
Ingredients for Stuffed Bell Peppers
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- water
- chicken bouillon cube
- brown rice
- butter
- onion
- carrot
- garlic
- ground hamburger
- dried oregano
- basil
- Worcestershire sauce
- smoked paprika
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- barbecue sauce (We like Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ)
- bell peppers (4-8, depending on size)
- sharp cheddar cheese
Directions for Making This Recipe
To begin, gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a sharp knife and cutting board, chop the onion. Peel and grate the carrots using a box grater. Mince the garlic.
Slice the tops of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membrane.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add bouillon cube and rice. Cook as directed on package.
I’ve actually tried making this dish with uncooked rice, and believe me, you want to precook the rice before stuffing the peppers.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté onion and carrot in melted butter until tender about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Assemble and Bake the Stuffed Peppers
In a large bowl, combine lean ground beef (or ground venison), dried oregano and basil, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/3 cup barbecue sauce.
Mix in cooked rice, onion, carrots, and garlic. Mix well. (You may use your hands if necessary.)
Generously stuff peppers with meat mixture, filling 1″ above tops. Place in square baking dish that has been drizzled or sprayed with olive oil.
Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until meat has cooked through.
Pour remaining barbecue sauce over each bell pepper and sprinkle tops with cheese. Bake for another 10-12 minutes until cheese has lightly browned.
I like to make this recipe in the summer or early fall when gardens are overrun with bell peppers. Serve with Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes, or Baked Italian Zucchini Boats. So good!
This recipe will serve 6-8 people.
See my Sunday Meatloaf Recipe Here. Browse more Main Dishes Here. View Beef Recipes Here.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 1/2 cup brown rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sweet onion chopped
- 1/2 cup carrot peeled and shredded
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground burger at least 80/20
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup barbecue sauce divided (we like Sweet Baby Rays)
- 6-8 medium bell peppers
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Chop the onion. Peel and shred the carrots. Mince the garlic.
- Cut tops of bell peppers and remove seeds and membrane.
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to boil. Add bouillon cube and rice and cook as directed on package.
Assemble and Bake the Stuffed Peppers
- Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook the prepared onion and carrot in melted butter until tender about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground burger, Worcestershire sauce, dried oregano and basil, smoked paprika, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/3 cup barbecue sauce.
- Mix in cooked rice, onion, carrots, and garlic. Mix well. (You may use your hands if necessary.)
- Generously stuff the prepared peppers with meat mixture, filling 1" above tops. Place in square baking dish that has been drizzled or sprayed with olive oil.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until meat has cooked through.
- Pour remaining barbecue sauce over each pepper and sprinkle tops with grated cheddar cheese. Bake for another 10-12 minutes until cheese has lightly browned. Serves 6-8.
Notes
Nutrition