Did you know stuffed peppers is a traditional Italian way to use up leftover odds and ends in your kitchen? We can’t take credit for this genius move, but here’s our spin on it. Try our favorite stuffed peppers recipe! The filling is seasoned irresistibly with Italian spices, pizza sauce and melty cheese. Even better: it works for many diets. We’ve got variations for meat eaters, vegetarian, and gluten-free eaters! (Vegan too, if you want to skip the cheese.) Here’s how to make stuffed peppers…the best way we know how.
How to make stuffed peppers
There are a few main ways to make stuffed peppers: the variations are in the way you cut them, and how you pre-cook them before filling. Here’s what to know about this stuffed peppers recipe:
Slice the peppers lengthwise. We’re picky about our peppers. Eating them straight up with the top cut off makes them hard to eat (in our opinion). Cutting them lengthwise makes them easier to eat. Plus, you get 2 halves on your plate: which looks better and like a bigger portionPre-bake the peppers! Some stuffed pepper recipes call for boiling your peppers before baking. Others don’t pre-cook them and they turn out too crunchy. Our research found that pre-baking the peppers for 30 minutes makes them perfectly tender! Once you stuff them, you’ll need 20 minutes in the hot even to get the cheese nice and melty.
Vegetarian vs ground beef filling
The best stuffed bell peppers filling, in our mind? Our insanely delicious “sausage” made with mushrooms and walnuts. Sound weird? Hear us out. Or, make the ground beef option: or maybe both ways for a family with a variety of eaters!
The best filling option? “Sausage” with lots of spices. Here we combined walnuts, mushrooms, and lots of spices to make an Italian-sausage spin on our Vegan Ground Beef. It is extremely delicious and satisfies even the most passionate of meat eaters (really). Or…Or, make it with ground beef. We eat lots of vegetarian recipes around here. But we know: some family members just love meat! You can make this stuffed peppers recipe with ground beef using the same spices: see below!
Can you make it vegan? Yes, but the cheese is pretty integral to the overall concept. So substitute your favorite brand of vegan mozzarella cheese! The rest of the filling is vegan.
Filling adders & ideas
You’ll use that vegetarian sausage or ground beef filling and mix it with rice, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese to make a gooey, savory and altogether irresistible filling. There are lots of fun add-in ideas for this filling (at least, we have several!). Here are some ideas to get your wheels churning — consider adding:
Chopped basil or fresh oreganoParmesan cheese, shreddedPecorino Romano cheese, shredded (a few tablespoons)Feta cheese crumblesCapers, drained (just 1 or 2 tablespoons adds a tasty tangy flavor)Green olives, chopped (again, just 1 or 2 tablespoons)
Variations on stuffed peppers
As you might expect: there’s no one way to make stuffed peppers. It’s an Italian concept, but there are so many different styles. Here are a few ideas:
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe Use quinoa instead of rice and feta cheese for this Mediterranean-style peppers recipe. Mexican Stuffed Peppers Opt for Mexican-style flavors with pinto beans, cumin, and chipotle powder. Stuffed Poblano Peppers Grab poblano peppers instead of bell peppers for this tasty spin.
Tips for make-ahead and meal prep
This stuffed peppers recipe takes about 1 hour to make. We typically reserve this one for special meals: a weekend or dinner party. But want to save time and make it on a weeknight? You can do that too. There are several options depending on what you’d like to do:
Make rice in advance: Make sure to reheat it with a splash of water and a pinch of salt before assembling the peppers. It dries out quite a bit in the refrigerator. Make entire filling in advance: You can make the entire filling in advance and refrigerate. Then re-warm before stuffing the peppers.Bake the bell peppers in advance: You also can pre-bake the peppers in advance, then fill and bake them day of. Make the entire stuffed peppers in advance: Make the entire pepper recipe in advance and refrigerate. The day of serving, top with breadcrumbs and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
Make it a meal: serving this stuffed peppers recipe!
Lastly: how to accessorize these stuffed peppers? A simple salad is what we normally opt for, which you can mix up while your peppers do their final bake. Here are a few more ideas:
Simple salad like Arugula Salad, Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula or Chopped SaladEasy sautéed veggie like Sauteed Green Beans or Simple Sauteed Broccoli Bread that’s purchased, or make-ahead muffins like Corn Muffins
Bell peppers nutrition
Here’s another great thing about stuffed bell peppers…they’re loaded with vitamins, especially Vitamin C. In fact, one serving provides 169% of daily Vitamin C. Bell peppers are:
A low calorie food. One medium bell pepper has only 40 calories!Loaded with Vitamin C. A medium red bell pepper provides a whopping 169% of your daily vitamin C! (Source)A potential preventer of anemia. Some studies indicate peppers could prevent low iron (Source).
Let us know if you try this recipe, and what you think! We hope you love it as much as our family does.
This stuffed peppers recipe is…
Vegetarian and dairy free.
More bell pepper recipes
More to make with bell peppers? Here are all our favorite ways to serve them as a side dish: 4.8 from 5 reviews
1 cup whole walnuts 4 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos for soy free) 1 tablespoons ketchup ½ teaspoon each fennel seeds, dried oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
For the stuffed peppers
6 multi-colored bell peppers (red, yellow and green) ¾ cup dry short grain rice or 2 cups cooked (reheated to warm with a splash of water and a pinch of salt) ½ cup pizza sauce (purchased or homemade) 4 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (or cut into bite-sized chunks) ¾ cup shredded mozzarella, plus more for sprinkling ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and/or Italian panko or bread crumbs (omit for gluten-free)
Fire up the oven for Roasted Bell Peppers or Roasted Peppers & OnionsMake quick and easy Sauteed Peppers or Sauteed Peppers & OnionsIn summer, opt for Perfect Grilled Peppers or Grilled Peppers & Onions
