Spicy Beef Parmesan Stuffed Peppers

Spicy Beef Parmesan Stuffed Peppers

Recipe tips

• You can swap white rice for another type of rice! Other options: wild rice, brown rice, farro. 
• Don’t like beef or looking for a leaner option? Swap for ground chicken or turkey.
• Prep peppers. Start by thoroughly washing the outside. Then slice and clean out the inside. Make sure to pat dry. See our recommendations on slicing stuffed peppers below.
• Meal prep and freeze stuffed bell peppers for meals throughout the week. Depending on the size of your peppers, this recipe will make about 6-8 stuffed peppers. If you have leftovers or are making this recipe for meal prepping meals for the week, we recommend freezing to reheat later. We have more tips below on how to store and reheat leftovers.

How to slice stuffed peppers…

There are a couple ways you can slice bell peppers for stuffing. It doesn’t matter which way you choose to slice the peppers, it will only vary in presentation.

1. Start by washing the peppers. We recommend rinsing and washing with vegetable wash to make sure you remove all the grime on the outside. Dry each pepper off with a towel. And don’t forget to remove those pesky vegetable stickers.
2. Slice one of two ways:
   1. Cut the top of the pepper off. The insides should easily remove when you remove the top of the pepper,
   2. Slice vertically so that you have two halves of the pepper. Gently twist and pull the stem to remove or you can cut around the edge of the stem to remove. 

3. Remove the seeds and membranes. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides of the pepper. 

4. Rinse and dry each pepper to remove any seeds that are stuck to the sides. 

5. Arrange your sliced peppers on your baking sheet to get ready for stuffing.

How to make stuffed pepper filling…

This is the good stuff! This spicy rice and beef mixture will add all the flavors and spice to this dish. And it just takes about 15-20 minutes to whip together. 

1. Start by cooking your rice. Make your rice according to the package instructions. Cooking time will vary depending on the rice you choose to use. We used basmati rice because we like the flavor and texture, but you can use whatever rice you’d like. You can even swap for other grains like farro. 
2. Cook ground beef. Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add your ground meat to the hot skillet, break it up using a spatula and cook until the beef has browned. Your skillet can have hot spots so be sure to stir and breaking up large chunks of meat. Pour the cooked meat into a bowl and set to the side.
3. Use the same skillet to cook you onion mixture. The beef grease will add a lot of flavor to the onions. Add chopped onions and garlic to the pan and sauté until they are soft and fragrant. Add in roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa paste and fresh oregano and thyme. 
4. Stir and cook the onion mixture until bubbly and fragrant. 
5. Add the ground meat and rice into the skillet. Stir this mixture together and turn off the heat. You’re now ready to stuff your peppers, top with parmesan cheese and cook for a final time. 

How many stuffed peppers does this recipe make? 

You should have enough filling to stuff 6-8 peppers. It makes A LOT of filling. Pepper size can range widely at the store. If you are able to find large bell peppers, you could stuff about 5-6 peppers. If your peppers are smaller, you could make up to 8 bell peppers.

How long do stuffed peppers cook in the oven?

After you stuff the peppers and top with parmesan cheese, you are ready to cook the peppers. You will want to preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake for 40-50 minutes. 

The peppers should be soft and a little browned on the edges. 

Note: Oven temperature can vary, so you may need more or less time depending on how your peppers cook. 

How to store stuffed peppers…

If you plan on eating the stuffed peppers within several days, you can store in the fridge. If you plan to store for longer, freeze your peppers. 

• Storing in Refrigerator: Let them cool completely  and store in an airtight container up to 3 or 4 days.  
• Freezer: Let the peppers cool completely before storing. Wrap each cooked stuffed pepper in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe gallon bag for up to 6 months. 

Reheating Frozen Stuffed Peppers

There are several ways you can reheat frozen stuffed peppers. Here’s what we recommend!

• Reheating in oven: Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Place peppers on a baking sheet and cook for 20-30 minutes until the peppers are hot.
• Reheating in microwave: This is a good option if you are short on time or are reheating a single stuffed pepper. Place pepper on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for 3-4 minutes until hot. 
• You can also thaw the frozen peppers in the fridge for several hours. Once they are thawed, they will just need a to be quickly reheated before serving.