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Today, I am sharing with you a recipe that is perfect for the end of summer and beginning of fall – easy stuffed peppers. It’s a true comfort food but it’s very light and made with summer vegetables. I really like how this recipe turned out. The combination of ground beef and pork sausage turned out really good! I added onion, tomatoes, carrots, and zucchini. But if you want, you can add different veggies like mushrooms, corn, beans, and even substitute the rice with quinoa.
The best part about this meal is that it’ s packed with veggies and nutrients. A superfood dinner or lunch! 🙂 You eat more good food and less processed food without even trying.
I hope you love it too! What is your favorite go-to comfort food?
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
What you need
- 6 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed – (reserve tops if you want to use as lids when serving)
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 lb pork ground sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes
- 1/2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 cup of cooked rice
- 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp cumin
- Pinch of chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with chopped parsley leaves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Keep tops if you want to use them as lids when serving.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook ground beef and pork, breaking it up in small pieces, until the meat is browned. Transfer to a big mixing bowl.
Add olive oil to the same skillet, and add onions & finely chopped carrots and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute vegetables until tender (about 3 minutes). Add finely chopped zucchini, tomatoes, and tomato sauce and stir well. Finally, add minced/pressed garlic and cooked rice, and stir everything together. Add dry seasonings (oregano, basil, cumin, chili flakes (optional) and salt and freshly ground black pepper).
Steam the peppers in a pan with a little water for 3-4 mins – just until slightly softened. Then, place in a baking dish.
Spoon stuffing mixture into peppers and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F uncovered.
Remove stuffed peppers from the dish, serve warm, and enjoy!
Stuffed Peppers
INGREDIENTS
- 6 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed – (reserve tops if you want to use as lids when serving)
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 lb pork ground sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes
- 1/2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1 can, 14 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup of cooked rice
- 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch red chili pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with chopped parsley leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Keep tops if you want to use them as lids when serving.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook ground beef and pork, breaking it up into small pieces, until the meat is browned. Transfer to a big mixing bowl.
- Add olive oil to the same skillet, and add onions & finely chopped carrots and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute vegetables until tender (about 3 minutes). Add finely chopped zucchini, tomatoes, and tomato sauce and stir well. Finally, add minced/pressed garlic and cooked rice, and stir everything together. Add dry seasonings (oregano, basil, cumin, chili flakes (optional) and salt and freshly ground black pepper).
- Steam the peppers in a pan with a little water for 3-4 mins – just until slightly softened. Then, place in a baking dish.
- Spoon stuffing mixture into peppers and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F uncovered.
- Remove stuffed peppers from the dish, serve warm, and enjoy!
TIPS & NOTES
- I like to use red bell peppers as they are the sweetest, but you can also use orange, yellow or green if you prefer.
- If you are reheating the peppers, cover them with foil so that the edges don't burn.
- Steam the peppers in a pan with water for a few minutes before stuffing them to soften them slightly. You can also heat them in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
NUTRITION
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Used in this post:
Stuffed Pepper recipes from around the web:
Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers – Chef In Training
Chicken Fajita Stuffed Bell Peppers – Cooking Classy
Use the tag #DeliciousMeetsHealthy when posting a picture of your recipe, and make sure to follow @deliciousmeetshealthy on Instagram!
I’ve made this recipe once already this summer with my garden veges and topped it the last couple minutes with provolone cheese they were a great hit even by someone who doesn’t like peppers and was planning to just eat the inside. So I’m getting ready to make them again this weekend
Robin, I am so glad to hear they were a great hit! The same thing happened at home – my husband didn’t want to eat the peppers initially but at the end, he cleaned his plate 🙂
Tomato Paste or Sauce?
Hi Gennevieve! It’s tomato sauce. 🙂
I love stuffed peppers, these are so pretty and sound delicious!
I love making stuffed peppers! These look gorgeous. I never add carrots… I might have to try that.
Love stuffed peppers! Photos look amazing, and as the name suggests, the recipe looks easy and absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing this stunning recipe! FIVE STARS OF GREATNESS!
I agree, summer went by WAY too fast! These stuffed peppers look amazing! Thanks for sharing!
These look fantastic! I haven’t made stuffed peppers in a long time. I need to fix that!