Stuffed Bell Peppers
Mmmm… Stuffed Bell Peppers are a classic dish and a staple in our home! The aroma of garlic and onion throughout the house is so nostalgic. I love this dish because it is veggie loaded, so healthy and so tasty! The tomato basil sauce really adds nice flavor, and especially helps for picky veggie eaters. I like to use all colors of bell peppers for a fun colorful look.. and sometimes I like to stick with the classic all green peppers. I love the way green peppers taste with beef. I just created this recipe as I went along and added what I wanted to it. The fun thing about bell peppers is that they are easily customizable. Some like corn or other veggies in there, some like cheese melted on top. No matter how you make them, they are as tasty as can be!
I love slicing the tops straight off so that when serving I can put the top on and it acts like a cover to keep the stuffing hot. They also looks like little pumpkins with the stem. Fun for the Fall.
Recipe
Ingredients
6 bell peppers, any color
This 365 Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce is the best jar sauce I have found on the market. I have tried many different brands, and this basic brand has the most incredible flavor I could ask for. :)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
few dashes oregano
1 lb (little more if you want to fill it out more) ground beef
1 1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice or long grain rice
1 1/2 cups tomato basil pasta sauce (adjust as needed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 medium zucchini, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese or cheddar
Fresh basil and parsley for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash the bell peppers well, the chop off the tops. Clean out the seeds inside and the bitter white pith. Blanche the bell peppers and drop them into gently boiling water for two minutes, rotate once and boil another two minutes. Use tongs to gently pull them out. Set the bell peppers in a pie dish or square baking dish so they can be close together and they do not fall over easily.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the lumps, until the meat is cooked through and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain beef in a colander and set aside.
Wipe out the skillet and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter. Add all veggies. Cook until everything is heated through about 5 min or so, then stir in the beef, rice, oregano and tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and top each with a sprinkle of cheese. Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
SERVE AND ENJOY!
Hope you enjoy this recipe! Bon Appetit!
