Italian Stuffed Peppers

Italian Stuffed Peppers
Prep: 20m Cook: 55m Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 6 large bell peppers (cut in half and seeds removed)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (divided)
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
  • 2 cups cooked white rice
  • 8 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup low sodium beef stock
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano (grated)
  • 1/4 cup parsley (minced)
  • 1/4 cup basil (chopped)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 4 cups marinara sauce (divided, see notes below)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup mozzarella (grated)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided, plus more to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375f and set rack to the middle level.  Bring a pot of water to boil.
  2. Slice peppers in half and remove the seeds. Boil peppers for 7-8 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain the peppers. Spread the peppers out on a baking tray to cool.
  3. Heat a large pan to a touch higher than medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, spread out the ground chuck and let it brown.
  4. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon or meat masher and continue to cook until well browned. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until very fragrant. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner.
  5. Add the Pecorino Romano, cooked rice, beef broth, parsley, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 cup of marinara sauce.  Mix thoroughly and taste the stuffing. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. You want this stuffing to taste great!
  6. Season the interior of each pepper with a generous sprinkle of salt. Stuff the peppers and place them into the baking dish.  Pour the remaining 3 cups of marinara sauce and the 3/4 cup of water into the dish. The sauce should come up about 1-2 inches on the sides of the peppers. 
  7. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of each pepper and drizzle each with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Cover peppers with parchment paper then tightly with foil (this prevents sticking) and bake for 25 minutes.
  8. Remove the covering and bake for 15 more minutes or until golden. For a more golden top broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully!  Spoon the pan sauce on the peppers and serve with more grated cheese.  Enjoy! 

Community Ratings & Reviews

Join our community to access recipe ratings and reviews!

Share your culinary experiences and discover what others are saying about this recipe.

Upgrade to Premium
Already have an account? Sign in