Hundreds of satisfied home cooks agree: this stuffed peppers recipe is a winner. It’s been proudly served at dinner tables across America ever since it first appeared in the Betty Crocker™ cookbook. And it’s no wonder why—even picky eaters love stuffed peppers (hint: they taste like cheeseburgers).



Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers (any color) 
  • 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef 
  • 2 tablespoons chopped onion 
  • 1 cup cooked rice 
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 
  • 1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce 
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz)

Steps

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.  
  2. Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top of pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight. In 4-quart Dutch oven, add enough water to cover peppers. Heat to boiling; add peppers. Cook about 2 minutes; drain.
  3. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in rice, salt, garlic and 1 cup of the tomato sauce; cook until hot.
  4. Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Stand peppers upright in ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.
  5. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

TIPS

  • Par-cooking the peppers and basically filling them with a fully cooked meat mixture means they just need a final shot of heat to melt the cheese. 
  • Chose a rainbow of large sweet bell peppers to stuff and while prepping, stand them upright in your baking dish—it’s easier to stuff them this way. 
  • Sprinkle a handful of chopped fresh oregano or parsley over each pepper before serving. 
  • Replace the rice with another cooked grain. Try quinoa, bulgur wheat, or a small pasta like orzo or pearl couscous.