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Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Bell pepper halves hold a beef and rice filling with tomatoes, onion, and a little smoked paprika. The filling cooks before it goes into the peppers, then cheddar melts over the top as everything finishes in the oven.

Bell pepper halves filled with ground beef, white rice and tomato under melted cheddar
Makes
8 filled pepper halves, about 4 main servings
Preparation
About 25 minutes
Cooking
About 45 to 60 minutes
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Get everything ready

Ingredients

8 filled pepper halves, about 4 main servings

What you need

Oven, large baking dish, foil, saucepan, skillet, food thermometer.

Time to cook

Method

  1. Cook the rice

    Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the dry rice and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for the time on the rice package, usually 15 to 20 minutes. Take it off the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. The filling uses all the cooked rice.

  2. Soften the peppers

    Cut each pepper in half lengthwise through the stem end. Remove the seeds, membranes, and stems. Put the eight halves cut side up in a large baking dish. Add the ¼ cup water around them, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes while you make the filling.

  3. Cook the beef

    Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and onion and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces. Check several areas of the meat with a food thermometer and cook until the ground beef reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute.

  4. Finish the filling

    Drain the diced tomatoes and add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Fold in the cooked rice and ½ cup of the cheddar. The mixture should be moist but not soupy.

  5. Fill and bake

    Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish. Divide the hot filling between the pepper halves without packing it firmly. Cover again and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil, scatter the remaining ½ cup cheddar over the tops, and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. The peppers should be tender and the center of several filled halves must reach 165°F.

  6. Let the filling settle

    Rest for 5 minutes before serving. Use a wide spatula to lift the peppers from the dish. Start with two halves per person for a main course with a side.

Before you make it

Buy rice in its dry form

The shopping list gives the amount of dry rice to buy, and the method cooks it before adding it to the filling. Do not put dry rice directly into the peppers. If using another type of rice, follow its package liquid and cooking directions.

Keep the filling balanced

Large peppers have room for this batch. If yours are small, put any remaining cooked filling in a separate oven safe dish and heat it to 165°F alongside the peppers.

Serve with something lighter

The beef and rice already make this a substantial dish. A slaw, green salad, or a few grilled vegetables can be enough alongside it.

Check both cooking stages

Ground beef must reach 160°F, and the assembled filling is heated to 165°F. USDA’s temperature chart lists the minimum temperatures for ground meats and casseroles. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat to 165°F.

Cooking times and serving counts are estimates.

Serving and leftovers

Keep cold food at 40°F or below and hot food at 140°F or above. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Use a food thermometer for meat rather than relying on color.

USDA food handling guidance covers cooking temperatures, holding food, and refrigeration.