Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers (Printable View)
Bell peppers filled with ground beef, rice, herbs, and baked to tender perfection.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops removed and seeded
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
→ Meats
05 - 14 oz ground beef
→ Grains
06 - 3/4 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
→ Dairy
07 - 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Liquids
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
→ Herbs & Spices
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil inside a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers upright.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in quartered cherry tomatoes, cooked rice, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
06 - Fold crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint into the mixture. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Generously fill each bell pepper with the beef mixture and place them upright in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Pour the broth into the bottom of the baking dish around the peppers.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and tops are lightly browned.
11 - Allow the stuffed peppers to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It uses up odds and ends from your fridge and turns them into something that looks like you planned it all week.
- The peppers get sweet and soft in the oven, and the feta adds little salty pockets that melt into the filling.
02 -
- If your peppers won't stand up straight, slice a tiny bit off the bottom to flatten them, just don't cut all the way through or the filling will leak out.
- Don't skip the resting time after baking, the peppers firm up slightly and the filling settles so they're easier to plate without falling apart.
03 -
- Use a spoon to scrape out all the seeds and white ribs from the peppers before stuffing, it makes them sweeter and easier to bite through.
- If the tops start browning too fast, tent them loosely with foil during the last few minutes of baking.