Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers are filled with savory ground beef, tender rice, tomatoes, onion, and melted cheese, then baked until the peppers are soft and lightly browned. They’re cozy, filling, and easy to portion for a family dinner.

Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers featured image

Roasting the pepper halves before filling them gives them a head start, so you won’t end up with crunchy peppers around a fully cooked filling. Cooked rice keeps the filling tender, while tomato sauce adds moisture so everything stays juicy in the oven.

Recipe at a Glance

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 12 stuffed bell pepper halves
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy

What You Need Before You Start

9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish
12-inch (30 cm) skillet
Medium mixing bowl
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups and measuring spoons
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Aluminum foil

Ingredients and Helpful Swaps

Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers ingredients

■ 6 medium bell peppers, about 7 ounces (200 g) each, any color, halved lengthwise and seeds and membranes removed
■ 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
■ 1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef
■ 1 medium yellow onion, about 1 cup (150 g), finely diced
■ 2 cloves garlic, about 2 teaspoons (6 g), minced
■ 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
■ ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
■ 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning
■ 1½ cups (293 g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooled
■ 1 can (15 ounces/425 g) tomato sauce
■ 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
■ 1½ cups (170 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
■ 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh parsley

Ground beef: It gives the filling savory flavor and enough fat to stay moist as the peppers roast. Substitution: Use the same amount of ground turkey; the filling will be slightly leaner and milder, so take care not to overcook it.
Cooked white rice: It adds body while absorbing some of the tomato juices without making the filling heavy. Substitution: Use an equal amount of cooked brown rice; the filling will be a little firmer and nuttier, but don't worry, it will still hold together well.
Mozzarella cheese: It melts smoothly through the filling and creates a lightly browned topping. Substitution: Use shredded Monterey Jack in the same amount for a similarly creamy melt with a slightly richer flavor.

How to Make Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers

Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly coat the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with about half of the olive oil.
Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in the baking dish and brush them with the remaining olive oil. Roast at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes, until they begin to soften around the edges but still hold their shape.
While the peppers roast, heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until no pink remains and the meat is lightly browned.
Add the diced onion to the beef and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked rice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ¾ cup (85 g) of the mozzarella. Mix until evenly combined; the filling should look moist but not watery.
Remove the pre-roasted peppers from the oven and carefully spoon the beef and rice mixture evenly into all 12 halves. Pack the filling gently without pressing it down firmly, and don't worry if it sits slightly above the edges.
Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and roast at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting for 5 minutes, until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife and the filling is hot throughout.
Sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup (85 g) mozzarella evenly over the peppers. Return them to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes at 400°F (204°C), until the cheese is fully melted and beginning to develop light golden spots.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the peppers with chopped parsley. Let them stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles and the peppers are easier to lift from the dish.

Liza

Choose medium bell peppers that are similar in size so they soften at roughly the same rate. If one is especially thick-walled, it may need a few extra minutes during the first roast.
Drain off excessive rendered fat after browning the beef if needed. You want a moist filling, but too much liquid can collect inside the peppers and make them difficult to serve.
Use fully cooked rice rather than uncooked rice. Uncooked rice needs considerably more liquid and time, so it won't cook properly with this method.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Pre-roasting the bell peppers at 400°F (204°C) softens their thick walls before the filling goes in, so the peppers and filling finish cooking at the same time.
Using cooked rice keeps the filling tender without absorbing too much moisture from the tomato sauce. Don't worry if the mixture looks a little saucy before baking; that moisture helps prevent a dry filling.
Adding part of the cheese inside the filling and the rest on top gives you creamy pockets throughout with a browned, melted layer on the surface.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Refrigerator: Let leftover stuffed peppers cool, then refrigerate them in an airtight container within 2 hours. Keep them refrigerated for up to 4 days; it's normal for the peppers to soften a little more as they sit.
Freezer: Cool the baked stuffed peppers completely, place them in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the most even texture.
Make-ahead and reheating: Assemble the peppers through the filling step, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. To reheat cooked peppers, cover them with foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through; individual portions can also be microwaved until steaming hot in the center.

Common Questions

Do you have to cook bell peppers before stuffing them?

Pre-roasting them for 15 minutes helps them become properly tender by the time the filling is hot. You can skip this step, but the finished peppers will be noticeably firmer.

Do you cook the meat before stuffing bell peppers?

Yes. Browning the ground beef first ensures it cooks evenly, allows excess fat to be drained if necessary, and prevents the filling from releasing too much liquid inside the peppers.

Can I use leftover rice for stuffed peppers?

Yes. Chilled leftover cooked rice works very well because the grains are already fully cooked and hold their shape in the filling.

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting watery?

Use cooked rice, avoid adding extra tomato liquid, and drain excessive fat from the browned beef. A little juice in the baking dish is completely normal because the peppers naturally release moisture as they roast.