Italian Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers topped with melted, browned cheese and garnished with fresh parsley. The peppers are filled and baked, creating a golden, bubbly cheese crust.

5 from 14 votes

Stuffed full with a mix of ground beef and pork, rice, fresh parsley, and plenty of parmigiano reggiano, then topped with a slice of provolone and baked right in a homemade tomato sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: italian stuffed peppers, italian stuffed peppers recipe, stuffed bell peppers recipe

Servings: - 16 stuffed peppers

Equipment

1 large baking dish or 2 smaller ones

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
5 garlic cloves minced
2 eggs
5 cups tomato sauce
8 red & yellow peppers sliced in half, cleaned out
2 cups white rice cooked
1 small yellow onion finely chopped
1 cup parmigiano reggiano finely grated
1 cup mozzarella shredded
8 pieces provolone sliced in half, or your preferred cheese
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

Begin by cooking your rice. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat your oven to 400 °F while you prepare the filling.
To a large bowl add all of your ingredients (except the provolone and tomato sauce) as that will be used to top the peppers with. Mix really well.
Sammy's tip: before stuffing the peppers, cook a small piece of the meat mixture in a skillet and give it a taste. This is the perfect way to check the seasoning and make any adjustments before filling the peppers.
Slice your peppers in half lengthwise, removing any seeds.
Fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Repeat until all of your peppers have been filled.
To a large baking dish add 2 cups of tomato sauce to the bottom and evenly spread.
Add your stuffed peppers to the baking dish meat side up.
Evenly top each pepper evenly with the remaining tomato sauce.
Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until the ground meat is cooked through.
Remove from the oven when there is about 5 minutes left of cook time, add your provolone and return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, just until the meat becomes fully cooked and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition