Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
Description
These stuffed peppers with rice are Chef John's recipe for a savory filling of seasoned ground beef, cheese, and parsley baked in tomato sauce.
Ingredients
•
6 bell peppers
•
3 cups chunky tomato sauce, divided
•
1/2 onion, very thinly sliced
•
1 cup beef broth
•
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
•
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
•
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
•
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
•
4 cloves garlic, minced
•
2 teaspoons salt
•
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
Directions
1
Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2
Slice peppers 1/2-inch from the top; cut out stems and set aside to use as tops. Cut core from the inside of peppers and strip away any seeds. Cut off a thin slice from the bottoms so peppers can stand upright. Poke about 4 tiny holes in the bottoms to let juices drain.
3
Pour 2 ½ cups tomato sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add onion, beef broth, and red pepper flakes; spread out mixture evenly over the bottom.
4
Set bell peppers upright in the dish.
5
Combine ground beef, cooked rice, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1/4 cup parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
6
Lightly stuff peppers with meat mixture. Spread 1 tablespoon tomato sauce on top of each portion of stuffing; place reserved tops onto peppers. Lay a piece of parchment paper loosely on top of peppers and cover the dish tightly with foil. Place the dish on top of a baking sheet.
7
Bake in the preheated oven until peppers have softened slightly, about 1 hour. Remove foil and parchment paper. Continue baking until meat filling is cooked through and peppers are soft, sweet, and tender, 20 to 30 more minutes.
8
Sprinkle each pepper with 1/2 teaspoon parsley and drizzle with a spoonful of pan juices.