Description
Alton Brown’s stuffed peppers bring Mediterranean charm to dinner tables with robust flavors and hearty ingredients. Perfectly balanced textures and savory spices invite you to savor each delicious bite of this classic comfort dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 0.5 pound (226 grams) lean ground beef
- 0.5 pound (226 grams) Italian sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) petite diced tomatoes, with juice
Pantry and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup (85 grams) white rice, uncooked
- 1.25 cups (296 milliliters) water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2.5 cups (600 milliliters) marinara sauce
- 0.5 cup (57 grams) mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeter) baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Carefully remove the stems from the bell peppers, setting them aside for the sauce. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, removing and discarding the seeds and membranes.
- Blanch the pepper halves in rapidly boiling water for 3-4 minutes to soften, or alternatively air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine Italian sausage, ground beef, diced onions, and minced garlic. Break the meat into small crumbles while cooking.
- Continue cooking until the meat is completely browned and no pink remains. Drain excess fat using a colander or paper towels.
- Add uncooked rice, water, finely chopped pepper stems, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes with their juices, salt, and black pepper to the meat mixture.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if the rice seems dry. Once rice is tender, mix in 1/2 cup marinara sauce.
- Spread 1 3/4 cups marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the softened pepper halves cut-side up.
- Spoon the rice and meat mixture into each pepper half, ensuring even distribution.
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed peppers.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded cheese on top, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Gently boil or air fry peppers at 400°F for 5 minutes to soften them before stuffing.
- Sweeter flavor comes from selecting red, yellow, or orange bell peppers.
- Smaller peppers can be supplemented with extra quantities or replaced with portobello mushrooms for variety.
- Leftover filling transforms perfectly into tomato soup or makes an excellent zucchini stuffing alternative.
- Prepare the entire dish ahead of time and confidently freeze for future convenient meals.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 313 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 602 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg