Classic 4-Ingredient Cheesy Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

The Recipe: Classic Cheesy Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 large Bell peppers (red, green, or orange—a mix looks great, just like in





• 1 lb Ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken)

• 1 cup Cooked rice (white or brown)

• 1 can (15 oz) Diced tomatoes (with their juices)

• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (for that thick melty topping)

• From the pantry: 1 small onion (diced), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

  Instructions

  1. Prep the Pepper Cups: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the very tops off the bell peppers and remove the inner ribs and seeds. Standing them upright, place the hollowed-out peppers side-by-side in a glass baking dish (exactly like the setup in

  
  
  

  2. Brown the Filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your ground meat alongside the diced onion until fully cooked. Drain any excess grease from the pan.

  3. Mix it Up: Lower the heat and stir the cooked rice, the entire can of diced tomatoes (with juices), garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper directly into the skillet. Let everything simmer together for 3 to 5 minutes so the rice absorbs the savory tomato juices.

  4. Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the hot meat and rice mixture generously into each hollowed pepper cavity, packing it down gently so it fills right up to the top.

  5. The First Bake: Pour about ½ cup of water into the bottom of the glass baking dish (this creates steam so the outer pepper walls get perfectly tender). Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.

  6. The Cheesy Finish: Carefully remove the foil, blanket the top of each pepper generously with the shredded cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and slightly golden—matching the exact look in

     
     
. Serve warm!