Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beef and Rice

Stuffed bell peppers make an easy all-in-one family dinner with seasoned beef, rice, vegetables and tomato sauce baked inside tender bell peppers. They're also a good make-ahead meal because you can prepare the filling earlier in the day and bake the peppers at dinnertime.

This recipe is easy to customize with different bell pepper colors, extra vegetables or even zucchini. You’ll also find a stuffed pepper soup variation and more family-friendly beef dinner ideas below.

Easy stuffed bell peppers with beef and rice

Start Here: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Making stuffed peppers? Start with the Easy Beef Stuffed Peppers.
Want softer peppers? See How to Prepare Bell Peppers before filling them.
Adding more vegetables? Try the ideas in Hidden Vegetable Filling Ideas.
Want something different? Make the reader-submitted Stuffed Pepper Soup.

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Easy Beef Stuffed Peppers

These easy stuffed bell peppers are filled with seasoned ground beef, rice, onion, carrot and tomato sauce. Prepare the peppers and filling ahead of time if desired, then bake them when you're ready for dinner.

Baked stuffed bell peppers filled with beef, rice and vegetables

Ingredients

6 bell peppers
1 onion, grated or finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1-2 tablespoons oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Sour cream, for serving, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. You can also cut the peppers in half lengthwise for smaller portions.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the peppers and boil for several minutes to begin softening them. Drain well and arrange in a baking dish.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart as it cooks, until completely cooked. Drain excess grease if needed.
Stir the cooked rice and tomato sauce into the beef mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Spoon the beef and rice filling into the prepared bell peppers.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot throughout.
Serve warm with sour cream, if desired.

Kids Cooking Tip: Kids can wash the peppers, grate the carrot, measure the rice and tomato sauce and help spoon the cooked filling into the peppers. An adult should cut the peppers, handle the raw beef and work at the hot stove and oven.

How to Prepare Bell Peppers for Stuffing

Bell peppers can be stuffed whole or cut in half lengthwise. Follow these simple steps to prepare, fill and bake them for an easy family dinner.

Steps for preparing, filling and baking beef and rice stuffed bell peppers

1. Prepare the Peppers

Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise, or slice off the tops to leave them whole. Remove the seeds and membranes from inside.
For softer peppers: Place the prepared peppers in boiling water for several minutes, then drain well before filling. This gives them a head start so they become tender more easily while baking.

2. Prepare the Filling

Cook the rice with grated onion and carrot, then combine it with the cooked ground beef and tomato sauce.

3. Fill the Peppers

Arrange the prepared peppers in a baking dish and spoon the beef and rice mixture into each pepper.

4. Bake the Peppers

Bake the filled peppers at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot throughout.

Add More Vegetables to Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers already include bell pepper, onion and carrot, but you can add even more vegetables to the beef and rice filling. This is especially helpful if kids enjoy the filling but aren't ready to eat much of the bell pepper itself.

Add Puréed Vegetables

Stir a small amount of puréed vegetables into the beef and tomato sauce mixture. Try carrots, squash, sweet potato or another mild vegetable that blends easily into the filling.

Add Finely Chopped Vegetables

Finely chopped mushrooms, zucchini or spinach can be cooked with the onion and carrot before being mixed with the beef and rice.

Use Different Bell Peppers

Try green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, or use several colors in the same meal. This is an easy way for kids to compare the flavor of different peppers.

Add Vegetables

For more ways to work vegetables into family meals, see our Hidden Vegetable Recipes.

Try the Filling in Stuffed Zucchini

Don't have bell peppers, or want to try something different? Use the same beef and rice mixture to make stuffed zucchini. Scoop some of the center from zucchini halves, partially cook the zucchini if needed, then fill with the cooked beef and rice mixture and bake until tender and heated through.

Kids Cooking Recipe Cards

Kids can practice measuring, preparing vegetables, following recipe steps and helping assemble family meals like stuffed peppers.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This easy stuffed pepper soup turns peppers, sausage, tomato soup and rice into a warm family meal. It's a fun alternative when you like the flavors of stuffed peppers but don't want to assemble individual peppers.

Recipe by Whitney W. Minnesota

Stuffed pepper soup with sausage, peppers and rice

Makes: About 3 cups

Ingredients

1 cup ground sausage
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/8 cup onion flakes
1/4 cup water
1 small can chicken broth
1 small can tomato soup
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked rice

Directions

Cook the ground sausage in a skillet until completely cooked. Drain excess grease and set aside.
Add the chopped bell pepper, onion flakes, water, chicken broth, tomato soup, garlic powder and black pepper to a blender.
Blend until the vegetables are finely chopped and the soup base reaches the consistency you prefer.
Pour the blended soup mixture into a saucepan and stir in the cooked sausage.
Add the cooked rice and stir to combine.
Cover and heat over medium-low heat until the soup is hot throughout, stirring occasionally.
Serve warm.

Chunkier Stuffed Pepper Soup

If your family prefers more texture, pulse the soup mixture just a few times instead of blending it completely smooth. This leaves small pieces of bell pepper in the soup.

Kids Cooking Tip: Kids can measure the water and seasonings, add the cooled ingredients to the blender and stir in the cooked rice with supervision. An adult should cook the sausage and handle the hot saucepan.

Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Try Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are easy to make without meat too. Fill bell peppers with vegetables and other favorite meatless ingredients for a lighter family dinner variation.

More Easy Beef Recipes

Stuffed peppers are just one way to turn ground beef into a family meal. Try more easy beef recipes with different cooking methods and flavors.

Easy Meatloaf Recipes
Make classic meatloaf, mini meatloaves and other easy ground beef variations.

How to Make Meatballs
Learn how to mix, shape and cook homemade meatballs for pasta, soup and sandwiches.

Easy Shepherd's Pie
Layer seasoned beef and vegetables under mashed potatoes and cheese for a hearty baked dinner.

Homemade Sloppy Joes
Turn ground beef into a saucy sandwich filling with vegetables blended into the sauce.

Stuffed Bell Peppers FAQ

Do you need to cook bell peppers before stuffing them?

You do not have to fully cook them first, but partially cooking the peppers for a few minutes helps them become tender during baking. The recipe on this page briefly boils the prepared peppers before filling them.

Can you make stuffed peppers ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the peppers and filling earlier in the day, assemble them in the baking dish and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.

What kind of rice works in stuffed peppers?

The main recipe uses cooked rice, making it easy to use rice prepared earlier or leftover rice from another meal. White or brown rice can work; simply cook the rice before adding it to the beef filling.

What vegetables can you add to stuffed pepper filling?

Carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach and puréed vegetables can all be added to the filling. Finely chopped vegetables can be cooked with the onion and carrot before being mixed with the beef and rice.

Can you make stuffed peppers without beef?

Yes. Stuffed peppers can be made with a meatless vegetable filling, or you can use another preferred filling instead of ground beef.

Can you use the stuffed pepper filling in other vegetables?

Yes. The beef and rice filling can also be used in hollowed zucchini. Partially cook the zucchini if needed, fill it with the cooked mixture and bake until tender and heated through.

How can kids help make stuffed peppers?

Kids can wash the peppers, grate the carrot, measure ingredients and help spoon cooked filling into the prepared peppers. An adult should cut the peppers, handle raw meat and work at the hot stove and oven.

Share Your Stuffed Pepper Recipe

Does your family have a favorite stuffed pepper filling, vegetable variation or different way to prepare them? Share your stuffed pepper recipe and cooking ideas with us.