Description
Mini Stuffed Bell Peppers made with ground beef, passata, and rice, baked until tender and topped with melted mozzarella for an easy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8–10 mini green bell peppers (or 4–6 large bell peppers)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 24 ounces passata, divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 to 1 cup cooked minute rice
- 3/4 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the minute rice according to package directions and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Heat a deep pan over medium heat and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it apart as it browns.
- Remove excess grease, as needed.
- Season with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning
- Add the minced onion and garlic. Cook for another minute, or two.
- Once browned, stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Add 18 ounces of the passata, along with the water. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. For added flavor, add a few pieces of leftover green bell pepper.
- While the sauce simmers, cut the tops off the peppers and remove ribs and seeds. If needed, trim the bottoms slightly so they sit flat.
- Line the bottom of each pepper with a small amount of shredded mozzarella.
- Spoon a thin layer of sauce (without rice) onto the bottom of a casserole or baking dish.
- Stir the cooked rice into the remaining sauce.
- Fill each pepper with the beef and rice mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining passata around the peppers to fill in the gaps.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil, top with remaining mozzarella, and bake another 8–10 minutes until melted and bubbly.
- Serve and ENJOY!
Equipment
Small Oven-Safe Casserole Dish
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Buy Now →Notes
- Cooking the tomato paste for a couple of minutes enhances the flavor.
- Use a deep baking dish to hold all the sauce.
- Don’t skip adding sauce to the bottom. It prevents sticking and keeps everything moist.
- If using larger peppers, increase bake time slightly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Moderate
- Cuisine: American