An Easy Stuffed Green Pepper Recipe We Love

If you love Greek or Mediterranean flavors, you will have to try my stuffed green pepper recipe.  Besides being incredibly easy to make, this no-fuss dinner feature quickly became family approved after the first bite, amidst mmmmms of approval.

This was a big win for me as Sam and Ana aren’t big fans of their veggies, and I have to hide veggies in their favorite food, more times than not. (Yes, I’ve even hidden spinach in brownies, in the past. ) I will have to admit though, that Ana did leave the pepper casing behind and just dove into the good stuff!

An Easy, Flavor-Filled, Stuffed green pepper recipe

We’re blessed with wonderful, generous neighbors, who’re always sharing their surplus produce hauls. This week’s bounty included a bag filled with juicy green peppers. I remembered my Mama making stuffed peppers when I was a child and realized my kids hadn’t been introduced to this genius combination of meat in a pepper cup. My kids love kebabs, so I chose to use the spice blend I use in the same to make the pepper stuffing. 

I started off by cutting each pepper in half (horizontally) and cleaning out the seeds. I then boiled the raw peppers in lightly salted water for about 5 minutes. Once done, I drained the peppers and placed these open-cavity, side up, on a lightly greased (olive oil), oven-safe pan. 

Next I made my meat mix, generously seasoned, and added a cup full of shredded spinach and a cup of grated carrots into the mix, because why not? The more veggies the better, right?

I lightly sautéed the onions, garlic for about 5 minutes before adding the raw meat mix to the onions and garlic. This mix was then cooked for about 10 minutes. (My test is when the meat loses its red-pink color and browns.)

Once done, I carefully packed the meat mix into the cups, ensuring I brimmed each cup to the max.

Finally topped all this with a grated mozzarella cheese and sharp cheddar cheese mix before placing the tray into the oven to cook to flavorful perfection.

I cooked these for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F and served stuffed pepper cups right out of the oven, piping hot. Isn’t that always the best way?

Ready to print off the recipe?

I’m excited to hear what your family thinks.

Easy Stuffed Green Pepper Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Stuffed green peppers with meat, spinach, carrots and cheese.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (You could also use chicken or turkey.)
• 6 green peppers
• 6 garlic cloves- chopped
• 1 cup yellow/white onions-chopped
• 1 cup carrots- grated
• 1 cup spinach- chopped
• 1 cup cooked rice (I used basmati rice)
• 1/2 cup cilantro-chopped
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• Garlic salt (or regular salt)-to taste-about a tsp/1.5 tsp
• The juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese and sharp cheddar cheese - grated.
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Wash the green peppers and slice them in half, horizontally. Clean out the cavity and set the seeds aside for your garden's compost.
2. Now place the halved green peppers in a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water. Allow the peppers to cook in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Switch off the stove and drain the water out. Set the peppers aside.
3. Take a pan/skillet, put 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and allow the pan to heat up. Add the chopped garlic and onions. Saute for 5 minutes, on low-medium heat.
4. While the onions and garlic get sautéed, take the ground meat, season with all the spices and mix in the spinach, carrots, cilantro and lemon juice.
5. Once the onions and garlic are golden brown, add the meat mixture and saute the mix for 10 minutes or till you notice the meat starts to brown, and loses its pink-red color.
6. When ready, add the cooked rice to the meat mixture and combine well. Take the pan off the hot stove top and prepare to fill this into the peppers.
7. Lightly grease an oven-safe pan with olive oil and place the peppers cavity side up, in the pan.
8. Carefully pack the meat mix into the pepper cups, ensuring each cup is brimmed to the max.
9. Finish off with a generous garnish of mozzarella and sharp cheddar gratings, to top off the stuffed peppers.
10. Place the tray in the oven, at a preheated temperature of 350 degrees, and allow the stuffed peppers to bake for 25 minutes.
11. Once done, take the tray out and serve the stuffed green peppers piping hot.

Ana wanted some Mac and Cheese last night, so I served some with the stuffed peppers and they actually paired beautifully together. You could even add some cooked rice to the meat mix prior to baking if you would like to make this a wholesome meal in itself.

You could serve this with a side of simple biryani rice if you don’t want to add the rice to the mix.

If you’re looking for meat recipes, don’t miss these community favorites. 

Try what we think is the best oven baked meatballs with hidden veggies.

If spicy food is your thing, you will love this authentic, South Indian, beef fry recipe. My husband loves this!

 

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