This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure form more information.
Grandma’s easy stuffed peppers recipe makes bell peppers stuffed with ground beef and rice and baked in a flavorful tomato sauce. This delicious dinner is a family favorite!
Growing up, my grandma made old-fashioned stuffed peppers weekly during the winter months. I adapted my grandma’s classic recipe for stuffed peppers to make it a little more family friendly. Grandma’s original recipe called for filling whole green bell peppers with a beef and rice mixture and simmering in tomato soup in a large pot on the stove — similar to her stuffed cabbage.
While tasty, a whole pepper is a lot for a kid to eat. And the peppers were always too soft and on the bitter side. So, my version uses halved peppers baked until just tender. I also added a little cheese to make this easy dinner more kid friendly. It’s still classic comfort food and just as delicious!
If you want an even easier dinner idea, try my unstuffed peppers. You may also like my Italian stuffed peppers or my taco stuffed peppers or leftover chili stuffed peppers.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to make this easy recipe. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Large bell peppers — I use a mix of orange and yellow peppers or red peppers because they are sweeter than the green ones. Any color is fine.
- Ground beef — Look for lean beef. You can also use ground chicken, ground turkey or sausage.
- Yellow onion — adds extra flavor
- Seasonings — sea salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder
- Diced tomatoes — I like petite diced tomatoes as they are smaller, but regular ones also work.
- Rice — I use Minute rice or instant rice just like Grandma did. You can also use leftover cooked rice. If you’re using long grain white rice, you will need to cook it longer.
- Tomato soup — Grandma always used this, and I love the flavor it adds. You can use tomato sauce if you prefer that.
- Beef broth — or water. The broth just ads more flavor.
- Oil or butter — for cooking the onions
- Cheese — optional. I use Monterey Jack cheese, but any cheese works.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
First, you will need to cook the meat mixture in a large skillet and set aside. Add the tomato soup and water to a large baking dish, and stir. Then, slice the peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds and membranes. Rinse the peppers, and place cut sides up in the dish. Season with a little salt, and spoon the filling into each pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, top with cheese, and return to the oven until cheese is melted.
I like to spoon some of the sauce over each pepper before serving. You can do this before or after you add the cheese. I also spoon the sauce over the peppers when we plate them. So good!
Serving Suggestions
My family has always served mashed potatoes with stuffed bell peppers, so that’s what I do. The tomato sauce makes the most delicious gravy! Add some garlic bread or crusty bread served with honey butter for a wonderfully delicious meal.
Storage
Store leftover peppers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. You can reheat the peppers in the microwave or in your air fryer or oven. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and bake when you are ready to eat!
Recipe Tips
Use a spoon to gently scrape the membranes from the peppers without cutting into them.
You do not need to soften the peppers by par boiling them. If you do like your peppers extra soft, you can parboil them for 2 minutes or microwave them. Or, allow them to bake for about 15 minutes before stuffing.
Try to choose firm peppers roughly the same size so they will cook evenly.
Grandma’s Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup instant rice Minute Rice or another brand
- 2 cups beef broth or water (divided)
- 1 10-oz can condensed tomato soup
- 3 large bell peppers
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- In a large skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft
- Add the beef, and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Drain grease if needed
- Season with 1 tsp salt, garlic, paprika and pepper
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, rice and 1 cup beef broth, and simmer on low heat until rice is cooked — about 5 minutes. Set aside
- Slice peppers from the stem to the bottom. Remove membranes and seeds, and rinse
- In a large baking dish, stir the tomato soup and remaining cup beef broth until combined
- Place peppers, cut sides up in casserole dish, and season insides with remaining salt
- Spoon filling into peppers, packing it tightly
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until peppers are tender and sauce is bubbling.
- Spoon some sauce over filling, top with cheese, if using, and return to oven uncovered until cheese melts. Spoon additional sauce over peppers when serving, if desired
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Follow me on social media or sign up for the newsletter to receive more easy recipes by email.
