Description
These Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef and Spinach are a hearty, colorful, and comforting dish made with tender bell peppers filled with a savory beef, rice, and spinach mixture, then topped with melty mozzarella. Great for family dinners, meal prep, or freezer meals.
Ingredients
- 6 red bell peppers
- 2 lb ground beef (90–95% lean recommended)
- 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 4 oz fresh spinach leaves
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jar (24–25 oz) pasta sauce
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
- Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and bring it to a boil.
- Wash and halve the bell peppers lengthwise, removing stems and seeds.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Combine the ground beef, chopped onion, salt, pepper, and parsley, then add the mixture to the heated pan. Cook until the meat is nearly done.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Once the water is boiling, blanch the pepper halves for 3 minutes.
- Transfer the peppers into a bowl of ice water for another 3 minutes to stop the cooking.
- When the beef is almost fully cooked, tear the spinach leaves and stir them into the pan. Cook until the spinach wilts.
- Add 2 cups of the cooked rice and the pasta sauce, stirring until everything is well combined.
- Stuff each pepper half with the beef mixture and place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes).
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the top of the peppers.
- Cover the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes to lightly crisp the tops.
Notes
- Blanching and ice water help keep peppers firm and not mushy.
- Use a thicker pasta sauce to avoid watery filling.
- Recipe can be made without cheese or with dairy-free alternatives.
- Assemble ahead and bake later for convenience.
- Use a mix of bell pepper colors for presentation and flavor variety.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pepper halves
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
