Italian Stuffed Peppers

Italian stuffed peppers are made with a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, chopped spinach, cilantro lime rice, and spices and then topped with gooey mozzarella cheese.  These would also be good with ground turkey for a more healthy version.  Stuffed peppers have always been one of my favorite meals since childhood.   I decided to try a different version and the Italian style peppers are really full of flavor!  This is my new favorite stuffed pepper recipe.

Ingredients for Italian Stuffed Peppers:

• 3 large bell peppers (use any color)
• 1 cup cooked cilantro lime rice (any type of white or brown rice can be substituted if desired).  I used Zatarain’s brand cilantro lime rice.
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground basil
• 1 tbsp dried or fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1/2 can (15 oz) diced basil, garlic and oregano tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
• Ketchup to drizzle on top of peppers (about 6 tablespoons)
• 1 cup fresh grated mozzarella cheese
• Fresh chopped parsley to garnish if desired

How to make Italian Stuffed Peppers:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  You will need a 9×13 glass baking dish.
• Cook the cilantro lime rice according to package instructions.  You could also use cooking bag rice or Minute rice to save time.
• Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven.  Cut the peppers in half and place in boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until they barely begin to soften.  Make sure you don’t cook them.  This process helps them bake completely so they aren’t crunchy.  Place the peppers in the glass baking dish.
• In a small frying pan heat the olive oil and cook onions and garlic until softened and transluscent.
• Mix the ground beef, Italian sausage, cooked onions and garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, dried red pepper flakes, diced tomatoes, and baby spinach in a large bowl.
• When rice is cooked let it cool for a few minutes and then add it to the meat mixture.
• Fill the pepper halves with the meat mixture.  I prefer not to cook my meat mixture ahead of time.  It will thoroughly cook as the peppers bake and it gives the peppers more moisture.
• Drizzle ketchup over the meat from the bottle.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and add grated mozzarella cheese to the top of the peppers.
• Place peppers back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted.

• You could substitute ground turkey or Italian turkey sausage for the ground beef and italian sausage if desired.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in a covered container.

Other delicious Italian dishes to make:

Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Caprese Salad

Best Spinach Lasagna

Italian Stuffed Peppers

LeAnn

Italian stuffed peppers are made with a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, chopped spinach, cilantro lime rice, and spices and then topped with gooey mozzarella cheese. 

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 344 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 large bell peppers, any color
• 1 cup cilantro lime rice, cooked according to package directions may substitute 1 cup any white rice or brown rice and use boil in bag or Minute rice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried or fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1/2 15 oz can basil, garlic and oregano diced tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh chopped baby spinach
• 6 tbsp ketchup (squeeze over peppers from the bottle)
• 1 cup fresh grated mozzarella cheese
• additional parsley to garnish if desired.

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  You will need a 9x13 glass baking dish.
• Cook the cilantro lime rice according to package instructions.  You could also use cooking bag rice or Minute rice to save time.
• Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven.  Cut the peppers in half and place in boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until they barely begin to soften.  Make sure you don't cook them.  This process helps them bake completely so they aren't crunchy.  Place the peppers in the glass baking dish.
• In a small frying pan heat the olive oil and cook onions and garlic until softened and transluscent.
• Mix the ground beef, Italian sausage, cooked onions and garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, dried red pepper flakes, diced tomatoes, and baby spinach in a large bowl.
• When rice is cooked let it cool for a few minutes and then add it to the meat mixture.
• Fill the pepper halves with the meat mixture.  I prefer not to cook my meat mixture ahead of time.  It will thoroughly cook as the peppers bake and it gives the peppers more moisture.
• Drizzle ketchup over the meat from the bottle.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until peppers are tender.
• Remove from oven and add grated mozzarella cheese to the top of the peppers.
• Place peppers back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted.

Keyword Italian Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Green Peppers, Stuffed Peppers