Stuffed peppers w/Rice

 

Ingredients

• 4 sweet bell peppers, any color
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ cup finely diced onion
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, divided
• Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut side up, in a microwave-safe 13x9-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish. Lightly cover with parchment paper. Microwave until peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.*
  
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion; cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in cooked rice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of Monterey Jack or mozzarella. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
  
• Season the inside of each pepper with salt and pepper. Stuff peppers with beef mixture and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with foil.
• Bake until tender and heated through, about 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheddar and remaining ½ cup of Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
  
• Bake, uncovered, until cheese melts, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
  

Notes

*Alternatively, you can pre-bake the peppers in the oven instead of in the microwave. To do so, fill a baking dish large enough to fit peppers with about ½ -inch of water. Place peppers cut-side down in water, cover with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 of a stuffed pepper | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 2g| Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2349IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2mg