This delicious beef and rice stuffed peppers recipe is packed with flavor, high in protein, filling, and perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s ideal for a lunchbox, freezer-friendly, and a great recipe for the whole family to enjoy.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
There is nothing better than a delicious, hearty meal for dinner or leftovers for lunch. This beef and rice stuffed peppers recipe is exactly that. If you think it’s complicated to make, may I assure you, it’s not. You simply cook the filling on a skillet, stuff the peppers, and bake until tender.
Make it as part of your weekly meals so you don’t have to worry about dinner or lunch. You can make exact portions, and you can even freeze them to last longer. With simple ingredients you can create a delicious meal everyone will enjoy.
Serve it with a side of this grilled zucchini salad with basil dressing or this zucchini and cucumber salad for an extra veggie boost.
Ingredients notes
Ground meat. Use good quality beef. You can also mix ground beef and pork for a bit more richness.
Beef or chicken stock. Cooking the rice with stock makes it so much more flavorful.
Sweet peppers. Any type of sweet pepper works here. Bell peppers are also a great option.
Rice. Basmati rice or jasmine rice works perfectly in this recipe.
Yogurt. The yogurt here is the main ingredient for the sauce, which complements the hearty dish very well. Make sure to use unsweetened full fat, so it has some body and creaminess.
How to make beef and rice stuffed peppers
Note! For exact measurements and detailed directions, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Chop the onion and garlic.
Step 2: Grate the tomatoes and chop the parsley.
Step 3: Heat the oil in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook the onion until soft and starting to brown.
Step 4: Add the chopped garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the rice.
Step 5: Pour in the beef or chicken stock and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
Step 6: Add the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, and paprika. Again, cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 7: Add the ground meat, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until the meat is all broken down and no big chunks remain.
Step 8: Mix in the chopped parsley. Remove from the oven, cover with a lid, and set aside.
Step 9: Cut the tops of the peppers and take the seeds out.
Step 10: Fill the peppers with the beef and rice mixture.
Step 11: Slice one tomato, and cut the slices in half. Place each tomato half on top of the peppers to seal them.
Step 12: Pour water into the bottom of the baking dish and bake the peppers until they are tender.
Step 13: Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
Recipe Tips
Make sure the filling is not too soupy. The filling shouldn’t be too thick or dry, but also it shouldn’t have too much liquid.
Add tomato slices on top of the peppers. This not only helps keep the filling intact, but it also prevents the top from drying out while baking.
Additions and substitutions
Add chili flakes or ground chili to the filling if you like spicy. Mix in some parmesan cheese if you’d like. You can substitute the yogurt sauce with sour cream. Instead of the rice, you can try using diced potatoes. Instead of the beef or chicken stock, you can use vegetable stock or water, but for better flavor, try using stock.
Storage and reheating
Store any leftover beef and rice stuffed peppers, well sealed, in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
Reheat the peppers from the fridge by placing them in the oven preheated to 350F (180C) until they are heated through. To reheat them from the freezer, let them defrost in the fridge overnight or during the day, then reheat them in the oven as directed above.
Alternatively, you can use a microwave to heat them up to the desired temperature.
Recipe FAQ
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Beef and rice stuffed peppers
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, ~220 grams
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tomatoes, medium size, 315 grams
- 10 grams fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 28 grams
- ⅓ cup white rice, 80 grams
- ½ cup chicken stock, 118 grams
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 20 grams
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 800-900 grams ground beef, ~2 pounds
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 10 red or green sweet peppers
- 1 tomato, small to medium, to cover the pepper filling
- 1 cup water
Yogurt sauce
- 1 cup yogurt, 240 grams
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Before you start with the recipe, I highly recommend reading the information provided above the recipe card for additional tips, suggestions, and helpful step-by-step photos.
- Chop the onion and garlic. Grate or finely chop the tomatoes. Chop the parsley.1 yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tomatoes, medium size, 10 grams fresh parsley leaves
- In a skillet, heat the oil over medium to high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until it starts to brown, about 5-7 minutes.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Next, add the rice and chicken stock. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the rice absorbs the stock.⅓ cup white rice, ½ cup chicken stock
- Mix in the grated tomato, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook a few more minutes, again, until the rice absorbs most of the liquid.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Add the ground beef, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the ground beef is almost cooked. Add the chopped parsley. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid.800-900 grams ground beef, 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste, ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Meanwhile, cut out the tops of the peppers (see photos) and remove the core and seeds.10 red or green sweet peppers
- Place the peppers into a baking dish large enough to fit all the peppers comfortably. They can slightly overlap. Fill each pepper with the beef/rice filling.
- Slice the tomato into wheels, and if too big, into half wheels. Place one tomato slice on top of the filling inside each pepper.1 tomato, small to medium, to cover the pepper filling
- Pour one cup of water into the baking dish, avoiding getting any inside the peppers. Bake on the middle rack for about an hour, or until the peppers are soft.1 cup water
- While the peppers are baking, make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.1 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- To serve, spread some of the yogurt sauce on a plate and place the desired amount of peppers on top. Or serve the sauce on the side and drizzle it over the peppers. Enjoy!
Notes
- For more information about the recipe, additions and substitutions, storage, and process shots, see the post above the recipe card.