The Flavor Index

Tag: ground beef stuffed peppers

  • Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers: Low-Carb Bun, Zero Sadness

    Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers: Low-Carb Bun, Zero Sadness

    Love burgers? Skip the bun. Use a bell pepper instead.

    These taste exactly like a cheeseburger. Beef. Cheddar. Onion. Pickles. A drizzle of special sauce. The pepper gets sweet and tender in the oven. Low-carb. High-flavor. Absolutely wild.

    Ingredients

    Serves 4.

    • 4 large bell peppers (any color)
    • 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
    • ½ small onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
    • ¼ cup diced pickles (plus extra for topping)

    For the Special Sauce:

    • ¼ cup mayo
    • 2 tbsp ketchup
    • 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
    • 1 tsp yellow mustard

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Preheat and Prep Peppers

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
    2. Slice tops off peppers. Remove seeds and membranes.
    3. Place peppers upright in a baking dish. Add 2 tbsp water to the dish (steams them).

    Step 2: Cook the Filling

    1. In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until beef is browned. Drain fat.
    2. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire. Cook 1 minute.
    3. Remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup cheddar and diced pickles.

    Step 3: Stuff the Peppers

    1. Spoon filling into each pepper, packing it in.
    2. Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar.

    Step 4: Bake

    1. Cover dish with foil. Bake 25 minutes.
    2. Uncover. Bake 5-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender.

    Step 5: Sauce and Serve

    1. Whisk special sauce ingredients together.
    2. Drizzle over hot peppers. Top with extra pickles. Eat like a burger. No fork required? Actually, use a fork.

    Summary

    Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

    Yield: 4 stuffed peppers

    Difficulty: Easy

    Storage Notes

    Fridge:

    Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Reheat:

    Microwave 2 minutes. Or oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.

    Freezer Friendly:

    Assemble (don’t bake). Freeze 3 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F for 45-55 minutes.

    Pro Tip:

    Make extra special sauce. It’s also great on fries, burgers, and basically everything.

  • Stuffed Bell Peppers: An Edible Bowl That Fights Back

    Stuffed Bell Peppers: An Edible Bowl That Fights Back

    Stuffed peppers look fancy. They are not fancy.

    You brown beef. You cook rice. You mix them with sauce. You stuff peppers. You bake. That’s it. The pepper becomes the bowl. No extra dishes. Everyone’s happy.

    Ingredients

    Serves 4.

    • 4 large bell peppers (any color)
    • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 works great)
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
    • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (divided)
    • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (divided)
    • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Preheat and Prep Peppers

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
    2. Slice tops off peppers. Remove seeds and membranes. Dice the edible tops (optional, add to filling).
    3. Place peppers upright in a baking dish.

    Step 2: Cook the Filling

    1. In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until beef is browned. Drain fat.
    2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
    3. Stir in cooked rice, half the tomato sauce (about ¾ cup), Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and half the cheese.

    Step 3: Stuff the Peppers

    1. Spoon filling into each pepper, pressing down lightly. Pack it in.
    2. Pour remaining tomato sauce over and around the peppers.
    3. Top with remaining cheese.

    Step 4: Bake and Serve

    1. Cover dish with foil. Bake 30 minutes.
    2. Uncover. Bake 10 more minutes until cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender.
    3. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

    Summary

    Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes

    Yield: 4 stuffed peppers

    Difficulty: Easy

    Storage Notes

    Fridge:

    Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Peppers soften, but flavor gets better.

    Reheat:

    Microwave 2 minutes. Or oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.

    Freezer Friendly:

    Assemble (don’t bake). Freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F for 50-60 minutes.

    Pro Tip:

    Swap rice for cauliflower rice to go low-carb. Works perfectly.