Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 4 as a light main dish or side dish
Ingredients
table salt 4 medium red bell peppers, yellow, or orange, (about 6 ounces each), ½ inch trimmed off tops, cores and seeds discarded½ cup long grain white rice 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)12 ounces ground beef, preferably ground chuck3 medium cloves garlic, minced1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, ¼ cup juice reserved5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 ¼ cups)2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves Ground black pepper ¼ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bell peppers. Cook until peppers just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove peppers from pot, drain off excess water, and place peppers cut-sides up on paper towels. Return water to boil; add rice and boil until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain rice and transfer to large bowl; set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; add oil and swirl to coat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking beef into small pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to bowl with rice; stir in tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir together ketchup and reserved tomato juice in small bowl.
- Place peppers cut-side up in 9-inch square baking dish. Using soup spoon, divide filling evenly among peppers. Spoon 2 tablespoons ketchup mixture over each filled pepper and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 4 as a light main dish or side dishIngredients
table salt
4 medium red bell peppers, yellow, or orange, (about 6 ounces each), ½ inch trimmed off tops, cores and seeds discarded
½ cup long grain white rice
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
12 ounces ground beef, preferably ground chuck
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, ¼ cup juice reserved
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 ¼ cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
¼ cup ketchup
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
table salt
4 medium red bell peppers, yellow, or orange, (about 6 ounces each), ½ inch trimmed off tops, cores and seeds discarded
½ cup long grain white rice
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
12 ounces ground beef, preferably ground chuck
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, ¼ cup juice reserved
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 ¼ cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
¼ cup ketchup
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
table salt
4 medium red bell peppers, yellow, or orange, (about 6 ounces each), ½ inch trimmed off tops, cores and seeds discarded
½ cup long grain white rice
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
12 ounces ground beef, preferably ground chuck
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, ¼ cup juice reserved
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 ¼ cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
¼ cup ketchup
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a stuffed pepper recipe with firm shells surrounding flavorful fillings, we found that blanching the peppers for three minutes and allowing them to finish cooking with residual heat gave us the sturdiness we needed. For the filling for our stuffed peppers recipe, we updated the classic 1950s filling of rice and ground beef with sautéed onions, garlic, and cheese.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bell peppers. Cook until peppers just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove peppers from pot, drain off excess water, and place peppers cut-sides up on paper towels. Return water to boil; add rice and boil until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain rice and transfer to large bowl; set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; add oil and swirl to coat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking beef into small pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to bowl with rice; stir in tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir together ketchup and reserved tomato juice in small bowl.
- Place peppers cut-side up in 9-inch square baking dish. Using soup spoon, divide filling evenly among peppers. Spoon 2 tablespoons ketchup mixture over each filled pepper and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
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