From-The-Freezer Stuffed Peppers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 27, 2011
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Peppers and Stuffing
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped fine8 ounces ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removedSalt and pepper 4 cloves garlic, minced2 cups cooked long-grain rice 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 4 medium red bell peppers, cut in half through stem end (stem left intact), cored, and seededFor Serving
2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheeseBefore You Begin
If you don't have leftover rice on hand, we recommend Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. We prefer sweet red peppers in this recipe; green peppers, while traditional, were too bitter. Ground turkey can be substituted for the beef.
Instructions
- For the peppers: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add beef, sausage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain mixture in colander for 1 minute.
- Transfer meat mixture to large bowl and mix with rice, tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
- Spoon filling evenly into bell peppers. Wrap each pepper with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Place in baking dish and freeze until firm. Transfer to zipper-lock plastic bag and freeze up to 2 months.
- When ready to serve: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 8 pieces foil large enough to just cover stuffing in peppers, and spray with cooking spray. Unwrap peppers and cover filling sides with new foil squares. Using skewer, poke several holes through foil. Place peppers, foil side down, over vents of slotted broiler-pan top set over broiler-pan bottom. Brush peppers with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until peppers are spotty brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Flip peppers filling side up, remove foil, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Peppers and Stuffing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
8 ounces ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 medium red bell peppers, cut in half through stem end (stem left intact), cored, and seeded
For Serving
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Peppers and Stuffing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
8 ounces ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 medium red bell peppers, cut in half through stem end (stem left intact), cored, and seeded
For Serving
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Peppers and Stuffing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
8 ounces ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 medium red bell peppers, cut in half through stem end (stem left intact), cored, and seeded
For Serving
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Stuffed peppers are often soggy and tasteless, and freezing them only makes matters worse. For a recipe that delivered great-tasting stuffed peppers that would freeze well, we used potent stuffing ingredients like sausage, Parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. We found it best to bake the frozen stuffed peppers straight from the freezer, and to prevent them from swimming in a sea of juice while baking, we stuffed half of the peppers and elevated them on a broiler pan. We roasted them skin side up (covering the filling with foil to hold it in place) and poked drainage holes in the foil to keep the skin from becoming tough. We then simply turned the stuffed peppers over to melt the final layer of cheese.
Before You Begin
If you don't have leftover rice on hand, we recommend Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. We prefer sweet red peppers in this recipe; green peppers, while traditional, were too bitter. Ground turkey can be substituted for the beef.
Instructions
- For the peppers: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add beef, sausage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain mixture in colander for 1 minute.
- Transfer meat mixture to large bowl and mix with rice, tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
- Spoon filling evenly into bell peppers. Wrap each pepper with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Place in baking dish and freeze until firm. Transfer to zipper-lock plastic bag and freeze up to 2 months.
- When ready to serve: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 8 pieces foil large enough to just cover stuffing in peppers, and spray with cooking spray. Unwrap peppers and cover filling sides with new foil squares. Using skewer, poke several holes through foil. Place peppers, foil side down, over vents of slotted broiler-pan top set over broiler-pan bottom. Brush peppers with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until peppers are spotty brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Flip peppers filling side up, remove foil, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
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