An American classic that’s both hearty and versatile.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces ground beef
    • Alternatively, use lamb, pork, or chorizo sausage
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cooked rice or any cooked grain
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
    • Alternatively 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 large eggs, well beaten
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano, crumbled
  • Worcestershire sauce to taste (optional)
  • Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Au Gratin topping (optional)

Directions

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 375°F.

  2. Grease a baking dish in which the peppers will fit snugly.

  3. Prepare the bell peppers:

    • Cut lengthwise through the stem, leaving it halved but attached
    • Remove seeds and white inner ribs
    • If peppers won’t stand upright, level them by cutting a thin slice from the bottom (don’t create a hole)

  4. Steam the peppers on a rack or steamer basket over boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

  5. Heat olive or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  6. Add ground meat/sausage and onion.

  7. Cook, stirring and breaking the meat up with a spoon, until it is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

  8. Remove from the heat and stir in:

    • cooked rice or grain
    • tomato or drained canned diced tomatoes
    • eggs
    • garlic
    • dried thyme or oregano
    • Worcestershire sauce (optional)
    • Red pepper flakes (optional)
    • Salt and black pepper to taste

  9. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture and set them in the baking dish.

  10. Sprinkle over the tops: Au Gratin topping (optional)

  11. Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling hot and firm, about 25 minutes.

  12. If desired, brown the tops under the broiler.

Variations

Vegetarian version

  • Substitute 1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled
  • Or use Seasoned Tempeh Crumbles
  • Simply increase the amount of cooked rice to 2 cups

For large peppers

  • If the peppers are huge, you may halve them lengthwise through the stem
  • Do not completely remove the stem, as it helps hold in the stuffing