Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice (Gluten-Free)

I love stuffed peppers. Not only are they a healthy and quick meal to prepare, but they're Gluten-Free, Low-Carb and a perfect meal for a chilly fall evening. They're also great as leftovers the next day, so it's a two-for-one deal.

I originally made this recipe using only four peppers and had a ton of extra filling. You can probably easily stuff 6-8 peppers, depending on the size. The filling is so good that you'll want to stuff as much in each one as you can! Just remember to taste the filling as you go (you can wait and add the egg last if you're worried about salmonella). You might need to add more seasoning to get it to the taste you prefer. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6-8 green bell peppers
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef or chuck
• 1 cup dry rice
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Extra reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Cut tops off peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Chop edible part of tops and set aside. Cut off a little bit of the bottom of each pepper so it can stand flat, making sure you do not make any holes.

Meanwhile, cook meat over medium-high heat. Drain off fat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Saute chopped green pepper (from tops) and chopped onion for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until coated with mixture. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine egg and Ricotta cheese. Add oregano, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to blend. Add drained ground beef to the Ricotta mixture and stir to combine. Add the tomato mixture and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Mix well. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Stuff peppers to the top with the meat mixture and place in a 9x13" pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. If desired, top stuffed peppers with additional shredded Cheddar cheese 5 minutes before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.

Source: SK Original