Easy Italian Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

Why do I call it lasagna stuffed peppers? Well it has all the layered flavors of lasagna from the meat sauce, to the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses to the orzo pasta. And it makes dinner in one dish like a casserole except everyone's is stuffed into their own pepper.

Why You'll Love These Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

1. It's an easy and complete dinner in each pepper!
2. Beautiful Italian flavors - layered like a lasagna
3. Great way to get your veggies including the extra tomatoes and zucchini added
4. Relatively inexpensive to make
5. It’s gluten-free and with a few changes, keto-friendly
6. Many ways to change it up to suit your family's tastes
7. Great meal prep idea - make ahead and serve the next day or freeze
8. Delicious leftovers for lunch or dinner

Variations 

• Instead of beef - use ground chicken, turkey, pork or Italian sausage
• More Veggies - try adding corn, mushrooms, spinach, kale either in place of zucchini or in addition to it
• Change out the orzo - for quinoa, rice, couscous, barley, riced cauliflower or farrow
• Cheeses - use your favorite cheeses such as fontina, pepper jack or sharp cheddar (a little less Italian but still delicious)
• Like it spicy? - add red pepper flakes
• Don't like bell peppers? Just prepare the filling, cooking some diced peppers (optional) in with the onion and garlic, browning the ground beef, then adding to orzo-cheese mixture. Pour into a casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick spray and bake as directed in recipe.
• Keto Stuffed Peppers – change out the orzo for riced cauliflower and you have the perfect keto meal. To make it lower carb, switch the sweet bell peppers to green bell peppers.
• Low Carb Stuffed Peppers – follow much the same swaps as keto stuffed peppers. You can also lower the carb count by opting for cream cheese, cottage cheese, goat cheese or spinach and artichoke dip in lieu of the ricotta cheese

Frequently asked questions

Ingredients

Bell Peppers - are vitamin and fiber-rich. Try to purchase peppers that are similar in size so they cook at the same rate. Opt for larger ones that can hold more filling.

Beef - is a great source of protein. It is best to use lean ground beef, or opt for turkey, chicken, pork, or ground Italian sausage

Orzo - a small pasta that looks similar to rice and fits very well into the peppers. Other options include quinoa, riced cauliflower, and regular rice.

Onion/Garlic - lends flavor to the filling

Salt – blends the flavors together

Tomato, Zucchini - great add-ins that add extra vegetables to the mix

Tomato Sauce – gives the filling both flavor and moistness. Like it spicy? Take the heat up a notch by using fire-roasted tomatoes.

Cheese - mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan carry the Italian lasagna flavor throughout the pepper mixture. Feel free to use other favorite cheeses such as cream cheese in place of ricotta, or gruyere in place of mozzarella for a more upscale stuffed pepper

Olive Oil - used to saute vegetables.

Seasonings - basil and oregano lend the Italian flavor to the sauce. Feel free to add other herbs such as oregano or thyme.

Peppers for Stuffed Peppers

Any color of peppers can be used for this dish, though I prefer the red and yellow peppers. They all have slightly different flavors so use your favorite. Saying that, if you are on a keto or low carb diet, green bell peppers are lower in carbs than their sweeter cousins.

How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers

Preparing filling

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. (photo 1)
2. Break up the ground beef into the skillet. (photo 2)
3. Add the herbs and spices then cook until meat is browned and cooked through. (photo 3)
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, ricotta, half of the mozzarella, zucchini and tomatoes. (photo 4)
5. Add spaghetti sauce. (photo 5)
6. Stir to combine. (photo 6)

Preparing the peppers

1. Wash the peppers then cut the tops off. Remove the membrane and seeds. (photo 1)
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the peppers. Parboil for 5 minutes. This extra time will make the peppers the right softness after baking. Remove from the pan, turn upside down, and let them drain. (photo 2)
3. Place peppers into a greased baking dish. Here's a tip for you. If the peppers won't stand upright, trim a little off the bottom, still leaving bottom intact then stuff  with the beef-orzo mixture. (photo 3)
4. Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. (photo 4)

Pro-Tip: To keep peppers from falling over, slice some of the bumps off the bottom creating a level base. Do not cut through into the pepper itself or the contents will leak out. You can also prop them up with rolled aluminum foil.

Finish by baking for 25 minutes. It comes out beautifully browned, cheesy, and with all the flavors of your favorite lasagna. I just love that browned cheese! You can even put the dish right under the broiler at the end and get it a little browner.

Tip: If freezing prior to cooking, make sure the ingredients, such as beef and orzo, have been cooked thoroughly, then freeze.

An easy dinner, full of vegetables, that's perfect for the entire family and can be on the table in 45 minutes. I like to serve it with a side of Caesar salad, some air fryer garlic bread, or a loaf of crusty French Bread for a filling and delicious meal.

Oh, and if you happen to have some leftover, it tastes just as good the second time around!  Enjoy!

Alternate Cooking Methods for Stuffed Peppers

Instant Pot

Mix the raw filling ingredients, no need to precook, and stuff peppers, leaving off the cheese topping. Pour 1 cup – 1-½ cups water, depending on whether you are using a 6 or 8-qt IP) into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place trivet over water. Stand filled peppers on a trivet and cook 10 minutes on high then vent pressure immediately. Place cheese on top, cover, and let sit until cheese is melted.

Air Fryer

Cook the filling and fill peppers much the same way as if you were baking them. Save the cheese for later. Place the filled peppers in an air fryer basket that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and cook at 360 degrees for 10 minutes. Add cheese and air fry for 2-3 more minutes.

Crockpot

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray. Mix the raw filling ingredients, no need to precook, and stuff into peppers. Set aside the cheese for later. Place ½ cup water in the bottom of the crockpot then stand the peppers upright in the water and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. At the end, top with cheese and cover until the cheese is melted.

More easy stuffed dinner recipes

Taco Stuffed Peppers are the best low-carb way to get your taco fix!

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is a lighter version of these lasagna bell peppers and even easier to make.

Stuffed Shells Bolognese from The View From Great Island - brings stuffed shells up a notch with a rich meaty sauce.

Margherita Zucchini Boats for the zucchini lover in you! A delicious side, a vegetarian main dish, or even an appetizer.

Find lots of healthy dinner recipes here on 2CM!