I love my Mom’s Stuffed Green Peppers recipe! The flavors are a teensy weensy bit sweet and sour that I’ve always enjoyed. This is an old family recipe that we have eaten for a long, long time. My mom used to make these all the time when I was growing up. She always used Minute Rice. This is actually preferable over higher quality rice (unless you precook it). Minute Rice cooks much faster and I recommend that for anyone who’s in a hurry!

Follow Me On Instagram!

Stuffed Green Peppers have about a half teaspoon of brown sugar sprinkled lightly over the top of each bell pepper before baking. This provides a slightly sweet and sour taste that’s quite wonderful. I also use a very lean 96% ground beef mixture for this recipe, so the peppers don’t end up with a lot of grease.

I use a ketchup that’s gluten free and doesn’t have all the preservatives or high fructose corn syrup that some ketchups have. For a little more pizazz you can also substitute spaghetti sauce for the plain tomato sauce in the recipe. Back when I was growing up, spaghetti sauce wasn’t available commercially.

I made this recipe frequently when we were first married. Especially whenever we grew our own gardens. The bell peppers were inexpensive and it was such a quick and easy recipe to prepare when our kids were young. I spent very little time in the kitchen and had a wonderful meal ready in an hour to an hour and a half.

Green peppers used to go on sale during the summer for about 50 cents a piece. I would usually stock up and plan to put Stuffed Green Peppers on the menu. I never minded eating the peppers as well as the filling.

If you’re looking for a tasty Stuffed Bell Pepper recipe, then give this one a try. It’s easy and satisfying, slightly sweet, and very filling. It’s also gluten free if your ketchup is gluten free.

I initially posted this recipe in May 2014. At that time I tried making the recipe with regular brown rice. But it really doesn’t cook as well. You have to precook the rice to make it work. I recently remade this recipe (February 2020) for my husband and I. Since we had leftovers, I had Stuffed Green Peppers for a couple of lunch meals afterwards.

This is still one of my favorite comfort food meals. I could probably enjoy this vintage entree weekly. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it too.

Stuffed Green Peppers has always been a family favorite. I served it with Jalapeno Cheddar Honey Cornbread. Yum.

This old-fashioned recipe is easy and delicious. The peppers come out of the oven this way. But there is plenty of extra sauce at the bottom of the pan to ladle over top if you prefer a lot of tomato sauce on top.

I slow cook the peppers in the oven about an hour and a half to ensure the rice is cooked sufficiently. This Stuffed Green Pepper has additional sauce ladled over the top.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients.

I use a 96% lean ground beef. I also recommend using minute rice or brown minute rice as it cooks more quickly. (Otherwise, if you want to use a high quality rice, you will need to precook it first).

Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove pulp and seeds. Place cut side down in boiling water.

Parboil green peppers about 5 minutes. Remove from pan to cool slightly. Drain water.

Meanwhile, mix stuffing for bell peppers. Place the ground beef, Minute Rice, ketchup and diced onions in a mixing bowl.

Mix ingredients with your hands until well mixed.

Stuff peppers with raw meat mixture. The mixture will expand while baking.

Pour a can of tomato sauce over top of peppers.

Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar over top of each bell pepper. Cover with lid and bake at 350.

Bake at 350 for about one hour fifteen minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

If desired, ladle tomato sauce from the bottom of the roaster pan over top of each bell pepper before serving.

Stuffed Green Peppers make up one delicious comfort food meal.

This was terrific served with a Jalapeno Cheddar Honey Cornbread.

Here’s the recipe.

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

(Recipe adapted from my mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)

Stuffed Green Peppers

Teresa Ambra

Stuffed Green Peppers is a vintage old-fashioned recipe that's a family favorite. Green peppers are stuffed with a ground beef and rice. Then they're topped with tomato sauce and sprinkled very lightly with brown sugar. These delicious peppers bake up to perfection. This delightful comfort food entree is mouthwatering and irresistible.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Beef Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 299 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large roaster pan with lid
• 1 sharp knife
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 large green bell peppers
• 1 1/2 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked Minute Rice instant rice works the best
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 15 oz. can tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce for a richer flavor
• 3 teaspoons light brown sugar divided use

Instructions

 

• Cut tops off peppers and remove pulp and seeds.
• Place in roaster pan with about 1-2 inches water.
• Cover with lid and parboil cut-side down for about 5 minutes; remove peppers and drain water from pan.
• Mix uncooked ground beef, rice, onion and ketchup in a large mixing bowl; mix together until mixture sticks together.
• Stuff peppers with this mixture.
• Place stuffed-side up in roaster (you may want to spray it with cooking spray first).
• Pour can of tomato sauce over top.
• Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar over top of each stuffed bell pepper.
• Cover with lid and bake in 350° oven for about 1 1/2 hours, or until beef and rice are cooked through.

Notes

NOTE: If you use ground beef with a high percentage of fat, the recipe will turn out too greasy.

 

NOTE: If you use Minute Rice the recipe will cook in about 1 hour to one hour fifteen minutes.

 

NOTE: If you want to use a whole grain brown rice in the recipe, it would really be better if you pre-cook the rice, or it will take too long to cook.

 

NOTE: This recipe has a very slightly tangy sweet and sour taste. It does not have the standard ketchup-only flavored sauce used in many Stuffed Green Pepper recipes.

 

NOTE: I used one half teaspoon of brown sugar on each stuffed pepper. But you can use more if you prefer a slightly sweeter taste.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 28gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 660mgPotassium: 991mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1051IUVitamin C: 139mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 5mg

Keyword beef, gluten free, ground beef, main dish, rice

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you use a gluten free ketchup, this recipe can be completely gluten free.

We love the sauciness of this recipe. If you have a vegetable garden and you’re growing bell peppers, this is a great recipe for that.

We’ve always loved Stuffed Green Peppers and believe you will too! Enjoy it with a few pieces of Jalapeno Cheddar Honey Cornbread.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Cabbage Roll Soup

Stuffed Green Peppers

Teresa Ambra

Stuffed Green Peppers is a vintage old-fashioned recipe that’s a family favorite. Green peppers are stuffed with a ground beef and rice. Then they’re topped with tomato sauce and sprinkled very lightly with brown sugar. These delicious peppers bake up to perfection. This delightful comfort food entree is mouthwatering and irresistible.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Beef Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 299 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large roaster pan with lid
• 1 sharp knife
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 large green bell peppers
• 1 1/2 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked Minute Rice instant rice works the best
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 15 oz. can tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce for a richer flavor
• 3 teaspoons light brown sugar divided use

Instructions

 

• Cut tops off peppers and remove pulp and seeds.
• Place in roaster pan with about 1-2 inches water.
• Cover with lid and parboil cut-side down for about 5 minutes; remove peppers and drain water from pan.
• Mix uncooked ground beef, rice, onion and ketchup in a large mixing bowl; mix together until mixture sticks together.
• Stuff peppers with this mixture.
• Place stuffed-side up in roaster (you may want to spray it with cooking spray first).
• Pour can of tomato sauce over top.
• Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar over top of each stuffed bell pepper.
• Cover with lid and bake in 350° oven for about 1 1/2 hours, or until beef and rice are cooked through.

Notes

NOTE: If you use ground beef with a high percentage of fat, the recipe will turn out too greasy.

 

NOTE: If you use Minute Rice the recipe will cook in about 1 hour to one hour fifteen minutes.

 

NOTE: If you want to use a whole grain brown rice in the recipe, it would really be better if you pre-cook the rice, or it will take too long to cook.

 

NOTE: This recipe has a very slightly tangy sweet and sour taste. It does not have the standard ketchup-only flavored sauce used in many Stuffed Green Pepper recipes.

 

NOTE: I used one half teaspoon of brown sugar on each stuffed pepper. But you can use more if you prefer a slightly sweeter taste.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 28gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 660mgPotassium: 991mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1051IUVitamin C: 139mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 5mg

Keyword beef, gluten free, ground beef, main dish, rice

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!