These high protein stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorite meals to make when I want something filling, healthy, and actually delicious.
Each pepper is loaded with a savory mix of lean ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese. It’s a complete meal all in one pepper.
The recipe is really straightforward. You make the filling on the stove, stuff the peppers, and bake everything in the oven. That’s basically it.
They come out tender, cheesy, and packed with protein. Great for meal prep too since they reheat really well.
If you’ve been looking for a solid high protein dinner that the whole family will enjoy, give these a try.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Packed With Protein – Each pepper is loaded with lean ground beef and melted mozzarella so it actually keeps you full for hours.
A Complete Meal in One Pepper – You get your protein and rice and veggies all built into one neat little package.
The Cheese Situation Is Perfect – Mozzarella is mixed into the filling AND melted on top so every single bite is cheesy.
Ingredients
- 6 large Bell Peppers, any color
- 1.5 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 cup Cooked White Rice
- 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Place them cut-side up in a baking dish.
Step 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and break it apart, cooking for 6 to 7 minutes until fully browned. Drain any excess fat.
Step 3
Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese until everything is well combined.
Step 5
Spoon the beef and rice filling into each bell pepper, packing it in firmly and mounding it at the top. Spoon marinara sauce over the top of each stuffed pepper.
Step 6
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes until the peppers are tender.
Step 7
Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top of each pepper. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips
Par-Boil the Peppers First
Before you stuff them, boil the hollowed-out peppers in salted water for about 3 minutes. This gives them a head start so they come out perfectly tender after baking instead of still being too firm or crunchy.
Without this step, the peppers can end up undercooked in spots, especially if they’re on the thicker side. You want them soft enough to cut through easily with a fork.
After boiling, flip them upside down on a paper towel to drain. Any water trapped inside will make the filling soggy.
Use Day-Old Rice
If you cook your rice fresh right before making this, it tends to be too moist and sticky. That extra moisture gets released into the filling during baking and can make everything watery at the bottom of the dish.
Cook your rice ahead of time and let it cool in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Cold rice is drier and absorbs the juices from the beef and tomatoes way better, keeping the filling firm and easy to pack into the peppers.
Drain the Beef Really Well
Even with lean ground beef, there’s still going to be some fat and liquid after browning. Tilt the skillet and use a spoon to remove as much of it as you can before adding the garlic and seasonings.
If you skip this, all that extra liquid ends up inside the peppers and pools at the bottom of the baking dish. Your peppers will basically be sitting in greasy water, and the filling won’t hold together when you serve them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef?
Absolutely. Ground turkey or ground chicken both work great here and will still keep the protein count high. Just keep in mind that leaner meats like chicken breast can dry out a bit, so make sure you don’t overcook the meat in the skillet before stuffing the peppers.
The overall flavor will be a little milder compared to beef, so you might want to add an extra pinch of Italian seasoning or a splash of Worcestershire sauce to bump up the taste.
High Protein Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 large Bell Peppers, any color
- 1.5 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 cup Cooked White Rice
- 14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Place them cut-side up in a baking dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and break it apart, cooking for 6 to 7 minutes until fully browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese until everything is well combined.
- Spoon the beef and rice filling into each bell pepper, packing it in firmly and mounding it at the top. Spoon marinara sauce over the top of each stuffed pepper.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes until the peppers are tender.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top of each pepper. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.