Lately, I’ve been on a stuffed pepper kick, so I thought I’d put a fun twist on the classic—Pizza Stuffed Peppers! This version combines a mix of delicious pizza flavors such savory marinara sauce, gooey mozzarella cheese, your favorite pizza toppings, all packed into a juicy bell pepper.
Why You’ll Love Pizza Stuffed Peppers
- Low Carb Pizza Option: Get all of your favorite pizza flavors, minus all those extra carbs from the crust.
- Customizable: From pineapple (I know, controversial) to mushrooms, fix it how you like it by adding any of your favorite pizza toppings.
- Family-Friendly: With this easy recipe the goodness of pizza meets the nutrition of veggies, making it a hit for the whole family.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Make them ahead of time for easy meals throughout the week.
Simple Ingredients
- Bell Peppers
- Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Mini Pepperoni Slices
- Lean Ground Beef
- Seasoned Salt
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Italian Seasoning
- Marinara Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Minute Rice
- Beef Broth
How To Make Pizza Stuffed Peppers
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and core. If there’s any usable pepper from the top of each bell pepper, dice it up to use later. Boil the hollowed peppers in a pot of water for 5-6 minutes until they begin to soften, then take them out and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and diced pepper pieces for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until it’s browned with no pink remaining, then drain any excess grease. Season with seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and stir in the pepperoni.
Next, mix in the marinara sauce, rice, and beef broth. Stir everything together and let it simmer, cooking until the rice is tender and the broth is absorbed.
Place the softened peppers in a baking dish and fill each one with the beef mixture. Top them with fresh mozzarella cheese and extra pepperoni.
Bake on the bottom rack at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve and enjoy!
Tip and Tricks for Delicious Pizza Peppers
- Blend Of Peppers: Mix red, yellow, and green bell peppers for a colorful presentation with a variety of colors and slightly different flavor profiles.
- Choose Your Cheese: You can swap the mozzarella for provolone cheese, parmesan cheese, or your favorite cheese to change up the flavor.
- Precook The Peppers: Pre-boil the peppers for before stuffing them to cut down on cooking time and ensure they are tender for every bite.
- Prevent Soggy Peppers: After boiling, drain any excess liquid from the filling to avoid watery peppers.
- Spice It Up: If you enjoy the heat, try using hot Italian sausage instead of lean ground beef and sprinkling on a few red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Keep any leftover pizza stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat, just reheat them in the oven or microwave.
- Freeze: Pizza stuffed peppers are best enjoyed fresh, so for best results I do not recommend freezing leftover peppers because they tend to become mushy when reheated.
FAQ
- Can I make pizza stuffed peppers ahead of time? Absolutely. Prepare and stuff the peppers, then store them in the fridge for up to a day before baking.
- What other toppings can I add? Feel free to add any of your favorite pizza toppings such as black olives, jalapeños, spinach, or red onions.
- Does the color of bell pepper matter? Green peppers have a slightly more bitter taste, while orange and yellow peppers are sweeter. Red bell peppers are the sweetest of them all. I tend to favor the sweeter peppers but you can choose any you like.
- What can I substitute for the lean ground beef? Use any kind of meat you prefer such as ground turkey, ground chicken, sausage. You can also make them vegetarian by using more veggies in place of the meat.
- How can I prevent soggy peppers? Make sure not to over boil the peppers. 3-4 minutes is enough to soften them up without overcooking and I usually set my oven timer so I don’t over do it on cook time.
If you gave this recipe a try, drop a comment below! I love reading your feedback!
Still hungry? Check out a few more of my favorites:
Cheddar Bay Hamburger Casserole
French Onion Chicken Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 package Mini Pepperonis
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 24 ounce Marinara Sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Minute Rice
- 1 cup Beef Broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the inside contents. Dice up any remaining pepper from the tops. In a pot of boiling water allow the whole peppers to boil for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften up them remove them from the water and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil, onions and diced peppers. Allow them to cook 3-4 minutes to soften up then add in the ground beef. Cook the ground beef until no pink is visible then drain off any excess grease. Season with seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and add in the pepperoni.
- Add in jar of marinara sauce, rice and beef broth. Mix until combined and bring to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, cook until the rice is fluffy and the broth is absorbed.
- Place the peppers in a baking dish and fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and more pepperoni.
- Bake at 350 degrees on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are soft. Serve & Enjoy!
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