Dutch Oven Stuffed Peppers

This simple recipe for Dutch Oven stuffed peppers features seasoned ground beef mixed with cooked rice, spooned into hollowed out bell peppers, and baked to perfection. Then, each serving is topped off with some shredded cheese and placed under the broiler. The perfect healthy comfort food!

There is nothing quite like the early summer months when all these delicious foods start coming into season. Suddenly, food that was super expensive at the grocery store, is practically a steal and you have to just buy it all and find a way to use it.

Bell peppers are one of those things that I always buy when they go on sale. They take a while to arrive at the Farmer's market in our Zone 5 climate, but in early June they start going on sale at the grocery stores and I just have to pick some up. I use them in everything from skillet fajitas to sausage and peppers, and everything in between.

This easy recipe for Dutch Oven stuffed peppers is the perfect way to use up some of those seasonal bell peppers, all while making a delicious and comforting meal that also happens to be healthy. Tender ground beef pairs with diced tomatoes and rice, and then is spooned into hollowed out bell peppers. Finally, everything is baked in a covered Dutch Oven until perfectly soft. Then, you top each pepper with some shredded cheese and broil just until melted and bubbly, and you're ready to serve. I'm drooling just thinking about it!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

1. Makes a great use of seasonally available bell peppers.
2. This Dutch Oven recipe can be made ahead or frozen, making it perfect for meal prep.
3. It's naturally gluten free, and some easy substitutions can make it work for paleo, keto, and low carb diets.
4. It's flavorful, comforting, and delicious, all while being loaded with veggies.

Ingredients

• Bell peppers: You'll need 6 bell peppers, of varying colors. While you can use green peppers, they take a bit longer to cook and are less sweet then their yellow, orange, and red counterparts.
• Ground beef: A lean ground beef is preferred, but you can use whatever kind you have on hand since you'll have a chance to drain excess fat.
• Rice: You'll need about 1 cup of cooked rice to add in. You can do this in advance, use leftover rice, or do it just before preparing the peppers and ground beef.
• Diced tomatoes: I highly recommend using fire roasted diced tomatoes for this recipe. The flavor is SO much better than standard diced tomatoes. You could also opt for a petite diced tomato.
• Cheese: A little bit of shredded cheese on top makes this a comforting meal.
• Garlic and onions: Because nothing adds flavor like aromatics!
• Other: tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, black pepper and salt.

Equipment Needed

• Dutch oven: This is an investment piece, and so it's a good idea to go with a size that is versatile and easy to use. I have two dutch ovens, and plan on investing in more of various shapes and sizes, but this is the one I use for about 90% of my dutch oven cooking. I do everything from sourdough bread to chicken and dumplings in this workhorse!
• Heavy bottomed skillet: Having a good quality heavy bottomed skillet will serve you well! Food does not easily burn in these high quality skillets, so they are much easier to clean and the quality of your food is so much better versus thin skillets. This is the one I use for all purpose cooking.

How to Make Stuffed Peppers in a Dutch Oven

To get started, remove the tops of your rainbow bell peppers and remove any seeds. Wash them inside and out, and pat dry with a clean cloth. Place them inside of your dutch oven, evenly spaced.

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, and add some olive oil when it gets hot. Add the diced onions and sauté until softened and semi-translucent (2-3 minutes).

Add the ground beef and crumble with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Cook and crumble until all of the ground beef is browned and no pink remains. Drain off any excess grease that accumulates.

Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.

Immediately add in the full can of diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and tomato paste.

Then, stir everything together until well combined. Remove from the heat.

Add 1 cup of cooked rice into the skillet, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust any seasonings or flavors to your liking.

Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out bell peppers until all the mixture is used up and the peppers are filled.

Add the cover and bake in a 350ºF oven for 45 minutes. Then, remove the lid from the dutch oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Top each pepper with some shredded cheese, and set the oven to broil.

Place the peppers under broil for 1-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the edges of the peppers char slightly.

Variations and Substitutions

Rice: substitute the rice for quinoa, cauliflower rice, or leave it out all together. If you leave the rice out, be sure to add an additional ½ pound of ground beef to increase the substance.

Gluten free: This recipe is gluten free as written! Just verify that your brand of Worcestershire sauce is gluten free, as some brands can contain gluten.

Paleo/Low Carb: Substitute the cooked rice in this recipe for steamed cauliflower rice, or omit and cook an additional ½ pound of ground beef. For paleo, omit the cheese.

Recipe FAQ's

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