Pizza Stuffed Peppers Dinner (Printer-Friendly)

Hearty bell peppers filled with seasoned beef, pepperoni, rice, and mozzarella for a flavorful baked dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 6 large bell peppers, various colors, tops removed and seeds discarded
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - Reserved diced bell pepper tops from above

→ Meat and Protein

04 - 450 grams (1 lb) ground beef, 85% lean
05 - 120 grams (4 oz) mini pepperoni slices

→ Dairy

06 - 150 grams (5.3 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

07 - 15 ml (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
12 - 1 cup (240 ml) marinara sauce, no sugar added
13 - 1/2 cup (90 g) instant white rice
14 - 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth, reduced sodium

# Steps to Make This:

01 - Trim tops from bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Dice reserved pepper tops. Parboil entire pepper shells in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften without losing shape. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and reserved diced pepper, cooking 4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly, stirring frequently until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
03 - Sprinkle seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning over the beef mixture. Stir in mini pepperoni slices to evenly distribute flavor.
04 - Add marinara sauce, instant rice, and beef broth to the skillet. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed, approximately 10-12 minutes.
05 - Place parboiled bell peppers upright in a baking dish. Fill each pepper tightly with the beef and rice mixture. Top each with shredded mozzarella and a few extra mini pepperonis.
06 - Bake assembled peppers in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) on the lowest rack for 18-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly, and peppers are fork-tender but intact.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Parboiling peppers ensures tender texture without sogginess after baking.
02 - Shredding fresh mozzarella yields better melting and stretchiness than pre-shredded cheese.
03 - The filling simmers in the skillet to cook the rice fully without pre-cooking.

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