Stuffed Peppers for Two
Stuffed Peppers for Two combines seasoned beef, onion, tomatoes and rice all stuffed into a tender bell pepper and topped with gooey, melty cheese!
TASTY DINNER RECIPE FOR TWO
These Stuffed Peppers for Two are delicious and simple to prepare. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner or a cozy meal for two when you don’t need all the extra servings you’d get from a traditional recipe. Sometimes you just don’t want to deal with leftovers, right? Plus, they’re easily customizable, allowing you to add your favorite ingredients or spices. I love how simple it is to enjoy the comfort of a hearty dish that comes together in no time!
This was a hit with my kinda-picky husband, and I loved it, too! I tried a different recipe last year, and it was a no-go. I’m glad to find a reasonably inexpensive, tasty dinner to serve.
– Ruthie Jo
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Sure, it’s very easy to do. Just skip the chili powder and cumin. In place of that add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Then top with a bit of chopped flat leaf parsley as an optional garnish. Plus, you could use Ground Italian Sausage instead of ground beef.
Not everyone likes tomato sauce in their peppers, so I didn’t include it in my original recipe. But if you’re a fan of a bit of tomato sauce in your pepper filling, here’s what you have to do. Just add a small can of tomato sauce to the beef mixture and instead of using fresh diced tomatoes, use about a half can with some of the juices.
Nobody likes to waste food! Instead, with the rest of the leftover ground beef, just make my Baked Ziti for Two or my Baked Spaghetti for Two and you’ll have a whole other meal ready to go.
These Stuffed Peppers can be quite filling, but they go great with so many different sides. I enjoy these with a side salad or my Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad, some steamed veggies, and some sort of bread and butter. I’d recommend trying Garlic Bread or some Mexican Cornbread. You could even add some sides like Air Fryer Roasted Cauliflower or Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes.
You could take the time to boil them, but I don’t like to do so. I find they’re easier to stuff when they have not been boiled and they retain a bit of their original texture after baking better than boiled ones.
If you’re the kind of person who likes super soft peppers, you may bwant to par boil them first, but not for too long because you don’t want them to become mushy or be too hard to fill. If you choose to go this route, you’ll want to reduce the oven baking time to 25-30 minutes as well.
The most common way is to cut the peppers across the top and then remove the ribs and seeds.
You can keep the peppers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- green bell peppers– green peppers are most commonly used, but, if you prefer yellow or red then you can certainly use those.
- oil
- ground beef– I recommend using 93% lean beef so the filling doesn’t get greasy. Keep in mind that ground turkey, impossible meat, and ground chicken could also be used. If you want to use less lean beef, you’ll need to drain the grease first.
- diced yellow onion
- garlic – you can use fresh or the jarred stuff here.
- diced tomatoes – use your favorite here – Roma, beefsteak, grape or cherry tomatoes all work.
- cooked rice – you can use brown rice or white rice, whatever you prefer and have on hand. This is a great recipe to make with any leftover rice you have.
- chili powder and cumin – see my frequently asked questions above on how to make this a bit more Italian flavored if that is your preference
- dried oregano
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- cilantro – this is an optional topping
HOW TO MAKE STUFFED PEPPERS FOR TWO:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the tops of the peppers off. Remove all the seeds and membranes and discard those. Coat the outside of the peppers with oil. Set aside. To a skillet add the ground beef, yellow onion, and minced garlic.
Cook and crumble ground beef for about 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked. Drain the meat if a lot of grease was produced. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese, tomatoes, rice, and seasonings. Excluding the cilantro.
Mix until combined. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture.
Top the peppers with the remainder of the cheese. Place the peppers onto a rimmed baking sheet or small baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Top with chopped cilantro (optional). Serve and enjoy.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
- Crock Pot Pork Chops For Two
- Chicken and Dumplings For Two
- Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy For Two
- Chicken Noodle Casserole For Two
- Crock Pot Potato Soup For Two
- Polish Casserole For Two
- Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken Meal (For Two)
- Baked Ziti For Two
- Crock Pot Pork Chops and Potatoes For Two
- Lasagna For Two
- Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff For Two
- Stuffed Peppers For Two
- Crock Pot Chicken Thighs and Gravy For Two
- White Chicken Enchiladas For Two
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo For Two
Stuffed Peppers for Two
Ingredients
- 2 green bell peppers
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ pound lean ground beef (93% lean)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided use)
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked rice (brown or white)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the tops of 2 green bell peppers off. Remove all the seeds and membranes (as best as possible) and discard those.
- Coat the outside of both of the peppers with 1 teaspoon oil. Set aside.
- To a skillet add 1/2 pound lean ground beef, 1/2 cup diced yellow onion and 1 garlic clove, minced. Cook and crumble ground beef for about 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked. Drain the meat if a lot of grease was produced (if using a very lean meat, you shouldn't have much grease at all).
- Add 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until combined.
- Fill the peppers with the meat mixture.
- Top the peppers with the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the peppers onto a rimmed baking sheet or small baking dish..
- Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
- Top with 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional). Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I made this tonight. Came out amazing! Definitely going to make again. Thanks
I haven’t made these yet, but they sound like my husband would love them. I am prepping some frozen dinners for my granddaughter who is a new mommy. Do these freeze well as is, or would you recommend putting in a dish with tomato sauce prior to freezing?
This was a hit with my kinda-picky husband, and I loved it, too! I tried a different recipe last year, and it was a no-go. I’m glad to find a reasonably inexpensive, tasty dinner to serve.
Absolutely love hearing when this picky eaters like a recipe (they are a hard bunch to please sometimes – ha!) You were so kind to take the time to come back and comment and it really means a lot. Thanks so much!
We love these recipes for two. Stuffed peppers are awesome.