Peppers are in season and plentiful at the farmers market right now in many varieties and colors. In the spirit of shopping for the season, what could be better than a good old stuffed pepper recipe? These are great for an easy weeknight recipe or to meal prep for work the next day as well. They can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 2-3 days, but anything beyond that the pepper might be a little soggy and make the filling have a bitter taste.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 large peppers of your choosing (I used orange bell peppers)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 pound cooked ground beef or ground sausage cooked (nutrition facts reflect ground beef)
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste
Your choice of cheese to sprinkle over the top (nutrition facts reflect mozzarella)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare rice according to packing directions and brown ground beef.
Sauté chopped onion in a pan with olive oil until translucent.
Mix together diced tomato, tomato paste, oregano, salt and black pepper in a bowl (You can blend together if you want a smoother sauce).
Add onion, ground beef, rice, and tomato mixture to a bowl and mix together.
Chop the tops of the peppers off (don’t throw away) and remove the seeds.
Stuff the peppers with the tomato sauce, beef, and rice mixture (it’s okay if you have extra, because you can enjoy that on the side).
Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
Place peppers in the dish and put the tops back on.
Bake for 25 minutes, and then remove the tops.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve with tops on and enjoy!
Photo of peppers taken from: Hollister Family Farm’s tent at the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market.