Stuffed Bell Peppers – Dandelion Women

Happy Summer! I hope you are enjoying your summer and getting some sunshine! Last week Melissa’s Produce sent over some fresh summer fruit and vegetables and they had the most gorgeous red bell peppers that were calling my name to make some stuffed peppers! I have to admit I haven’t made stuffed bell peppers before! I have always wanted to and found this easy recipe off Food Network and made some adjustments which I have included.

Bell peppers are low in calories and exceptionally rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, making them an excellent addition to a healthy diet. One medium-sized red bell pepper provides 169% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin C, making it one of the richest dietary sources of this essential nutrient. (Source: Healthline.com

Bell peppers come in various colors, such as red, yellow, orange, and green — which are unripe. For this recipe I used red bell peppers, but a variety of colors might be pretty! Let me know how you like this recipe.

You will need:

6 bell peppers, any color

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

8 ounces organic lean ground beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, finely diced

2 cloves, garlic, chopped

2 medium zucchini, finely diced

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

Red pepper flakes, as needed

1 cup cooked long-grain and wild rice

1 1/2 cups grated yellow and white cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the tops; set aside. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can. Place the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them upright. You don’t want them toppling over while in the oven!

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the lumps, until the meat is cooked through and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of the fat.

Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and chopped peppers and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic an zucchini and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until everything is heated through, then stir in the beef and rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.

Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and top each with a sprinkle of the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft an the cheese is melted and lightly browned – about another 10-15 minutes.