Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers (Print)
Colorful bell peppers filled with seasoned ground beef, vegetables, and rice, baked to tender perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Bell Peppers
01 - 4 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, tops sliced off and seeds removed
→ Filling
02 - 1 lb ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
06 - 1 medium tomato, diced
07 - ⅓ cup uncooked long-grain rice, rinsed
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Topping
17 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
18 - 2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
→ For Baking
19 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
# How to Make:
01 - Set the oven to 350°F (180°C) to warm up.
02 - Slice off the tops of each bell pepper and carefully remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Incorporate ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned.
05 - Add diced zucchini and tomato to the skillet, cooking for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
06 - Mix in rinsed rice, tomato paste, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
07 - Take the skillet off the heat to cool slightly before stuffing the peppers.
08 - Firmly fill each bell pepper with the beef mixture, pressing gently to pack evenly. Place peppers upright in a baking dish.
09 - Pour chicken or vegetable broth at the bottom of the baking dish around the peppers.
10 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and pine nuts over the stuffed peppers.
11 - Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
12 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until peppers are tender and feta is lightly golden.
13 - Let the stuffed peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving to enhance flavor and texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- One dish that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in under two hours, making you look like you spent all day cooking.
- The combination of warm spices—cumin and cinnamon—transforms simple ground beef into something that tastes like you've traveled somewhere.
- Naturally gluten-free and forgiving enough to swap ingredients based on what's in your fridge.
02 -
- Uncooked rice will finish cooking from the steam inside the pepper—don't use pre-cooked rice or it'll turn mushy.
- The broth is essential; without it, the peppers will dry out and the rice won't cook evenly.
03 -
- Choose peppers of similar size so they bake evenly; if you have one oversized pepper, give it a few extra minutes in the oven.
- Don't skip the resting period after baking—five minutes lets everything set so the filling stays intact when you plate and serve.