Pizza stuffed peppers filled with lean ground beef, tomatoes, marinara, cheese and pepperoni make an easy family friendly meal. With a few simple steps and 30 minutes of baking time you can whip up this easy dinner or lunch.
Pizza stuffed peppers
These pizza inspired beef stuffed peppers are a delicious family friendly meal. They are like a loaded supreme pizza stuffed in a bell pepper – yum!
Stuffing peppers is quite a popular meal idea. Since peppers can be hallowed out, the center makes a great vessel for stuffing meat, cheese, rice and other veggies. And in this case, pizza meat, cheese and pepperoni.
Peppers themselves are very neutral in taste and pair nicely with a wide variety of foods and ingredients. When picking your peppers, look for large, firm and bright peppers. This will ensure they hold up while being baked. You can use any color peppers you prefer; yellow, orange, green or red. Another added benefit of peppers is their nutrition and vitamins! Peppers are loaded with vitamin C, fiber, folate and iron.
Keep reading to find the ingredients we are working with.
Ingredients
What’s great about this recipe is it only requires a few simple ingredients.
Lean ground beef is the main protein source! 90/10 lean beef works best. Stuffed peppers with ground beef is a great option that pairs really well with the tomatoes. If you aren’t a fan of beef, feel free to use ground turkey.
Here are the seasonings we will use on the beef: dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper.
You’ll need four large bell peppers as they are the vessel for the delicious beef filling.
One can of diced canned tomatoes helps to make the tomato sauce.
Marinara sauce coats the beef along with the diced tomatoes!
Mozzarella cheese to top things off! We will be using 1 cup. Feel free to use an Italian cheese blend or fresh mozzarella circles.
What’s pizza without pepperoni? We will top the cheese with slices of pepperoni.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a fun twist on traditional stuffed peppers.
- These peppers have all the pizza flavors but stuffed in a pepper.
- Also, this recipe is easy to make!
- It’s a family friendly supper that everyone will love.
- Additionally, they last for a few days in the fridge so they make a great meal prep.
How to make the best beef stuffed peppers
Making these easy stuffed peppers just requires a few simple steps and a couple kitchen tools. I have outlined step by step instructions below!
STEP 1
Firstly, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Hallow out the peppers and wash them. If you’re using large peppers, cut them in half and place them cut side up in your large casserole dish. You’ll have 8 total. Set aside.
STEP 2
Secondly, grab a large pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef and onion and cook over medium heat. Continue to cook until the beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease. Now add all the seasonings and mix until combined. Add in the diced tomatoes and marinara sauce and combine. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
STEP 3
Now it’s time to assemble the peppers! Add the seasoned beef to each pepper. Gently press the meat into each pepper.
STEP 4
Top with mozzarella cheese. And then add pepperoni.
STEP 5
Lastly, bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!
Pizza stuffed pepper variations
There are a few fun ways to enjoy these peppers. Find a few favorite variations down below.
Add mushrooms. While you’re browning the beef and onion, add in finely diced mushrooms for added nutrients and flavor.
Use regular pepperoni or turkey pepperoni, either option works well.
Marinara sauce! There are so many types of marina sauce. Feel free to use a spicy or garlic marinara sauce for increased flavor.
Bell peppers. You can use a bell peppers you prefer; yellow, orange, red or green. After making this recipe a few times, I prefer using yellow, orange or red.
Also, you can add rice. To add some texture, flavor and carbohydrates add a cup of rice into the beef mixture.
How to store
Store the peppers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Reheat the peppers in the microwave or back in the oven at 350 degrees.
To freeze the peppers, store them in an air sealed freezer friendly container. To reheat them from the freezer, let them thaw out fully at room temperature. Then reheat them in the oven until fully heated through.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ground turkey?
Definitely. Feel free to switch up the protein source and use ground turkey or ground chicken. Just please note using a different meat will change the flavor profile. Just like the beef, make sure to drain any excess fat while browning the meat.
What type of pepperoni can I use?
Turkey pepperoni or regular pork pepperoni works well. I recommend using an all natural, nitrite free pepperoni as it won’t have any added ingredients or chemicals.
Are these stuffed peppers gluten free?
Yes! These pizza stuffed peppers don’t contain any grain or gluten ingredients.
What sides pair well with pizza stuffed peppers?
Here are a few dinner side options that work well with this recipe:
- A crispy green salad with homemade vinaigrette is always a nice option.
- Also, a kale caesar salad would work well too!
- A side of pasta with red sauce
- Roasted broccoli and cauliflower
Other dinner recipes you’ll love
These healthy stuffed peppers are a total crowd favorite. If you love this recipe as much as I do then certainly give some of these other dinner recipes a try.
Did you make this recipe?
If you make these pizza stuffed peppers or any recipes on Braes Bites, then please don’t forget to rate this recipe or leave a comment down below! The feedback is super helpful to me and to other readers thinking about making this recipe. Your reviews and comments help support Brae’s Bites and allows me to continue to make delicious recipes!
For some more recipe inspiration, you can also find and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!
Pizza Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds beef or turkey
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt, onion powder, and Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 4 large bell peppers red, yellow, orange, or green
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup natural pepperoni or turkey pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Hallow out the peppers and wash them. If you’re using large peppers, cut them in half and place them cut side up in your large casserole dish. Set aside.
- Grab a large pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef and onion and cook over medium heat. Continue to cook until the beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Now add all the seasonings: garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, onion powder, Italian seasoning and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Add in the diced tomatoes and marinara sauce and combine. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Now it's time to assemble the peppers! Add the seasoned beef to each pepper. Gently press the meat into each pepper.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Or until peppers are cooked and heated through.
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