Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

The bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes were fresh from the garden; still warm from the sun. I scraped the dirt from those vibrant little carrots myself. I posted stuffed bell peppers a couple years ago using a mix of ground turkey and pork.

These are the beef version. Beef stuffed bell peppers are a meal in themselves; a classic Russian and Ukrainian dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers:

10-12 medium bell peppers (any color)
2 lbs ground beef (I used ground chuck)
2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
2 whole eggs, minus the shell of course (two yolks work well too if the whites don’t agree with you).
1 tsp salt
3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes (1 large tomato or 2 small)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (1 tbsp dried parsley would work as well)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt plus 2 Tbsp vinegar for boiling water

Ingredients for the Sauce:

2 medium carrots, grated
1 Tbsp mrs dash, or your favorite seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 heaping tbsp sour cream
2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes or 1 cup marinara
2 cups reserved water from bell peppers

Prepping the peppers:

1. Cut the tops off each pepper and remove the junk from the inside with your hands.

2. Fill a large soup pot 2/3 with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 Tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp salt.

3. Place all of the peppers and their lids in the pot. Add more water if needed to cover the peppers. Cover and cook 3 minutes, then turn off the stove and let the peppers sit in hit water while you prep the rest of the ingredients (about 30-40 minutes). Reserve 2 cups of water from the pot.

The Meat Mix:

1. In a large skillet, heat 4 Tbsp oil over medium/high heat. Add 3 grated carrots, 1 chopped onion, 2 cups chopped tomato and season with parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Saute until soft. Press 2 cloves of garlic into the skillet and saute another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid with paddle attachment for this) mix: 2 lbs ground beef, 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice, 2 whole eggs and 1 tsp salt. Mix in the sauteed carrot mix until well combined.

4. Loosely stuff the peppers with the beef mix. Fill them but don’t pack the mixture in. Arrange them in a dutch oven or a large soup pot with tight fitting lid.

The sauce for the Beef stuffed bell peppers:

1. In a large skillet, saute 2 grated carrots, 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup marinara). Stir in 1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash, 1/2 tsp salt,  1/2 tsp sugar and a heaping Tbsp of sour cream. Add 2 cups water and stir to blend.

2. Pour the sauce over the  stuffed peppers and cover peppers with their lids.

Two Ways to Cook beef stuffed bell peppers:

1. If using the lidded soup pot, bring to a light boil, then cover and simmer 40 minutes over medium heat.

2. If using a dutch oven (recommended method), cover with lid and bake at 450 ˚ F for 20-25 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 ˚ F and bake 1 hour.
Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream.

Notes: To reheat leftovers, cut the pepper in half and spoon the sauce over each half.
Also, if you have leftover meat mix, saute up some meatballs.

Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

5 from 53 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

SaveSaved Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Servings: 10

Ingredients for Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers:

• 10-12 medium bell peppers, any color
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
• 2 whole eggs, minus the shell
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes, 1 large tomato or 2 small
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (1 tbsp dried parsley would work as well)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt , plus 2 tbsp vinegar for boiling water

Ingredients for the Sauce:

• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 Tbsp mrs dash, or your favorite seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes , or 1 cup marinara
• 2 cups reserved water from bell peppers

Instructions

• Cut the tops off each pepper and remove the seeds from the inside with your hands.
• Fill a large soup pot 2/3 with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 Tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp salt.
• Place all of the peppers and their lids in the pot. Add more water if needed to cover the peppers. Cover and cook 3 minutes, then turn off the stove and let the peppers sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients (about 30-40 minutes). Reserve 2 cups of water from the pot.

The Meat Mix:

• In a large skillet, heat 4 tbsp oil over medium/high heat.
• Add 3 grated carrots, 1 chopped onion, 2 cups chopped tomato and season with parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Saute until soft. Press 2 cloves of garlic into the skillet and saute another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a large bowl (I use my Kitchen Aid with paddle attachment for this) mix: 2 lbs ground beef, 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice, 2 whole eggs and 1 tsp salt. Mix in the sauteed carrot mix until well combined.
• Loosely stuff the peppers with the beef mix. Fill them but don't pack the mixture in. Arrange them in a dutch oven or a large soup pot with tight fitting lid.

The sauce:

• In a large skillet, saute 2 grated carrots, 2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup marinara). Stir in 1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar and a heaping tbsp of sour cream. Add 2 cups water and stir to blend.
• Pour the sauce over the stuffed peppers and cover peppers with lids.

Two Ways to Cook these:

• If using the lidded soup pot, bring to a light boil, then cover and simmer 40 minutes over medium heat.
• If using a dutch oven (recommended method), cover with lid and bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, then reduce heat to 350˚ F and bake 1 hour.

Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream.

Nutrition Per Serving

344kcal Calories27g Carbs23g Protein16g Fat5g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat8g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat92mg Cholesterol986mg Sodium880mg Potassium5g Fiber9g Sugar9335IU Vitamin A166mg Vitamin C92mg Calcium4mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

Amount per Serving

Calories

344

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

16

g

25

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

8

g

Cholesterol

 

92

mg

31

%

Sodium

 

986

mg

43

%

Potassium

 

880

mg

25

%

Carbohydrates

 

27

g

9

%

Fiber

 

5

g

21

%

Sugar

 

9

g

10

%

Protein

 

23

g

46

%

Vitamin A

 

9335

IU

187

%

Vitamin C

 

166

mg

201

%

Calcium

 

92

mg

9

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 344