Pioneer Woman stuffed bell peppers from Ree Drummond fill raw peppers with seasoned ground beef, zucchini, tomatoes, wild rice, and pepper Jack cheese. And the recipe serves 4 to 6 at approximately 420 calories per serving in 1 hour and 35 minutes at 350°F, since the peppers steam tender inside the covered dish.
Most stuffed pepper recipes par-boil the shells before filling, but Ree skips that step and pours water into the bottom of the baking dish instead. So the foil traps steam around the raw peppers for the first 30 minutes, which softens them evenly without the risk of collapsing that boiled shells carry.
Chopping the pepper tops and sautéing them into the filling instead of discarding them is the detail that ties the whole dish together. And those pieces carry the same flavor as the shells, so every bite of filling tastes connected to the pepper it sits inside.
Source: Ree Drummond (Food Network)
Pioneer Woman Stuffed Bell Peppers
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings45
minutes50
minutes420
kcalBrowned ground beef mixes with sautéed onion, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, cooked rice, and pepper Jack before stuffing into seeded bell peppers. Then water in the bottom of the dish and a foil cover steam the peppers for 30 minutes at 350°F, and 15 to 20 uncovered minutes melt the cheese on top.
Ingredients
- For the peppers:
6 bell peppers, any color
- For the filling:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
8 ounces lean ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 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 pepper Jack cheese, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 350°F.
- Prep the peppers: Then cut the tops off all 6 peppers, remove the stems and finely chop the tops, and scoop out the seeds and membrane.
- Stand the peppers: Once prepped, place them cut-side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them upright.
- Brown the beef: Then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the beef: Once cooked through and just beginning to brown, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cook the aromatics: Then wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and cook the onion and chopped pepper tops for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the vegetables: Once the onion softens, add the garlic and zucchini for 1 more minute.
- Add the tomatoes: Then stir in the diced tomatoes, season with salt and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, and cook until heated through.
- Combine the filling: Once everything is warm, stir in the drained beef, rice, and 1 cup of the pepper Jack cheese.
- Taste and adjust: Then check the seasoning and add more salt or pepper flakes if needed.
- Stuff the peppers: Once seasoned, fill each pepper with the rice mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
- Add water and cover: Then pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the dish, drizzle the peppers with olive oil, and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake covered: Once sealed, bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and finish: Then remove the foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
FAQs
Why does the recipe use water in the baking dish instead of par-boiling?
The water creates steam under the foil that softens the raw peppers evenly during the first 30 minutes of covered baking. And par-boiling makes the shells floppy and hard to fill, so Ree’s method keeps them firm enough to stand upright while they cook.
But use just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish, not enough to submerge the peppers. Since too much water floods the filling and dilutes the cheese, a thin layer is all the steam needs to do its job.
Can I prep this ahead for a weeknight?
The source page breaks the prep into components you can store separately in the fridge: prepped peppers in a bag, cooled filling in a container, shredded cheese in another bag. And assembling from prepped components takes about 10 minutes, so dinner hits the oven fast.
But do not stuff the peppers and refrigerate them assembled, because the raw peppers release moisture into the filling as they sit. Since the rice absorbs that liquid and swells, the texture changes before the dish even reaches the oven.
What rice works best for the filling?
Ree uses a combination of cooked long-grain and wild rice, and the wild rice adds a nutty chew that plain white rice lacks. And the mixed texture holds up better inside the pepper during the 45 minutes of baking, since wild rice grains stay distinct instead of turning mushy.
But any leftover cooked rice works in a pinch, because the filling has enough vegetables, beef, and cheese to carry the flavor. And instant rice is the fastest option if you are starting from scratch, since it cooks in under 10 minutes while the beef browns.
What sides pair well with stuffed bell peppers?
The source page suggests garlic bread, cornbread, or a kale salad alongside, since all three keep the plate simple. And the pioneer woman green bean casserole works well for a bigger spread, because the cheddar white sauce complements the pepper Jack inside the peppers.
But avoid starchy sides like mashed potatoes, because the rice filling already covers that role. And a light vinaigrette salad balances the melted cheese and beef without adding heaviness to the meal.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Leftover stuffed peppers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the filling stays moist inside the pepper shell. Then reheat uncovered at 350°F for about 15 minutes, since the oven re-crisps the cheese on top.
Microwaving works too, but the pepper softens further and the cheese does not brown the way it does in the oven. And these freeze well for up to 2 months wrapped individually, the same approach that works for storing the pioneer woman sausage balls in single servings for quick reheating.
