Cheesy Italian stuffed peppers are like big, juicy meatballs stuffed in red peppers with mozzarella cheese that overflows from the top. Cooking them will make your kitchen smell like an Italian grandma’s home… warm and inviting! Serve Italian stuffed peppers on top of spaghetti, your favorite pasta, or cauliflower rice. Let’s dig in!
My husband was completely blown away by these Italian stuffed peppers, which is why I’ll be making them every few weeks from now until forever.
Ingredients for cheesy Italian stuffed peppers
Red peppers are the vessels that hold together these cheesy stuffed peppers. To make the beef stuffing, you’ll need olive oil, onion, ground beef, garlic, pasta sauce, and a fresh log of mozzarella.
Can you use other ingredients for Italian stuffed peppers?
These juicy stuffed peppers are rich from the tomato sauce and full of fresh mozzarella cheese. Other ingredients you can use in stuffed Italian peppers include fresh parsley, dried oregano, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese. These stuffed peppers are without rice, but you can add that in as well.
How to make cheesy Italian stuffed peppers – step by step
Slice tops off red peppers and hollow out the inside. Dice and reserve any extra red pepper that’s salvageable from the top of the red pepper that’s cut off.
Boil red peppers for 3 minutes, then transfer to a strainer and run under cool water to bring to room temperature.
Cook olive oil, onion, and diced red pepper tops in a pan on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Add ground beef and garlic.
Break apart and stir ground beef as it cooks in the mixture for 15 minutes.
Once ground beef is completely cooked, add 1/2 cup pasta sauce and water to the pan and simmer on low for 5 minutes until liquid dissolves.
Add 1 cup of diced mozzarella, stir, and turn off heat.
Add 1/2 cup pasta sauce to the bottom of an oven safe 9×9 casserole dish.
Add red peppers to the casserole dish, fill with cooked ground beef mixture, and top with 1 tbsp of pasta sauce.
Add 1-2 slices of mozzarella to the top of each pepper.
Bake Italian stuffed red peppers at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until mozzarella on top is completely melted and starting to bubble. Top with green onion.
How to know if stuffed Italian peppers are cooked right?
The key with stuffed peppers is to ensure the meat is fully cooked before placing it into the red pepper. As long as you use the right amounts of cheese and sauce, it won’t dry out in the baking process. Since the meat is thoroughly cooked before going in the peppers, the ground beef is always fully cooked.
What if the peppers don’t soften enough?
Pre-bake peppers 5-7 minutes before stuffing, then stuff fully cooked filling into pre-cooked peppers and use the last step of baking just to melt cheese.
Plating tips
If peppers are sliced horizontally, top peppers again for serving to add an element of playfulness to your dish. If peppers are sliced vertically, be sure to melt lots of cheese on top for maximum effect.
What to serve with stuffed Italian peppers
These Italian stuffed peppers are a sight to be seen. They are definitely the centerpiece of the meal. Serve stuffed peppers with…
- Orzo
- Garlic bread
- Caesar salad
- Cauliflower rice
- Pasta
Like Italian dishes? Check out this cheesy baked pasta with ground beef.
How to refrigerate stuffed peppers
Refrigerate stuffed peppers for 2 days right in the casserole dish filled with tomato sauce. Cover with plastic wrap.
How to freeze stuffed peppers
You have two options for freezing make ahead stuffed peppers
- Freeze filing and thaw the night before using. Use fresh peppers to stuff them.
- Cook and assemble everything from the peppers to the stuffing and mozzarella cheese. Freeze in plastic wrap to contain the ingredients. Let thaw overnight then bake in the oven in a casserole dish lined with pasta sauce.
Wine pairing for stuffed peppers
Pair stuffed peppers with a bold red Italian wine like a Chianti.
Tasty tips for making cheesy Italian stuffed peppers
- Stuffed peppers are easy to make ahead and freeze. Cook and assemble them, then thaw the night before baking peppers.
- Serve over pasta or cauliflower rice.
- Pair with an Italian Chianti.
- For cheese, I like to dice a fresh mozzarella log or use mozzarella pearls. Another option is to use shredded mozzarella.
- I also love finishing these peppers with a fresh sprinkle of Parmesan cheese using my favorite grater.
- Use any leftover ground beef to make scratch made hamburgers. We usually buy in bulk once a month at Costco. Then we vacuum seal burgers to cook sous vide style later.
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- Baked chicken parmesan with vodka sauce
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- Chicken Piccata Pasta
Let me know when you make these cheesy Italian stuffed peppers. Be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe. It means so much to hear from Sip Bite Go readers and I love seeing photos of your food! Don’t forget to tag me @sipbitego on Instagram so I can see how the recipe turned out. And sign up for the Sip Bite Go newsletter.
Cheesy Italian Stuffed Peppers with Mozzarella Recipe (Sip Bite Go)
Ingredients
- 4 red peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tsp garlic diced
- 1 cup pasta sauce divided
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 fresh mozzarella log
- 1 green onion whites removed, diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice tops off red peppers and hollow out the inside. Dice and reserve any extra red pepper that’s salvageable from the top of the red pepper that’s cut off. Boil red peppers for 3 minutes, then transfer to a strainer and run under cool water to bring to room temperature.
- Cook olive oil, onion, and diced red pepper tops in a pan on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and garlic. Break apart and stir ground beef as it cooks in the mixture for 15 minutes.
- Once ground beef is completely cooked, add 1/2 cup pasta sauce and water to the pan and simmer on low for 5 minutes until liquid dissolves. Add 1 cup of diced mozzarella, stir, and turn off heat.
- Add 1/2 cup pasta sauce to the bottom of an oven safe 9x9 casserole dish. Add red peppers to the casserole dish, fill with cooked ground beef mixture, and top with 1 tbsp of pasta sauce. Add 1-2 slices of mozzarella to the top of each pepper.
- Bake Italian stuffed red peppers at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until mozzarella on top is completely melted and starting to bubble. Top with green onion.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Stuffed peppers are easy to make ahead and freeze. Cook and assemble them, then thaw the night before baking peppers.
- Serve over pasta or cauliflower rice.
- Pair with an Italian Chianti.
- For cheese, I like to dice a fresh mozzarella log or use mozzarella pearls. Another option is to use shredded mozzarella.
- I also love finishing these peppers with a fresh sprinkle of Parmesan cheese using my favorite grater.
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