How To Make The Best Stuffed Peppers

Today we're making Italian stuffed peppers using bell peppers, rice, ground beef, and marinara. These are topped with mozzarella cheese and baked until bubbly. This is a great dish to make for weeknights and a leftover pepper or two makes a great lunch the next day!
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***PRINT RECIPE WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCESS SHOTS***
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INGREDIENTS WITH GRAM AMOUNTS
6 large bell peppers - cut in half and seeds removed
1/4 cup (56g) olive oil - divided
1 1/2 pounds (680g) ground chuck
2 cups (410g) cooked white rice
8 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup (240g) low-sodium beef stock
1 cup (90g) Pecorino Romano - grated
1/4 cup parsley - minced
1/4 cup basil - chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 cups (960g) marinara sauce - divided
3/4 cup (180g) water
1 cup (100g) mozzarella - shredded
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
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[@SipandFeast]

If you liked last week's riso al forno, today we used a similar combination for these classic stuffed peppers. The ingredients and print recipe are right in the description. As always, thanks for liking and sharing our videos.

[@catherineharris27]

I like this recipe using the Italian sauage! I might just have these tonight. ❤❤❤ Yummy 😋!! Thanks 4 the recipe and the idea 💡 for dinner/supper. My family favorites is stuffed peppers 🌶! We only use the red, orange and yellow sweet peppers. I just don't really like the green bell peppers. They are too powerful and they take over a dish/recipe and I don't like it. I'm a picky eater so I just don't buy them but guess what my husband will grow them in the garden every spring and summer til the fall 😆 🤣! He can eat them but not me!

[@a2ndopynyn]

My mom always made these with whole green peppers and the orange Mexican rice with ground beef mixed in. I like this; it's a different take and I'm looking forward to trying it. BTW, I do have one question: why do you have such an aversion to the word 'fond'? I never thought of it as a particularly _food-snobby_ word or anything like that. Is there a story behind your not liking it?

[@Joe_Murphy-REV_Realty]

I will ABSOLUTELY be making this!!! I've never found a stuffed pepper recipe that knocked my socks off. I'm taking James' advice and stepping up the heat!

[@maryferris6849]

Made them today; I'm new to your channel. Absolutely delicious! Can't wait to try another recipe!

[@meralozdemir551]

Why your "Italian stuffed peppers" recipe is almost like Turkish stuffed peppers "dolma"? With same ingredients, even herbs, except mozzarella cheese? Any source about this "Italian recipe"?

[@sylviaasebedo5370]

I love that his son rates the dishes.. he’s developing a very good palate! Kudos for including and encouraging your son to try new things..❤

[@Sunkistkay]

I agree 👍

[@SuzanneBaruch]

When I'm at work, I'm cooking things like Venison Bourguignon, Salmon Coulibiac and Lapin a la Moutarde. But when I get home, I just want something like this waiting for me. Thanks S&F, you guys inspire me to cook comfort food that's delicious and REAL.

[@SipandFeast]

Thank you so much.

[@aris1956]

For these things you have to turn to our Italian cuisine. With all due respect to other cuisines, but when you have a delicious and classic Italian dish waiting for you at home, it's a whole other thing. 😉

[@idreamtiwasbackatmanderley414]

@@aris1956French here, boeuf bourguignon and lapin à la moutarde are comfort food. They vastly gain from being prepared in advance and then reheated a day later. And with gratin dauphinois, heaven on earth.. However they are cold weather food. Lastly they are cheap and REAL food.

[@SuzanneBaruch]

@@idreamtiwasbackatmanderley414 I live and work in the US, jsyk. Also, I didn't write "boeuf bourguignon," I wrote *venison* bourguignon. Our venison and rabbit are wild caught in the area by licensed hunters who butcher them and send them to us skinned, gutted and bled out. We cut them into primals ourselves, then dry and age the pieces in a special cooler. Our salmon is fresh caught in Alaska and our buyer sends them to us whole and unfrozen. Our mushrooms are all gathered locally. Our produce is local and organic. And the finished product looks nothing like what you'd see in a typical French home. Yes, we do prepare these ahead of time because (believe it or not) American chefs understand how to cook. So yeah, trust me, what we're serving isn't comfort food, it's a financial experience -- unless French people are paying $46 for a tiny portion of venison. The pretentiousness of the whole experience is what tires me. Yes, I can cook all these dishes so they're quite rustic looking, but I think you missed my point entirely.

[@idreamtiwasbackatmanderley414]

@@SuzanneBaruch Now I get your point : gentrification of food. I also detest pretentiousness related to food, wine, mineral water (!!!), etc. Pretentiousness in general is hollow and a desert for the soul.

[@Hoodoo04]

This is hands down the best food channel on you tube. Creative, inspiring and thoughtful. Thankyou Sip and Feast! Big fan from Australia 🇦🇺 Barossa

[@halleram]

I used to use nonstick just out of fear to try something else. We got a stainless steel set recently and have been following your tips, you’ve changed the way we cook in our house! No sticking disasters yet, even with eggs! ❤

[@roryschweinfurter4111]

Go for a cast iron dutch oven. And you'll never go wrong.

[@mrsmcdonald9363]

My family loves stuffed peppers. I think some of your tips will take my recipe up a notch. Thanks! I really like the way you and James critique the results honestly but gently.

[@robertseyfried7708]

I've already said it a number of times, but this is the finest cooking channel yet! I've done many of Jim's recipes and they've all been great. Just made his New England Clam Chowder and it was best I ever ate. Many, Many thanks! Stuffed peppers for tonight!

[@jackp844]

Youre awesome! Sip and Feast has been my go to for well over a year now. Thank you for the simple videos and easy explanations. Love your family dynamic as well!

[@avicusdusang1477]

You're the Bob Ross of Italian American cooking. And I mean that with the utmost respect.

[@Kristie_H]

This is my new favorite channel! I sat in my hotel room & binge-watched your videos Tuesday night & all day yesterday while waiting on Idalia to come through. It was very comforting to sit & watch you cook delicious food for your family.

[@SeaTurtle515]

I grew up eating stuffed peppers. My mother never boiled them, she fried the outsides just a bit to soften some and brown. She added breadcrumbs instead of rice. But either way, it’s a very delicious tasting dish. She would also brown some meatballs in a pan, then add tomatoe sauce, seasonings, and sliced bell peppers and simmer until done. She’d serve this with fresh and crusty italian bread. Yummmmmm! Thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes. You have a lovely family.

[@jong2359]

You should really try it with rice if you haven't, the starchy carbs really just round out the beautiful flavors, and everyones brain is hardwired to love carbs anyway.

[@blhale1]

This is very similar to our recipe and always a happy family meal. I grill the peppers whole till the skin begins to blacken, and put them in a covered dish until cool so the steam cooks them. Poblano peppers also work well.

[@terriyoung2389]

My daughter likes peppers but didn’t like the type of stuffed peppers made by my grandmother who was from Hungary. She may actually like these. Par cooking the peppers is a game changer for me.

[@susanmolnar9606]

My Hungarian grandmother made them on top of the stove whole and taught us all how to make them. I can’t bring myself to make them any other way. I live on good memories for sustainous. ❤

[@terriyoung2389]

@@susanmolnar9606 I like them, my daughter is allergic to paprika. This looks like a nice alternative.

[@susanmolnar9606]

@@terriyoung2389 I don’t know what I’d do if I had that unfortunate allergy. I use it in my German and Hungarian dishes. I wish her the best. ❤️

[@terriyoung2389]

@@susanmolnar9606 me too.

[@lolaoh2001]

Gotta be proud of James, he doesn’t let the fact that you’re his Dad effect his decision 👍 He seems like a thoughtful young man. I will definitely try this recipe with more 🌶️ in it 😅

[@aris1956]

0:11 Of course we make it here in Italy ! This is not only an “Italian-American” dish, but a classic Italian dish, which original Italian is called....“Peperoni ripieni“, that especially here in southern Italy we have always done and we always do it.

[@SipandFeast]

Of course. I was being a little tongue in cheek.

[@catherineharris27]

A garden salad 🥗 & a glass of wine 🍷 would be great with this recipe! Delicious 😋!!

[@rally618]

I use the Red-Yellow-Orange Peppers. I don't halve them, leave them whole. I put hamburger and sweet Italian sausage. I mince the tops of the pepper and add in the rice meat. My family devours these. Top with grated Parm and Panko. Now I wanna make some . :)

[@marygrott8095]

James never fails to surprise me and make me laugh!

[@KameraShy]

Classic recipe, well explained. I grow my own peppers and this year discovered the joy of fresh basil. Makes a huge difference.

[@ChiliPepperMadness]

These stuffed peppers look incredible!

[@afreeman9608]

This looks awesome love all your videos Sip and feast is my new favorite thing

[@shawnmitcham9824]

Thank you for the sly 'how to use stainless' tip. So many people seem scared of stainless because they don't know how to use it. I only use stainless and I never wash a pan. deglaze with water at most and presto, dishes are done. They're so easy if you know how to use them properly.

[@itchykami]

I make jambalaya fairly often, now I have the urge to put it into peppers.

[@themurph930]

Sounds great!

[@PaulPredicts]

That’s a GREAT idea! Thank you! ❤

[@Sycronn]

Well, I guess I know what my weekend dinners will be for this week. :D Looks absolutely amazing.

[@rasenshuriken7325]

I've always used left over taco meat from the day previously to make stuffed peppers for the family. And instead of Mozzarella I use Monterey Jack cheese.

[@lslcska]

The family loved riso al forno last week...will be making this! Definitely with wine😅Thanks so much!!

[@sandegeorge542]

Thank you for this video. Made these today. Took your son’s advise and made spicer - good call. Boiling the peppers is key and better than other methods I’ve tried. Also, I added shredded zucchini to meat sauce because...have a ton of it from garden so zucchini goes in everything lately.

[@keg1dog]

Very very very good! I got peppers from the local farmers market and made these for Sunday dinner, didn’t have the oregano but had an Italian herb mix that did the job. Our basil is really coming on now and the dish came out well. Now trying to freeze the extras. Thanks and Bon Appetite!;)

[@luca4741]

I made this recipe last night for the family and they loved it! Instead of using store bough peppers I used green pepper that are from my garden which means I skipped the boiling of the peppers step. They were awesome! Keep these Italian recipes coming! thanks again.

[@LivetolearnMama]

I bought a bunch of bell peppers the last time I went shopping and forgot all about them. This will be a perfect way to use them up! I'll be making a vegetarian version of this for dinner tonight. I always love your recipes! Even when I have to make substitutions (like for this one), they always turn out amazing.

[@SipandFeast]

It's great to hear that, thank you!

[@blujay1608]

How will you make this vegetarian? I was trying to think of ways myself. Maybe lentils for beef?

[@gaviswayze9696]

@@blujay1608when I make a veggie version, I usually go with a mixture of lentils, mushrooms, and walnuts

[@LivetolearnMama]

@@blujay1608 I used 1 1/2 cups of TVP as a meat substitute and vegetarian Parmesan instead of pecorino, and it turned out really good. I like TVP for things like this that have a lot of seasonings and other strong flavors, because the TVP is like a sponge and absorbs all of those flavors. I know some people can't or choose not to eat soy, so as somebody else suggested, mushrooms (chopped small) and lentils make a great substitute as well. I've never added walnuts to that mixture, but I'm very intrigued. It sounds good.

[@user-is6de8pp7k]

Love your recipe. I will be adding Panko bread crumbs.

[@Kirby789z]

Italian NYer from Brooklyn here. My mom made this all the time growing up. Well done!

[@user-en3cv3qg8h]

How did I not know about this channel? You are the real deal. My Calabrese nonna, may she rest in peace, would love you. Molto bene Paisano. Loving your cuisine and your technique.

[@user-en3cv3qg8h]

Your son reminds me of my son's hanging around the kitchen when they were growing up. Their friends always wanted invites to dinner! The funniest thing my oldest son said to me when he was about 8 or 9 was "ma...other families eat crappy food!". I kissed his whole face...

[@Gerisheng]

Great job! I grew up with mom's stuffed peppers, but hers weren't Italian (more German). It's fun to see this take on what I'm familiar with and I'm going to try it!

[@youtubecommenter4213]

i've made these for years, and while they're great as their own meal i've found i like them most as like a meatball on pasta. generally when i've got too many peppers from my garden i make them in a large batch, then i individually freeze them and reheat when i want them as a side.

[@iamtemo]

I just started my diet and you are now showing me my favorite meal.

[@janellek21]

Just use leaner ground beef and part-skim mozzarella.

[@AriaMcN]

Thank you all for this video. Thanks for the spice tip, James. I'll add red chili pepper flakes and/or cayenne or something when I make this recipe.

[@chrisann144]

So good to see James I never thought of seasoning the pepper thank you I love all the tips and these look amazing

[@heedelorenzo9280]

Just made this for dinner. Used Raos marinara and Better than Bouillon beef base. Didn't have fresh herbs so used all dried herbs. Every 2 bites, my husband said, it's really, really, really good. This is a keeper recipe. Absolutely delicious! Highly recommend. Next time I might add some spicy Italian sausage into it.

[@lunchmoneydnb]

I grew up in Ny and now live on the west coast, you help me make home. Thanks;]

[@mattymattffs]

Stuffed peppers are great. If you want to go vegetarian, mushrooms and zucchini are a great stand in IMO. We also do this with acorn squash to scoop out.

[@nanvolentine9110]

That looks delicious! Welcome back, James, it wasn't the same without you!

[@carolsparks7070]

Love James. Love your accent.. Love this recipe. I’m putting mine over buttered rice, yea. Buon Ciba!

[@tomblanar2592]

I can't wait to try this recipe! Suggestion: when specifying the amount of grated cheese it would be helpful to express it in terms of weight since the volume greatly depends on the fineness of the grating method. Great work! Thanks.

[@SipandFeast]

Hope you enjoy! The gram amounts are in the description, so for the Pecorino it's 90g and mozzarella is 100g.

[@tomblanar2592]

@@SipandFeast Thank you! I know this will be on my menu in the next week.

[@adrianofienga9782]

Another excellent recipe, very well done, tons of great contents here! As a personal note, I usually add black olives, capers and smoked provola when available.

[@brittgraham1661]

I’m new to your channel and I love that you honor your grandmothers recipes. I was curious if you plan on doing a series of Italian desserts

[@sid65811]

Salting the inside of the pepper is key! Game changer.

[@fionadlf]

This was a great video! I really liked that you had your kid rate the finished meal and give feedback. That's really unique and I haven't seen that before. Very honest and to the point, thanks!

[@MADHIKER777]

Looks delicious! My mother put buttered bread crumbs on top. They came out crispy like croutons. Nice counterpoint to the soft peppers.

[@lorischager8027]

Absolutely awesome! This is exactly the way my mother made them. Now, I need to make some!!

[@helennoblet9235]

Wonderful recipe and I love that you say just adapt to your taste or use ingredients that you might have on hand ie the spices that one might prefer. I've cooked like this for years. Thank you we enjoyed this close recipe tonight!

[@nancy9704]

Even though you don't like the "f" word, I still keep coming back to your channel because I think you have an excellent knowledge of home cooking. I made your version of pot roast, and my family said it was the best they'd ever had. It was how big you cut the carrots and the perfect potatoes that did it for us. I made extra gravy because we like to dunk our bread in it. So, thank you for that. I still like the word fond, though. I'm going to make your version of Swedish meatballs next. My husband is Swiss German, so he's going to love it.

[@janellek21]

I love stuffed capsic..er...peppers but I've never made them myself. I'd probably use leaner beef, and might do half beef and half sausage. I'm like James and like a bit of heat, so I'd probably up the chili flakes or use Calabrian paste.

[@faithsrvtrip8768]

Back in the 70s my mother, who was from Maine, tried to make stuffed peppers with anchovies. They turned out horrible because she didn't use the anchovies properly and the dish was overseasoned / oversalted and inedible. I like the way you cut the peppers, I always sliced them the other way but it makes more sense to slice them the way you did!

[@KameraShy]

I cut out the stems and slice the tops, creating a bowl. Following the way my mother did it. No right or wrong way, just different techniques.

[@bash5552]

grew up on these, so good!

[@deborahr.7696]

Looks yummy. I use orzo instead of rice. It's Giada Delaurentis recipe. May be something to try as an alternative for something different.

[@bm2332]

Made this tonight. Only thing I added was maybe a third cup or so of chopped jarred cherry pepper and a tiny splash of the vinegar, maybe a tablespoon. I omitted the red chili's as well because I wasn't sure how spicy it would be with both. I would highly recommend trying the cherry peppers in it. Love the recipe and the channel. Keep it going, yall.

[@lucysspot9208]

"There's no superior way to do anything"...Best line I've ever heard!!!

[@summertime303]

Beautiful! Great recipe. I will add a little onion when browning the meat though.

[@growingtraditions2264]

Jim, parsley caterpillars add protein…they add to the “beefiness”! No need to wash any vegetable from your own garden ;) Seriously, have loved seeing glimpses of your garden in the previous videos.

[@suegjerset]

I like to use orzo instead of rice when making stuffed peppers. Thanks for the tips!

[@munjuliank]

Sir, this recipe is delicious! I also made sure to have extra sauce and added more rice for leftovers (like a gumbo). 😬 Thanks for sharing this recipe!

[@BigboiiTone]

So good to see little James back from camp. At the rate he's growing, basketball camp sounds like a great idea! I wish my dad had been like you

[@diannebrooks8056]

I gave it a #10, Looks Delicious 😋💯

[@rogwheel]

Made this last night and they were, by far, THE best stuffed peppers ever!

[@lori3488]

I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing😊

[@deborahgardner9489]

I had no idea people made stuffed peppers with tomato sauce and rice until I was in high school and had dinner at a friend’s house. We grew up with green peppers stuffed with ground beef, onions and mashed potatoes!! Still delicious!😊

[@jeremywilson6387]

Another great vid and recipe. I think I'll be wanting to make this in a month or 2 when it is a bit cooler out here in Arizona lol Thanks as always to all of you!

[@rebeccagilman2020]

Wow! I just bought bell peppers couple of days ago. I think I’m going to make this recipe. 🫑🫑 Thank you for this vlog!😋😋😊

[@zch2439]

In the UK we call it "Wuster" Sauce" no need for the shire!

[@antonboludo8886]

Looks good. There are many variations for this recipe.

[@TheGlamorousLifeofNae]

This looks so comforting & delicious as we will be approaching Fall soon! 🍂🍁 Love your Channel so much, & love this video! ☺️

[@georgegarcia1445]

My mom and grandma used ground pork and beef and finely potatoes. My grandma was of French Canadian descent. She used onions and garlic in a lot of her recipes. She often said that food without onions and garlic weren't worth eating.😊

[@BinaPgh412]

And it’s James approved! These look absolutely delicious, I’ll be making these for dinner. Hope he enjoyed basketball camp and thank for sharing!

[@dukefurst5741]

I cook them in an air fryer. It works great!

[@eegpas]

Great recipe! loved the idea of mixing rice in with the ground beef..we had both left over from our Cuban 'Picadillo' [Sloppy Joe w/o the bread] last night...couple of changes: 1) cut peppers horizontally, at the top, not sidewise; it makes it easier to stuff and they don't break open easily and 2) added some bechamel under the mozzarella plus topped the whole thing with that marinara sauce. I didn't want to put it back in the fridge! I did put chili powder into the ground beef to "kick it up a notch"...Thanks again! Lin Giralt

[@sylviegauthier2145]

Love this video, I was thinking about stuffed peppers recently. When James the Younger said something about beef being nice in this dish, it reminded me of a video where he (junior) said he didn't like sausages as much, which made my husband laugh and say "what? he doesn't like sausages? what wrong with him?" Not slagging the taste tester, just laughing about taste preferences. Anyway, I will make this later this week. Thanks!

[@billystpaul8907]

I have never made stuffed peppers this way before. A real nice way to make them. I also thank you for suggesting to get a 14 Inch pan. I got one of the last Made In 14 pans. It's a great pan. It is a massive pan and it will get a lot of use making 1 pan meals. Thanks again for another nice video..

[@judysaulnier4852]

Hi I am a chef in Toronto Canada ,you should always add your onions garlic ,beef stock add your spices ,definitely add some whit wine , It sets the browning and definitely add to flavour ,after every is cooked then you add your rice and cheeses

[@klikboers]

It must be incredible to regularly walk into the kitchen and sample amazing food

[@zman5581]

This recipe is absolutely fantastic! Delicious and so quick and easy!

[@JulieLAgresta]

I'm so making this for my hubby for Father's Day on Sunday Yum! Love the wine you used also Mutua Sav Blanc is a fav of mine.

[@miaththered]

Always cool to see another approach to stuffed peppers. Thanks for sharing.

[@lenp00]

I make my stuffed peppers with ground moose meat (when I can get it) and ground pork. Very tasty!

[@sassyperry6382]

Delicious recipe; thank you!

[@NipItInTheBud100]

I'm with James...I like peppers with ground beef more. To me the Italian sausage is too overpowering and its flavor takes over! Can't wait to try these!

[@janetc5605]

I’ve been par boiling peppers in the microwave. Put the cut halves in a Pyrex pie pan with about a half inch of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. You want them to keep their bright color and just soften. Drain the water and drain the pepper halves upside down on paper towels. In less than 5 minutes they’re ready to use.

[@janetc5605]

I also add fennel seed to the meat mixture.

[@voodoochild1954]

That’s the way I park cook my peppers too!

[@nvlddmkm1282]

My potato masher has been a god-send for mashing ground meat. Highly recommend since most people will have one.

[@Citycentral62]

My new favorite cooking show..cooking these stuffed peppers tomorrow❤

[@billyjunior1917]

A few decades ago I started to do my ground (beef, lamb, pork sausage, sometimes chicken, patties) as burgers. After browning for 1.5 minutes per side, I then break up the patty, getting browned outside, medium near the browned surface, and RARE beef and/or lamb in the middle. I later add this burger to whatever I intend to use it in, near completion. Needless to say, when I do add ground chicken and/or pork , I make them the outer layers of the burger. I originally started with just ground beef, and slowly added the other meats with even more satisfying results.

[@RightDoc]

I like to drizzle olive oil on the pepper halves then roast the empty peppers for about 25-30 mins in 350° oven on an oiled sheet pan. This gives great carmelization and is much more flavorful than boiling. Recipe looks good but I don’t cook the beef before stuffing. Love your ingredients but just stuff the peppers raw and let them soak up the pepper flavor as the peppers cook. Also, chop up one pepper finely, sauté in oil and add that to the raw beef filling. Yum!

[@joanbardee5135]

this looks fantastic but we are cutting down on beef so I'm going to substitute mushrooms and expect it to be fabulous. your recipes are the best

[@loriroark7844]

I like the fact that you do this in your kitchen and you get a middle schooler to taste it for all of us! It's hilarious!

[@NipItInTheBud100]

I haven't even watched the video and its already in my "to try" playlist!! These look delicious!!

[@edwardkornuszko4083]

Thank you. God bless you

[@jpalarchio]

Really approachable recipes, so glad I found this channel.

[@gayprepperz6862]

Love your channel. Finding myself using your channel(s) as a go-to source for recipes I want to look up.

[@mikekeller5202]

This is a classic tri-state staple because it’s not only found in Italian America cuisine but also German American cuisine.

[@King-ci8sk]

This one is going into my "cooking shit" saved Playlist. Hopefully I get around to it soon. Hope you and the family are well my friend!

[@sciencelabvideosl7558]

Thank you for your hard work. It appears you spend weeks preparing your recipes because of what you said at the end of the video. I enjoy your channel so much. No nonsense. You jump quickly into the meat of your video. You didnt mention if the rice is cooked already . I assume you did cook it.

[@timstooksbury6398]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! We weren't parboiling our peppers so they were a bit toothy. We very much enjoyed our most recent batch with what we call "mushy" peppers. ✌️