Stuffed peppers have always been a nostalgic dish for me; they were my father’s absolute favorite growing up. While this version takes a different path from the classic recipe my mother used to make, it’s every bit as comforting, with a fresh twist that makes it feel new again.
These Stuffed Tomato Basil Peppers start with a hearty ground beef filling, like the traditional version, but that’s where things take a delicious turn. The beef is blended with a rich, creamy tomato-basil sauce that adds incredible depth of flavor and a velvety texture you don’t usually expect in stuffed peppers. As they roast, the peppers become tender and slightly sweet, perfectly complementing the savory, herb-infused filling.
What I love most about this dish is how complete it feels. Each pepper is packed with everything you need for a satisfying meal, making it easy to keep things simple. Add a crisp, refreshing salad on the side, and dinner is done. It’s comforting, flavorful, and just a little bit elevated from the classic you may remember.
Ingredients
4 red, green, orange or yellow peppers
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups cooked, starch-resistant rice or cauliflower rice
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 20-oz. can tomato sauce or 2 15-oz. cans
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped or 1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cut the tops off the peppers. Set the tops aside. Take out the ribs and rinse the inside of the peppers.
In a frying pan, fry the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Cook until browned and drain off the grease. Chop the bell pepper tops (minus the stem) and add those to the mix. Sauté until soft.
Add the cauliflower rice or starch-resistant rice. Stir until well combined. Turn down the heat and keep warm.
In a separate saucepan, add the tomato sauce and heat through.
Add the heavy cream and stir. Heat through. Add half of the basil and stir. On this day, I did not have any fresh basil, so I used dry basil. If you use dry basil, add around a tablespoon. Cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the Parmesan and stir. Stir a couple of ladles of the sauce into the meat mixture and mix well.
Place the bell peppers in a greased casserole dish.
Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture. Top with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella. Bake another 5 minutes until the cheese melts
To serve, spoon a ladleful of the remaining sauce on a plate. Place a stuffed pepper on top of the sauce. Garnish with the remaining basil, if fresh, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese.
If you like this recipe, you may also like the following recipes:
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Hot Peppers
Stuffed Tomato Basil Peppers
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
- Measuring spoons
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 frying pan
- 1 large spoon or spatula
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 medium spoon
- 1 8×8 inch casserole dish
Ingredients
- 4 red, green, orange or yellow peppers
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 tsp. garlic, minced
- 1 8-oz. can rice or cauliflower rice
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 20-oz can tomato sauce or 2 15-oz. cans
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped or use 1 Tbsp. dried basil
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Cut the tops off the peppers and set aside.
- Take out the ribs and rinse the inside of the peppers. Set the peppers aside
- In a frying pan, fry the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Cook until beef is browned. Drain off the grease.
- Chop the bell pepper tops (minus the stem) and add those to the mix. Sauté until soft.
- Add the cauliflower rice or starch-resistant rice. Stir until well combined. Turn down the heat and keep warm.
- In a separate saucepan, add the tomato sauce and heat through.
- Add the heavy cream and stir. Heat through.
- Add half of the basil and stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add half of the Parmesan and stir.
- Place the bell peppers in a greased casserole dish.
- Stir a couple of ladles of the sauce into the meat mixture and stir.
- Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture.
- Top with the remaining Parmesan.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- To serve, spoon a ladleful of the remaining sauce on a plate.
- Place a stuffed pepper on the sauce.
- Garnish with the remaining basil if it is fresh and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
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