Ingredients:

  • 6 large bell peppers (approx. 1.2kg)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the tops off the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, and place them upright in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes to par-steam the peppers.
  3. While peppers steam, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat (approx. 25% reduction in fat content).
  4. Add diced onion to the skillet; sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the cooked rice, tomato sauce.
  5. Remove peppers from the oven and carefully drain any excess water from the dish. Fill each pepper generously with the beef and rice mixture.
  6. Top each pepper with shredded cheese. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pepper edges are slightly charred.
  7. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.