Ingredients:

  • 6 Bell Peppers (preferably red, yellow, or orange)
  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 1 cup cooled, cooked rice (day-old preferred)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil (for coating peppers)
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce, divided
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1.5 cups beef broth or water, divided (1 cup for base, 1/2 cup for sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella or Cheddar blend)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the tops off the 6 bell peppers and scoop out all seeds and membranes.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop the hollowed peppers in and simmer for 3–5 minutes (blanching). Remove immediately and plunge into ice water to halt cooking.
  3. Pat the peppers bone dry and lightly coat the outside with olive oil. Place them standing upright in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water or broth into the dish's base to create steam while baking.
  4. In a large skillet, brown the 1.5 lbs of ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain all the excess fat once cooked.
  5. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  6. Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the 1 cup of cooled, cooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and 1/3 of the canned tomato sauce. The filling should be cohesive and moist.
  7. Carefully spoon the mixture into each pepper cavity, mounding the filling slightly on top. Do not cram it in.
  8. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup beef broth, and the 1 Tbsp brown sugar to create the topping sauce.
  9. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture over the filling mounds. Pour the rest of the sauce around the peppers in the dish.
  10. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  11. Remove the foil. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of cheese evenly over the exposed filling. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
  12. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving with a generous spoonful of the pan sauce.