How Long to Bake Stuffed Peppers? (With Video & Recipe)

Lindsey, do you know how long does it take to bake stuffed peppers? This is one of the questions my readers ask a lot. Well, I´ve got you covered.

Stuffed peppers rank highly in all their grace for any lover of peppers and quick-fix meals. But should the baking time be considered when making this meal, or can this be overlooked?

Stuffed peppers are baked at 350°F. Once ready, the peppers are covered tightly and baked for 10 minutes. Then they are uncovered and baked for 15 minutes or until the peppers lose their stiffness.

The article below mentions more tips and tricks to bake the perfect peppers. Read on!

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Table of Contents

How long should stuffed peppers be baked?

The baking time of stuffed peppers depends highly on the treatment of peppers before they are finally placed in the oven.

Two recipes can be followed with the same ingredients and stuffing but varying baking times. These are mentioned below:

Long-time baking: If the recipe is followed with the stuffing of minced meat and rice, with the peppers being stuffed and baked, then the baking time is longer, approximately 45 minutes.

The peppers should be baked for 35 minutes with the foil covering them so they may steam a little and become soft. After that, the foil is taken off for 10 more minutes so the cheese can brown and bubble.

Short-term baking: Regular stuffing preparation and filling are followed in this method. However, once cut, cleaned, and washed, the peppers are cooked in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then, the filled peppers are baked for 10 minutes covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered. However, this method removed the element of crispiness from the peppers early in the process because of boiling.

Ingredients needed to bake stuffed peppers

Making baked stuffed peppers, regardless of the stuffing, requires some basic, on-hand ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen. These include:

Big peppers in any color – 4 pieces
Beef or any meat of your preference – 1 pound
Oil – For cooking the meat
Finely minced onion – 2 teaspoons
1 cup of rice, cooked – 1 cup
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Minced garlic, minced 1 clove
Tomato paste -1 can (15 ounces)
Shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese – 3/4 cup (3 ounces)

Steps for the long method recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Cook the rice in a pot per the packing instructions.
Heat oil in a big skillet using medium heat. 5 minutes should be enough time to soften an onion. For approximately a further minute, add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir until fragrant. Mix in the ground meat and cook for 6 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or until it changes color. Remove fat from the pot and put it back on the stove.
To this, add the rice prepared in step 2 and tomato paste. Add in the seasoning (salt, pepper, and oregano as liked). Cook for 5 minutes or until excess water has dried up.
In a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, arrange the peppers cut side up and drizzle in some oil. Fill each pepper with the meat and rice mixture, sprinkle cheese on top, and then cover the baking dish with foil.
Bake until the peppers are all tender. This should take about 35 minutes. Then remove the foil cover and bake until the cheese is bubbly, for 10 minutes longer.
Serve hot with a gentle garnish of chopped parsley.

Is cheese necessary?

When making stuffed peppers, cheese is only optional. It does not alter the cooking time, not the taste.

It is mostly used according to liking and a preference for its taste. It should be kept in mind that topping off the stuffed peppers should be according to the amount that can be added without extra cheese dropping down, as this can lead to cheese burns, and the extra cooking time can cause the peppers to wilt.

However, for most people, there can never be enough cheese, so do what makes you happy with it!

Nutritional facts

Stuffed bell peppers contain a mixture of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats that aim at meeting one’s average nutritional needs.

However, breaking the general nutritional values down, the amount of each nutrient is mentioned below:

320 calories
13 grams of fat (saturated and unsaturated)
60 milligrams of Cholesterol
28 grams of Carbohydrates
610 milligrams of sodium
11 grams of sugar
24 grams of protein

It should be noted that these values are for half a stuffed bell pepper – the amounts are doubled for a full stuffed bell pepper.

Tips

If your family enjoys spicy recipes, add chili powder and cumin to the mix to get a Tex-Mex flavor!
Substitute another cooked grain for the rice. A good option is a little pasta like orzo, pearl couscous, quinoa, or even bulgur wheat.
Pick a variety of large, sweet bell peppers from their wide range to stuff, and while you’re preparing them, stand them upright in the baking dish so you can stuff them more easily.
After the peppers are taken out of the oven, cheese is added. Feel free to re-bake the peppers with cheese on top for a few minutes for more cheese to melt.
Cut the peppers lengthwise instead of only the tops and make a cave to stuff as an easy party appetizer – plus, cutting it in half will prevent any of it from being wasted.
After baking, you can cut into them without having them fall over.
Don’t cut the peppers with the outer side facing up.
For meal preparation, putting them in flat storage containers is simpler.

Stuffed Peppers Recipe FAQs

Before stuffing the peppers, should I cook them first?

You can, but it is not recommended. The peppers may be filled more easily when they are still raw and thus keeps some of their texture after baking. They should be soft but not spongy or squishy!

How would you know the peppers are done?

Once the peppers are done baking, their skin will be mildly shriveled and wrinkled. There are chances of small black marks on the pepper as well. This will let you know that your peppers are done and should be removed from the oven to prevent burning.

Does the baking temperature vary for the type of meat used?

The temperature varies according to the meat for baking; however, the meat is cooked in the initial steps when making stuffed peppers. To ensure your meat is ready and does not burn, use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of your meat – 165°F for stuffing using ground chicken, ground turkey, or chunks of chicken; 160°F for stuffing containing ground beef. Bake peppers for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for softer peppers.

Does baking change the pepper’s taste?

The baking done in this recipe aims at bringing the taste of the peppers, meat, and rice together in a way that they complement each other. The pepper does not change taste or spice level much if cleaned right during this process. Bell peppers are hot due to the chemicals in their seeds that trigger the body’s response to spicy/hot foods. Cooking or baking these seeds will increase the spice level.

How long can you store stuffed bell peppers?

Cooked/baked stuffed bell peppers can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. They must be in airtight containers and sealed properly to prevent them from going soggy and wilting. On the contrary, if the peppers are prepared without baking, they can be frozen for a few weeks, provided no temperature shifts occur and the peppers are sealed well.

Which color pepper is best for this recipe?

Your preference for peppers is entirely up to you and your taste buds. However, it is advised to keep in mind that:

Green peppers are cheaper as they are picked under-ripe and tend to have the most bitter taste compared to their siblings.
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are given more time to ripe and therefore are sweeter in taste. Red peppers contain more Vitamin C than green peppers. These are, however, costlier than the green ones.
Can I use flavored rice?

Yes! Being a time and cost-effective recipe, several versions can be created with this recipe. Since rice flavor is mixed with meat and tomato sauce, using leftover rice that is not plain will not be a problem for this recipe. Don’t be afraid to add your unique touch to your peppers!

Can I use frozen rice?

The answer, again, is yes! Use frozen cooked rice to cut short the meal preparation time. The freezer area of your local grocery store has cooked rice. For dishes like fried rice, stuffed peppers, etc. that call for leftover rice, keep a bag in your freezer. Alternately, prepare your own rice (the easiest way to prepare raw rice, both long grain, and short grain, is in the Instant Pot) and freeze it in bags (in 1-2 cup portions).

The Perfect Stuffed Bell Peppers| How To make stuffed bell peppers >> Check out the video below:

Conclusion

Some comfort foods hit closer to home than others. Seeing the preparation time and effort that goes into making this recipe, it is no surprise that this food item is well suited for individuals who don’t have cooking time on busy weekday dinner time, moms with infants, people trying to lose weight, and eat healthy or even individuals too lazy and poor to make or order a fancy gourmet meal.

Once you can put together a batch of stuffed peppers several times, you will be inclined to try new recipes with the same ingredients to your liking.

References

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a23014857/classic-stuffed-peppers-recipe/

https://livesimply.me/easy-stuffed-bell-peppers-freezer-friendly/