Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers make a wholesome weeknight dinner filled with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, pinto beans, rice and plenty of melted cheese. They come together in about 45 minutes and make a satisfying family meal.
These peppers work well on their own, but if you’d like a side, a simple green salad, honey butter cornbread or garlic-cheesy drop biscuits pair nicely for a complete plate.
This version leans a bit toward a sloppy-joe style filling: ground beef combined with rice and a tomato-based sauce, boosted with pinto beans for extra fiber and protein. A generous layer of mozzarella finishes the peppers for a melty, comforting bite.
If you enjoy recipes featuring ground beef and beans, try a hearty taco soup next time.
What To Expect
- Ease: Slightly more involved than a beginner recipe, but straightforward steps make it easy to follow.
- Taste: A savory, cheesy tomato filling with subtle notes of garlic and onion.
- Time: Ready in under an hour, and these peppers store well for make-ahead meals.
đź›’ Ingredients
Most ingredients are pantry staples, which keeps this beef-and-rice stuffed peppers recipe budget friendly—especially if you use homegrown tomatoes or peppers.
- Bell peppers: Large, any color. Green is usually the most affordable; red, orange or yellow will be sweeter when cooked.
- Ground beef or turkey: Choose lean to reduce excess grease.
- Rice: Brown rice is used here, but white rice or minute rice will work if cooked according to package instructions.
- Tomatoes: Canned or fresh diced tomatoes form the base of the sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese: Shredded for melty topping.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds savory depth to the filling.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and a touch of brown sugar to balance acidity.
See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities and full details.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Swap pinto beans for navy beans or great northern beans.
- Use white rice, quinoa or minute rice—adjust cooking times and water per package directions.
- Add diced jalapeño or red pepper flakes to the onions for heat.
- Replace ground beef with ground turkey or chicken if preferred.
- Cheddar or Colby Jack are fine substitutes for mozzarella.
- Cooked quinoa can replace rice for a gluten-free alternative.
🧑‍🍳 Instructions
Step 1. Prepare and cook the rice according to package directions.
Step 2. While the rice cooks, heat a large skillet over medium. Cook ground beef and diced onion 5–7 minutes until beef is browned and onions are soft, breaking the meat into small pieces. Drain excess grease.
TIP: Cook the rice ahead or measure spices during the beef step to save time.
Step 3. Stir in pinto beans, diced tomatoes (do not drain), tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and spices (brown sugar, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper). Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4. Prepare the bell peppers by slicing them lengthwise and removing seeds and membranes to form boats. To shorten oven time, place peppers upright in a microwave-safe container with ½ cup water, cover and microwave 4 minutes until semi-soft (tender but not mushy).
Step 5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange peppers open-side up in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place about 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella in the bottom of each pepper (roughly 1 cup total for 8 halves).
Step 6. Spoon about ÂĽ cup cooked rice into each pepper, then top with roughly ½ cup of the beef-and-bean filling. It’s fine if the filling overflows a bit—the sauce is delicious.
Step 7. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly over the peppers, adding more if you like extra cheese. Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the filling is hot and the peppers are tender. Garnish with chopped green onion if desired.
đź“Ś Top Tips For Success
- Do not drain the diced tomatoes — the extra sauce keeps the filling flavorful and allows the rice to absorb more flavor.
- Partially cooking the peppers (microwave steaming) dramatically reduces oven time and helps prevent overcooking the filling.
âť“Frequently Asked Questions
Yes—browning the beef first shortens overall cook time and prevents the peppers from becoming too soft while the meat finishes cooking.
Use rice to absorb extra liquid and avoid over-thinning the sauce. Leaving the diced tomatoes un-drained supplies flavor without making the filling watery when balanced with rice.
Boiling isn’t necessary. Microwaving briefly to soften them is faster and keeps texture pleasant, but you can stuff raw peppers if you prefer to bake longer.
Simple sides like green salad, cornbread or garlic-cheesy biscuits are great choices to round out the meal.
Slice them in half lengthwise to create more manageable-sized portions and fit more servings in a baking dish. Cutting tops off makes larger cups but reduces the number you can make at once.
Yes—skip the microwave step, stuff raw peppers and place them in the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 2 hours, or until peppers are tender.
🥩 More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
-
Mushroom Stuffed Meatloaf
-
Healthy Taco Soup
-
French Onion Ground Beef Sliders
-
Shepherds Pie Baked Potatoes
Did You Try This Recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment on the recipe card below — reviews help other readers and I love hearing how it turned out. If you enjoyed it, share with family and friends.
đź“ť Printable Recipe
Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice (about 1Âľ cups water for cooking)
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (or half of a 15 oz can)
- ÂĽ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ÂĽ cup white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional: chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare and cook brown rice according to package directions.
- While the rice cooks, brown the ground beef with diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat for 5–7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in pinto beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and seasonings. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Slice bell peppers lengthwise and remove seeds. To speed baking, microwave peppers upright with ½ cup water, covered, for 4 minutes until semi-soft.
Assemble the stuffed peppers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place peppers open-side up in a 9×13 dish and add about 2 tablespoons mozzarella to the bottom of each.
- Spoon ¼ cup rice into each pepper, then about ½ cup of the beef mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella.
- Bake 15–20 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are tender. Garnish with green onions if desired.
Notes
Refrigerate: Store covered for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
White rice, quinoa or minute rice can be used—follow package directions for cooking times and water amounts.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Protein: 15 g
Fat: 3 g