Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 green bell peppers (or choose a combination of colors)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90/10)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
- Shredded mild Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup), optional
Steps to Make It
- Gather the ingredients.
- Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and rinse them under cold water; remove seeds and cut away the white ribs, which might be bitter. Chop the edible part of tops and set aside. Place the peppers in a large pot and cover with salted water.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until oil is hot and the butter is foamy. Sauté the chopped bell pepper (from the tops), chopped onion, and chopped celery for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Add the (undrained) canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to blend; add ground beef, cooked rice, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture. Mix well.
- Heat the oven to 350 F.
- Stuff the peppers loosely with the ground beef mixture and place them in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Pour the remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers.
- Bake the peppers for about 45 minutes, or until the meat mixture is thoroughly cooked.
