This stuffed peppers recipe is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or can be made for a holiday gathering with the red and green peppers. Packed with protein, hearty wild rice, and peppers of your choice, it's easy to customize to fit any taste. Whether you're meal prepping or planning a holiday feast, this vibrant dish is a must-try.
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Table of Contents
Why you'll love it
Stuffed peppers are a classic comfort food with a fresh twist. Here's why this recipe stands out:
- Festive and versatile: Use red and green bell peppers for a holiday-themed dish or mix up the colors for year-round fun.
- Packed with nutrients: Every bite brings lean protein, whole grains, and veggies together.
- Easy to customize: Toss in mushrooms, zucchini, or swap in vegan cheese, the options are endless!
Why is this recipe healthy?
Stuffed peppers are not just delicious-they're also a nutritional powerhouse. Here's why:
- Nutrient dense: Bell peppers are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, supporting immune health-perfect for staying well during the winter season.
- Protein-packed: Lean protein like ground chicken or turkey make it heart-healthy and satisfying.
- Whole grains: Wild rice adds fiber and keeps you fuller longer. Research shows whole grains may help lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Ingredients you'll need
Here's what makes these stuffed peppers so delicious:
- Bell peppers: Opt for firm, vibrant-colored peppers. Red and green add a perfect festive flair!
- Wild rice: This nutty grain provides a satisfying texture and a boost of fiber.
- Ground protein: Lean options like turkey, chicken, or plant-based ground protein work perfectly.
- Vegetables: Mushrooms add a hearty touch, but feel free to experiment with broccoli, zucchini, or carrots.
- Cheese: Mozzarella melts beautifully, but cheddar, gouda, or vegan alternatives are excellent options for a unique flavor.
How to make wild rice stuffed peppers
Create the perfect stuffed peppers in just a few steps:
- Cook the rice: Simmer wild rice with water for 45 minutes, then let it steam for 10 minutes. Fluff and measure out 1 cup.
- Prep the peppers: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice peppers lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Sauté the filling: Heat oil in a skillet, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, and cook the ground protein until browned. Add your diced veggies and cook until tender.
- Combine flavors: Stir in cooked rice, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble: Place pepper halves in a baking dish and fill with the rice mixture. Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Serving suggestions: Pair with a fresh green salad or roasted potatoes for a well-rounded balanced meal.
- Troubleshooting: If your peppers don't easily stand upright, you can trim the bottoms slightly for balance.
- Scaling tips: Easily double or triple the recipe by preparing extra filling. Just ensure your baking dish is large enough!
Customize it your way
Like my other recipes, these stuffed peppers are completely customizable. You get to choose what ingredients to use:
- Peppers of your choice: Go for a mix of colors like red, green, yellow, or orange. Each color offers a unique flavor-red is sweet and mild, green has a slight bitterness, while yellow and orange are sweet with fruity notes.
- Ground protein of choice: Choose lean ground beef, turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles. Beef adds a rich flavor, turkey and chicken are lighter alternatives, and plant-based options keep it vegan-friendly and protein-packed.
- Vegetables of your choice: Try mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, or even a mix of corn and carrots are great options. These vegetables add texture, flavor, and a boost of nutrients to your dish.
- Shredded cheese of your choice: Mozzarella is a classic, but cheddar, gouda, or vegan cheese alternatives work just as well.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely! Prepare the filling and peppers up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge and assemble just before baking. This makes it a stress-free option for busy weeknights or holiday entertaining.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap each stuffed pepper individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They'll keep for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
Whether you're serving this for a weeknight dinner or a festive holiday meal, these stuffed peppers are a colorful, nutrient-packed dish that everyone will enjoy. Try it out and let us know how you customized yours!
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Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice (We like to use California-grown wild rice)
- 3 cups water
- 4 large bell peppers or 5 small bell peppers of your choice (To be festive for the holidays, use 2 red bell peppers and 2 green bell peppers)
- 1 tablespoon oil of your choice (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 pound ground protein of your choice (lean beef, chicken, or turkey)
- 1 ½ cup diced vegetables of your choice (We used mushrooms, but you could also use broccoli, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, or a mixture)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (We often use mozzarella cheese, but you could also use cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack, monterey jack, gouda, italian five cheese blend, mexican blend, vegan cheese, etc.)
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup dry wild rice with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let steam for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork and measure 1 cup cooked rice for the recipe. (Save any extra rice for other meals or to have on the side!)
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add ground protein and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Move protein to one side of the pan, then add diced vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup cooked wild rice, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir to combine everything.
- Place pepper halves in a baking dish. Fill each half with ~½ cup of the rice mixture and top evenly with cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme on top and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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