Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers

Easy slow cooker stuffed bell peppers recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Full of ground beef, rice, marinara, Italian herbs, cheese.

This meal is so beautiful to serve and equally delicious. These Crockpot Sausage And Peppers and Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole are also hearty, family-friendly meal options to help you through the busy seasons of life where standing over a stove is not really an option.

How To Make Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe From Scratch?

1. Cook beef and onions- Until meat is no longer pink.
2. Drain grease- After removing from heat.
3. Mix in ingredients- This includes marinara sauce, cooked rice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning.
4. Stuff bell peppers- With this filling.
5. Fill bottom of crockpot- With marinara sauce and leftover filling.
6. Cover- And cook.
7. Sprinkle cheese- And cook further until it's melted.

Do You Have To Boil Peppers Before Stuffing Them?

No, you do not need to do this. They cook long enough in the slow cooker to become soft. It is also easier to stuff them if you do it when they are still raw because they are firm.

Why are my peppers watery?

This is often caused by too much liquid, or because the peppers weren't patted dry after washing. Make sure to dry off any excess water from the peppers because they will release a little more water as they cook.

How Long Does It Take To Soften Peppers in Slow Cooker?

Cook them on Low Heat for 4 hours.

What To Serve With Easy Crockpot Stuffed Peppers With Rice And Cheese?

This works as a main dish on its own but you can also add a few sides to make it even more filling.

Vegetables-

• Salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Cream Of Broccoli Soup
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

Bread-

• Cornbread
• Tortilla chips
• Garlic bread
• Breadsticks
• Dinner rolls
• Biscuit

Variations For Stuffed Green Pepper

Vegan/Vegetarian stuffed peppers- Leave out the ground beef and fill with more rice, or even use mushrooms in place of beef. Also, do not top with cheese or use vegan cheese instead.

Mexican peppers- Use Mexican seasoning, add black beans, corn, cilantro, and jalapenos if you like.

Chicken peppers- Use ground chicken in place of ground beef.

Turkey peppers- Substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.

Quinoa peppers- Use cooked quinoa in place of rice in the filling.

Sausage peppers- Use mild or spicy ground Italian sausage in addition to or in place of the ground beef.

Greek peppers- Use Greek seasonings and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to make the filling have a Greek flair and replace cheddar cheese with feta cheese.

Use cauliflower rice- If you want a low-carb version swap out regular rice for cauliflower rice.

Add mushrooms- Brown and dice your favorite mushroom and add it to the filling.

Top it- With avocado, Greek yogurt, or fresh herbs like cilantro or basil.

Make it spicy- Add red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or jalapeno slices for some heat.

Tips And Techniques

Drain grease- Because the stuffing will be too oily, runny, and greasy if you don't drain it.

Sometimes the green pepper can become bitter during cooking- This doesn't always happen, but if you want to avoid the possibility then use red and orange peppers. They taste great and are remain unaffected by bitterness.

Use cooked rice- Uncooked rice will not work in this recipe. It won't cook properly so make sure to use cooked rice.

Make sure to line the bottom of the crockpot with sauce and extra filling- Because this prevents the bell peppers from burning on the bottom.

Make sure to wash and pat the peppers dry- Any extra liquid will make the peppers watery and the filling runny.

Why isn't my cheese brown on top?  After adding the cheese, I was running out of time and decided to broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes to allow cheese to melt. Thus, you will see the dark spots on and around the cheese in the pictures. This won't happen if you melt cheese in slow cooker, as per the instructions stated in this recipe card.

When do you add cheese to the peppers? In the final 30 minutes, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each bell pepper.

Storage

Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freeze- In an air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Reheat- In the microwave.

More Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes

• Slow Cooker Frito Pie (Chili Pie)
• Slow Cooker Taco Meat (Ground Beef)
• Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
• Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy

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