Description
A delicious and unique recipe combining smoky BBQ flavors with stuffed bell peppers, filled with a savory meatloaf mixture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), tops removed and seeds discarded
- 1.1 pounds ground beef (80% lean)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Set oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray to fit peppers upright.
- Prepare Peppers: Slice off the tops of each bell pepper. Remove seeds and inner membranes, then set peppers aside.
- Mix Meatloaf Filling: Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, whole milk, parsley, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a large mixing bowl. Mix until just incorporated; avoid overmixing.
- Stuff Peppers: Evenly fill each prepared pepper with the meat mixture, gently mounding at the top. Arrange peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
- First Bake and Glaze: Brush the tops of each stuffed pepper with 2 tablespoons of the remaining barbecue sauce. Loosely cover the dish with foil.
- Bake Covered: Bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes. Remove foil when finished.
- Final Glaze and Cheese Topping: Brush peppers with the remaining barbecue sauce and top each with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake Uncovered: Return dish to oven, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese has melted and peppers are tender.
- Rest and Serve: Allow peppers to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, substitute ground beef with a plant-based meat alternative.
- Feel free to add more spices to adjust the heat level to your liking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg