I’m proud to cook the Southern foods I grew up on, like these Stuffed Peppers. I am so fortunate to have grown up with strong Southern women that could cook! Oh, my gosh, I continue to try to duplicate things my mother or grandmother made, like granny’s fried chicken. I will never know what she did to make that chicken so good!
Anyway, we’re not cooing chicken, but these Stuffed Peppers like the ones my mother made growing up. I added a few things different, but pretty much the same. These are the perfect comfort food specially when you add creamed new potatoes, fried okra, field peas with tomatoes and feta, and jalapeno cornbread. That’s a pretty southern meal.
the best stuffed peppers.
I decided to make these when a friend brought me okra, small bell peppers (perfect for me) and fresh tomatoes and cantaloupe from her garden. It just happened that I had received the latest edition of Southern Living, where I found recipes using the ingredients I had which inspired this meal and recipes.
It just made sense to make these to go along with the other vegetables. I promise you that I probably have had this meal or very similar my entire life! I don’t put rice in my peppers, it is basically a meat loaf that I’ve stuffed into a pepper. I had a combination of red and green! Perfect for my photos. I always par boil my peppers so they will be tender. These peppers were small but they would likely not be soft by the time the filling cooked. I cooked them in my Staub cookware. I only have 2 pieces and I got those on sale. The pieces I do have are small casserole dishes, but perfect for me. These are the sizes I have but they are in white. https://amzn.to/3ymUEUz.
the best stuffed peppers.
Serve these with mashed potatoes or my Creamed New Potatoes that I served them with! Delicious! these are delicious creamed new potatoes.
For the side dishes:
these are delicious creamed new potatoes.
Easy & Delicious, Jalapeno Cornbread from Jiffy Cornbread Mix
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 small bell peppers, red or green or combined
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp chopped onions
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion
- 1/4-1/2 finely chopped jalapeno (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Topping
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil with a large pinch of salt. Half your bell peppers down the middle through the stem. Remove the seeds and the membranes. Add the peppers to the water and par boil about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes (longer if they are larger peppers). Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl like you are making a meatloaf. Add the topping ingredients to a bowl.
- In a casserole dish just large enough to hold the peppers. Add a small amount of the topping sauce to the bottom of the pan with a little water. Divided the meat mixture among the 4 halves. They will be pretty full. Top each of the peppers with a little of the sauce.
- Place in the oven and cook about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the remaining sauce and cook an additional 15 minutes until done. You can tell if the peppers are done with a meat thermometer or when you press on the top they will be firm. If your peppers are large, you likely will need more cook time.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Becky, have you used ground turkey for this recipe?
Connie, I have not but I think Turkey and chicken would be good. There are so many flavors and the added tomato sauce will keep it from being dry. Plus the topping adds even more moisture a d flavor.