This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
About This Recipe
If you love rich, slow-simmered Bolognese sauce and the natural sweetness of roasted bell peppers, this recipe is for you! These Bolognese Stuffed Peppers take all the comforting flavors of an Italian-style meat sauce and tuck them into tender, roasted peppers for a satisfying and nutritious meal.
I loved this quick meal for busy weeknights or meal prepping. You can easily make this dish ahead of time or freeze for a later date!
Plus, these peppers are super customizable! Feel free to switch up the ground meat you use, add rice or extra veggies (since these peppers are naturally low carb), or serve with your favorite sides like roasted veggies or a side salad!
And if you have some extra ground beef on hand, check out my Baked Ravioli Casserole, Pizza Casserole with Biscuits or my Cottage Cheese Lasagna!
Why You’ll Love These Bolognese Stuffed Peppers
- Comforting twist: The classic bolognese sauce gives these healthy stuffed peppers a unique, comforting twist! Guaranteed to be a new favorite!
- Nutritious and filling: Packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins from the peppers, this dish is a wholesome meal that’s healthy and satisfying.
- Make-ahead friendly: A good recipe for meal prep! You can assemble them in advance and bake when ready or freeze for later.
- Customizable: Easily swap the ground beef for turkey, chicken, or a vegetarian alternative like black beans! You can also add rice to make these peppers even heartier!
- Dinner time crowd pleaser: Whether you’re serving these for a quick family dinner or meal prep, these stuffed peppers are a hit every time!
- Bell peppers: Any color bell peppers work! Red, yellow and orange are sweeter peppers than green bell peppers so just use your preference of you can use a variety.
- Olive oil: Or use your favorite cooking oil.
- Garlic and onion: You know I’m such a fan of the frozen garlic cubes for recipes (or fresh minced also works). You can also grab a bag of the chopped frozen onions to save time!
- Ground beef: I used 93/7 lean ground beef. You could also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste: My secret weapon to making these bell peppers taste gourmet in no time? Using a high quality canned tomato like Muir Glen! I think they have the best tomato sauce and paste.
- Milk or heavy cream: Optional but helps make the bolognese sauce creamier!
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and a pinch of pepper.
- Cheeses: Mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese and freshly grated parmesan cheese. For optimal cheesiness, use a block of cheese and shredded yourself. Pre-shredded cheese just doesn’t melt the same!
- Add rice: Mix cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous into the filling to make these peppers more hearty.
- Spinach: Saute some spinach and kale with your garlic and onion for extra veggies!
- Protein: Feel free to sub the ground beef with ground turkey, ground chicken or sausage if you prefer. You can also do a mix of sausage and beef for a more traditional bolognese taste if you prefer.
- Vegetarian options: Sub the beef for meatless crumbles or lentils to make these peppers vegetarian.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch dish. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise (through the stem) and scoop out the flesh and seeds. Carefully cut out any thick parts of the pepper so there’s enough room.
2. Place peppers cut side down in the baking dish. Drizzle with one teaspoon olive oil, brush all over, then season with 1/2 tsp salt + a little black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes then remove and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft.
4. Add the ground beef. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper (each). Cook until no pink remains, breaking the beef into crumbles as you go
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, milk or cream (if using), Italian seasoning, dried basil and crushed red pepper.
6. Stir until combined, reduce heat to low and cook until just starting to bubble.
7. Flip the peppers and stuff them all with the bolognese. Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar evenly over top, gently pressing in to help it stay, then sprinkle with parmesan.
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Broil for a few minutes at the end if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 4-6 minutes or until warmed through.
To freeze: Make sure the peppers are cooled completely then you can wrap the entire 9×13 inch dish up or wrap the peppers individually. Make sure to get as much air out as possible to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in oven at 350F until heated through.
Helpful Tips
- Pre-cook peppers: If you prefer very tender peppers, roast them in the oven for 10 minutes before stuffing. You can also blanch them but I find pre-baking them is easiest and doesn’t require an additional pot.
- Drain excess liquid: If your Bolognese sauce is too liquidy, let it simmer a little longer to thicken. You can also drain the excess liquid before adding to the peppers. A drier filling prevents soggy peppers.
- Don’t overfill peppers: Be careful not to overstuff the peppers. Add the filling until just the top. Overfilling may cause spilling while baking.
- Prep ahead: Prepare and stuff the peppers ahead of time, then store them in the fridge (up to 24 hours) or freeze them to save time!
Can I use a different protein for these bell peppers?
Yes! You can use any meat of choice for these easy stuffed bell peppers. Ground chicken, turkey, sausage would also work well. Or use meatless crumbles to make this dish vegetarian.
What type of peppers to use for these bolognese stuffed peppers?
Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange or green) work best due to their size and sweetness. Orange, yellow or red peppers are sweeter, while green is slightly bitter.
Do I have to cook these peppers before stuffing them?
Technically, you don’t have to pre-bake the peppers, although I prefer to pre-bake them because I prefer softer peppers. You can also blanch them before stuffing or leave them uncooked if you like a crisper pepper.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Bolognese Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15g) divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion (170g) finely chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef I used 93%
- 1/2 tsp salt & black pepper
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 4 oz. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream optional
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning & dried basil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch dish.
- Cut the peppers in half lengthwise (through the stem) and scoop out the flesh and seeds. Carefully cut out any thick parts of the pepper so there’s enough room.
- Place peppers cut side down in the dish. Drizzle with one teaspoon olive oil, brush all over, then season with 1/2 tsp salt + a little black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes then remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft. Add the ground beef. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper (each). Cook until no longer pink, breaking the beef into crumbles as you go.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, milk or cream (if using), Italian seasoning, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Stir until combined, reduce heat to low and cook until just starting to bubble.
- Flip the peppers and stuff them all with the bolognese. Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar evenly over top, gently pressing in to help it stay, then sprinkle with parmesan.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Broil for a few minutes at the end if desired.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
