Aside from boasting a delectable, Italian-inspired flavor, this easy recipe for meat and rice-stuffed peppers is perfect for meal prep. Whip up the filling and assemble your peppers over a lazy weekend, then all you have to do is pop them in the air fryer when you’re ready! For more easy dinner recipes, check out my stuffed acorn squash, air fryer chicken parmesan, or honey garlic chicken next.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Whole bell peppers – you’re welcome to use any color you like. Green bell peppers taste slightly earthier, whereas red, orange, and yellow are sweeter. Be sure you buy fresh bell peppers, as older, softer, wrinkled ones won’t hold up too well during cooking. Yellow onion – want to save on prep time? Opt for frozen diced onions. If you don’t have yellow onions, white, sweet, or red onions will work great. Ground beef – I personally prefer lean ground beef (around 90/10) for this recipe, but you’re welcome to use whatever percentage you prefer. You can also swap in ground turkey or ground chicken, but don’t opt for extra-lean which can end up tasting dry. Alternatively, you can use Italian sausage that has been removed from its casing — just adjust the added salt down as needed. Garlic – fresh cloves are best, but jarred minced garlic or frozen garlic paste is a good substitute. You can also use approximately ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove. Italian seasoning – fresh out? You can make your own by mixing 2 parts of dried basil with 1 part each of dried oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cooked rice – feel free to use white or brown rice here. So long as it’s cooked, it’ll work beautifully! I love using leftover rice as a time saver. Colby jack cheese – you’re welcome to swap in the melty cheese of your choice (e.g. fiery pepperjack, sharp cheddar, or mild mozzarella cheese).
How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Slice a sliver off the bottom of each pepper to create a sturdy base so they can stand up. Slice about 1/2-inch off the tops of bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. Chop the tops from around the stem.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes. Stand the pepper shells up in the air fryer basket. Cook until mostly tender, about 10 minutes. Pour out any accumulated liquid from inside the peppers.
- While the peppers cook, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and chopped peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until browned and crumbly, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the rice. Let cool slightly. Fold in 1 cup of the cheese.
- Spoon approximately 1 cup of filling into each pepper. Top each with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Air fry at 380°F until the cheese is melted and browned, about 2 minutes.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Preheating is a good idea. Air fryers don’t technically have to be preheated, but I find that the timing is more consistent when I do preheat them. Repurpose any extra filling! Depending on the size of the peppers, you may have some filling left over. You can save it to make stuffed peppers again later in the week, or you can use it to top chips for nachos! Stir in a little taco seasoning and black beans for extra flavor when reheating the filling. Make ahead. Feel free to cook the beef and rice filling and assemble the peppers up to 3 days ahead of time, then air fry them when you’re ready for dinner! Shred your own cheese. It both tastes better and melts better.
If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
