Ingredients:

  • 6 large bell peppers (various colors)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage, or plant-based ground) (450g)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup cooked white rice (100g)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (411g)
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (226g)
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1.25 ml)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50g)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (100g)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the baking dish. Clean and prepare bell peppers by removing the tops and seeds. Trim bottoms if needed so they stand up right.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the meat. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ground meat mixture, cooked rice, diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
  5. Spoon the filling generously into each bell pepper, packing it lightly.
  6. Arrange the stuffed peppers in the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of each pepper. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the peppers are tender. Check peppers with a fork.
  8. Let the peppers rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.