Stuffed Bell Pepper Bowl
About This Dish
I'll be honest—I started making this because I had bell peppers that were about to go bad, and I didn't want to waste them. But it turned into one of my favorite quick meals. The idea is simple: instead of stuffing the peppers and baking them (which takes forever), you just cook everything in a pan and serve it in a bowl. The peppers get soft and sweet, the rice soaks up all the juices, and if you add some ground meat or beans, you've got a complete meal in one dish. It's colorful, it's healthy, and it's the kind of thing you can make with whatever you have on hand. Plus, it looks way more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
Flavors
Nutrition Information
Ingredients
- Bell peppers (mixed colors)
- Cooked rice
- Ground turkey or black beans
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Corn
- Black beans (if not using meat)
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Cheese (optional)
- Cilantro
Instructions
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1
Start with cooked rice. Leftover rice works great here, actually better than fresh because it won't get mushy.
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2
Dice your bell peppers. You want them in small pieces, maybe half an inch or so. Mix the colors if you have them—it looks prettier.
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3
Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until it starts to soften, maybe 3-4 minutes.
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4
Add your ground meat (or skip this if you're going vegetarian). Cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
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5
Add the bell peppers and garlic. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until the peppers start to soften but still have some crunch.
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6
Add your spices—cumin, paprika, salt, pepper. Stir everything together and let the spices toast for a minute.
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7
Add diced tomatoes and corn. If you're using black beans instead of meat, add them now too.
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8
Stir in your cooked rice. Mix everything together and let it heat through. If it seems dry, add a splash of water or broth.
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9
Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with cheese if you want, let it melt, then finish with fresh cilantro.
Cooking Tips
- Use leftover rice if you have it. Fresh rice can get a bit sticky, but day-old rice has the perfect texture for this.
- Don't overcook the peppers. You want them soft but not mushy—they should still have some texture.
- If you're using ground meat, make sure to break it up well as it cooks. You want small pieces, not big clumps.
- This is super flexible. Don't have corn? Skip it. Want to add mushrooms? Go for it. Make it yours.
Quick Summary
Start with cooked rice. Dice your bell peppers.
