Stuffed Peppers with Minced Beef and Rice

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated mozzarella

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

minced beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Canola oil is a more budget-friendly cooking oil.

rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: bulgur

Bulgur is often cheaper and cooks faster than rice.

Rinse 175 g of basmati rice until the water runs clear, changing the water four or five times.

Drain the rice and place it in a pot with 2 cups of cold water; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let the rice sit covered for another 10 minutes; then fluff with a fork and let cool.

Chop 1 medium onion and a couple of basil leaves into small pieces.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet; add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.

If using garlic, add it after 5 minutes and cook for another minute.

Add 200 g of minced beef to the skillet and cook until browned, stirring frequently.

Stir in tomato puree and a teaspoon of yeast extract; let the mixture cook gently for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add ground black pepper to taste; you may not need salt due to the yeast extract's saltiness.

Once the meat mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the cooled rice and set aside.

Prepare the bell peppers by cutting the tops off and removing the cores; trim the bottoms if necessary to make them stand upright.

Place the stuffed peppers upright in an ovenproof casserole dish; press the filling down to eliminate air pockets.

Add about 1 cm (half an inch) of boiling water to the bottom of the dish; optionally, place the tops back on the peppers and loosely cover with foil.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (200°C for conventional ovens, gas mark 6) and bake for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, check the peppers; if they are not tender, return them to the oven for an additional 20 minutes at 200°C (220°C for conventional ovens, gas mark 7).

Once cooked, remove the peppers from the oven and top with grated cheddar cheese; place under the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens