Cheese-Stuffed Beef Peppers

Bell peppers generously stuffed with a savory mixture of 93/7 lean ground beef, creamy cottage cheese, rice, and herbs, baked until tender, and served with a simple marinara sauce.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 50 min
• Total: 1 hr 20 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: American
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.07/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• classic
• comfort food
• savory
• bake
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 6 bell peppers (large, tops removed and cored)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pound ground beef (93/7 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5-ounce, undrained)
• 1 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 jar marinara sauce (24-ounce)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. While prepping, cook 1 cup uncooked white rice according to package directions. Set aside once cooked.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the bell peppers for 3-5 minutes until slightly tender but still firm. Remove and let drain, setting aside for stuffing.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
5. Add the yellow onion and garlic to the skillet with the beef and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained), 1 cup cooked white rice, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well to combine.
7. Evenly stuff each bell pepper with the beef and rice mixture.
8. Pour the marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place the stuffed bell peppers upright in the sauce.
9. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
10. Serve hot, spooning extra marinara sauce over the peppers if desired.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or oven. For quicker preparation, pre-cook your rice ahead of time.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 502
• Protein: 38.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 51.3 g
• Fat: 15.4 g
• Fiber: 5.7 g
• Sodium: 1329 mg
• Saturated Fat: 6.1 g
• Sugar: 9.9 g
• Cholesterol: 86 mg