Italian Stuffed Peppers

An Italian Stuffed Green Bell Pepper topped with cheese with a fork full of a bite of filling on a white rimmed plate.

5 from 6 votes

Filled with protein, ooey-gooey cheesy goodness, and some extra, secret hidden veggies, these Italian Stuffed Peppers are a family favorite! An easy to make lunch or dinner recipe that's perfect for meal prep!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 40

Total Time1 50

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 365kcal

Author: Nancylynn

Ingredients

4 large green bell peppers tops, ribs and seeds removed
1 lb extra lean grass fed ground beef
2 cups homemade or no sugar added tomato sauce we love Rao's
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion chopped
2 cups shredded zucchini or zoodles
1 1/3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash peppers and dry very well with kitchen or paper towel.
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onions until meat is cooked through. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add in the zucchini, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, 2/3 cup of the shredded cheese and simmer for 2-3 minutes on medium low heat. Taste filling and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
Spray a square baking dish with olive oil cooking spray and set peppers upright. Fill them with the meat and veggie mixture and top each with remaining tomato sauce. I usually add some sauce to the bottom of the tray, as well. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes or refrigerate/freeze until you are ready to bake.
After 35 minutes, uncover peppers and top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and peppers are fork tender.
Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy.

Notes

21 Day Fix: 1 RED, 2 GREEN, 1 BLUE (per serving)

WW: 8 points (per serving) [Calculated using 95% ground beef and reduced fat Italian cheese blend]

Tips:

If you plan to batch these Italian peppers for the freezer, instead of cutting the tops off and filling the inside, you can cut the peppers in half and diving the filling and cheese amongst the halves instead. They are easier to lay flat and freeze this way.

If you have picky kids who don't like green peppers, serve the filling over rice or noodles with some extra sauce for an easy variation that doesn't make you feel like a short order cook.

Nutrition