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Mini Stuffed Peppers

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5 from 3 reviews

Stuffed mini peppers with ground meat, rice and vegetables are so cute and delicious. Baked in a creamy tomato sauce and served with sour cream, they are great served as an appetizer or entree.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 – 2 lbs mini peppers, stems and seeds removed
  • 1/4 cup long grain rice uncooked (or 3/4–1 cup cooked)
  • 1 lb ground meat (ground pork, beef, turkey, chicken, etc.)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter or oil (for sautéing vegetables), plus another teaspoon for the sauce
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus a little bit more for carrots and onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus a little bit more for carrots and onions
  • 4–6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) canned tomatoes (diced, crushed) or tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
  • 1/2 Tablespoon dry herbs and spices, such as granulated onion and garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc.
  • Sour cream and fresh herbs, such as parsley and/or dill, to serve with the finished dish

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice until slightly underdone. You can also use leftover cooked rice.
  2. Heat butter or oil in a skillet. Add the onions, carrot and celery, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, sautéed veggies and 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4-1/2 cup of water. You can also add some of your favorite dry herbs and spices as well.
  4. Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds.
  5. Fill the peppers with the meat and rice mixture.
  6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Meanwhile, in the same skillet that you sautéed the veggies, add about 1 teaspoon of oil, then add the minced garlic right to the oil. Cook, stirring for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes or the tomato sauce, mixing to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Cover immediately because it will bubble and make a mess.  Cook, at a simmer, for about 5 minutes if you’re using tomato sauce and about 15 minutes if you’re using canned tomatoes.
  8. Add the heavy cream, the dry herbs and fresh herbs to the sauce off the heat. Stir to combine. Pour most of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. (I save some to serve with the peppers later or you can pour the remaining sauce on top.)
  9. Nestle the stuffed peppers into the sauce.
  10. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour, depending on the size of your peppers. (You can cover the baking dish with aluminum foil or a lid and they will cook through faster.)
  11. Garnish with more fresh herbs. Serve the stuffed peppers with the tomato sauce and sour cream.
  12. Store leftover stuffed peppers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the peppers for up to 3 months.
  13. Reheat leftovers in the microwave, in a skillet on the stovetop or even in the oven.

Find it online: https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/recipes/main-course/mini-stuffed-peppers/