Ness's Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

By Diana Rattray

Updated 09/22/18

Stuffed Green Peppers With Ground Beef

The Spruce 

Ratings (96)
  • Total: 6 hrs 15 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 6 hrs
  • Yield: 4 Servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
644 Calories
17g Fat
78g Carbs
41g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ness's tasty slow cooker stuffed peppers are made with a classic filling mixture of ground beef and rice. A jar of prepared spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce makes this dish particularly easy.

Prepare the dish and put everything in the slow cooker before you leave for work and you'll have dinner ready when you get home! Add a salad and mashed potatoes for a fabulous everyday meal.

Readers and people who have used this recipe had a number of suggestions for changes, including different types and flavors of rice, other sauces, and some excellent seasoning ideas. See the tips and variations below the recipe instructions for some possible substitutions and flavor ideas.

Since the ground beef is not browned ahead of time, I would use at least 90% lean beef in this recipe. Ground turkey would make a good, lean filling as well.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium green bell peppers (or use multicolored)
  • 1 pound ground beef (lean)
  • 1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cups rice (cooked)
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt ​(or a Creole seasoning blend)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (32-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (or marinara sauce)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

     The Spruce

  2. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, finely chopped onion, cooked rice, and seasonings until well blended.

    Ground beef for stuffed peppers.
     The Spruce

  3. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and fibers.

    Cleaned out bell peppers.
     The Spruce

  4. Stuff the peppers with equal portions of the ground beef and rice mixture.

    Uncooked stuffed peppers.
     The Spruce

  5. Place the stuffed peppers in a crockpot; cover with the spaghetti sauce.

    Stuffed peppers and tomato sauce.
     The Spruce

  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Or until the ground beef is thoroughly cooked and the peppers are tender.

    Stuffed peppers in the slow cooker.
     The Spruce

  7. To check for doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 160 F (71 C) or 165 F (74 C) for ground turkey.

    Slow cooker stuffed peppers.
     The Spruce

  8. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Variations

  • Substitute 1 cup of uncooked white or brown Minute Rice for the cooked rice.

  • Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey in the filling.

  • Substitute an (8.8-ounce) package of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice for the cooked rice.

  • Substitute 1 (14.5 -ounce) can of diced tomatoes and 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed tomato soup for the spaghetti sauce. Combine the two in a bowl and pour over the peppers.

  • Chop the tops of the peppers finely and add them to the filling or to the sauce mixture.

  • Instead of plain white rice, add cooked Mexican or Spanish rice to the beef mixture. Use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice or Rice-a-Roni brand.

  • For Tex-Mex or Mexican flavors, substitute 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of chili style or Mexican style tomatoes for the spaghetti sauce.

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