Pizza Stuffed Peppers

Yield: 6 servings

Give your stuffed peppers a pizza-style upgrade.

Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked (1/2 cup dry) white rice

• 3 red or green bell peppers

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90/10)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/4 cups pizza or marinara sauce, divided

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• 9 slices pepperoni, cut into quarters, or about 36 mini pepperoni

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Chopped fresh basil, optional, for serving

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice: If you don't have cooked rice on hand, cook the rice.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

3. Prep the peppers: Wash the peppers and slice them in half from the stem to the base. Clean out the inside of each pepper, removing the membrane and seeds. Set aside.

4. Make the filling: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil or butter. Cook the onion and garlic until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until evenly browned. While cooking, season with the salt and pepper. Drain off excess grease, if desired. Remove from the heat. Stir in half of the sauce, the cooked rice, and Italian seasoning.

5. Stuff the peppers: Spread the remaining sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the prepared peppers open-side up in the dish. Use a measuring cup or spoon to divide the ground beef mixture evenly between the peppers.

6. Bake the peppers: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake the peppers for 25 minutes. Remove the foil. Top each stuffed pepper with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve warm, garnished with basil if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Source: Simply Recipes

#healthycooking #healthyrecipes #highprotein