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Meatball Stuffed Peppers

Homemade Meatball Stuffed Peppers topped with melted cheese and parsley garnish in a baking dish
  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  30 min

Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers, at least 5 inches tall
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1½ pounds 90/10 ground beef
  • ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
  • 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil, chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Prepare the bell peppers. Trim ½ inch off the top and bottom of each bell pepper. Set the bell pepper tops and bottoms aside for now—you'll need them to make the filling. Scrape any seeds or white pith from each bell pepper. Slice the bell peppers in half to make 8 rings, about 2 inches high. Nestle the bell pepper rings into a 9x13 baking dish.

  3. Make the filling. Remove the bell pepper bottoms and tops from the stem and discard the stems. Finely chop the bell peppers. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the finely chopped bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.

  4. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until combined. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, the cooled bell pepper-onion mixture, and ½ cup of the shredded cheese to the bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer or with your hands until the ingredients are incorporated.

  5. Divide the filling evenly between the bell pepper rings, pressing the “meatball” into the center of each pepper.

  6. Place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Then, top the stuffed bell peppers with the remaining cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the filling reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the cheese is bubbly and melted.

  7. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil if using.