Slow and Savory Stuffed Peppers

Jump to recipe

Fall is upon us y’all! I’m so excited to get back into slow cooker season. In reality, the crockpot can be used year-round but fall for me signifies the beginning of my favorite appliances busy season. Time to put it to work! I’ve posted over one hundred recipes since this humble blog has begun. Prior to this adventure I was just cooking away in my little kitchen and posting pictures of food on my own personal social media. In an effort to make something different, I’ve realized I’ve missed out on sharing some of my go-to’s before the blog. This week I am pleased to not only share but also devour my Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers. I can’t believe this is the first time you’re all experiencing this recipe but trust me, it was worth the wait!

I’ve made this recipe over a dozen times and it never fails. Based on time constraints I tend to cook the peppers on high for three or four hours. I also decided over time to make the meat mixture a cross between Italian sausage and ground beef. I think it does a lot for the flavor of the pepper as a whole. It is important to note that internal meat temperature is crucial when making these stuffed veggies. There have been quite a few times where I thought the meat was done but in fact, it was not. I’m looking forward to utilizing my meat thermometer to ensure these peppers are cooked to perfection!

The finishing touches are my favorite in this recipe. These bad boys taste fantastic on their own. If you can’t wait, don’t worry you’re in for a treat. I, however, like to warm up the broiler in my oven and top my peppers with some mozzarella cheese. Then I broil until the cheese is sufficiently melted. It just adds a little extra pizazz to an already excellent dish!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

What You Need:

4 to 6 medium green bell peppers
1/2 pound ground beef (lean)
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
1/2 large onion (finely chopped)
1 1/2 cups brown or white rice (cooked)
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced.
1 (32 to 42-ounce) jar marinara sauce
Mozzarella cheese, optional

Instructions:
Click here to Cook With Me!

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ground sausage, finely chopped onion, cooked rice, garlic, and seasonings until well blended.
Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and fibers.
Stuff the peppers with equal portions of the ground beef and rice mixture.
Place the stuffed peppers in a crockpot; cover with the spaghetti sauce.
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.
To check for doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 160 F.
Top with mozzarella cheese and place in an oven on a baking sheet with the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. (Optional)
Serve and enjoy!

Cook With Me:

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ground sausage, finely chopped onion, cooked rice, garlic, and seasonings until well blended.
Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and fibers.
Stuff the peppers with equal portions of the ground beef and rice mixture.
Place the stuffed peppers in a crockpot; cover with the spaghetti sauce.
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.
To check for doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 160 F.
Top with mozzarella cheese and place in an oven on a baking sheet with the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. (Optional)
Serve and enjoy!