Stuffed Peppers (Slow-Cooker)

Stuffed bell peppers are an easy make ahead dinner and a great way to use up leftovers. They can easily be popped into the slow cooker or the oven. Slow cookers make them a little easier - there is no need to parboil or precook the peppers. This is a traditional recipe, but slow cooker stuffed peppers are even easier if you plan ahead to use leftovers. A favourite method is to make a double batch of Sloppy Joes one night and reserve half the sauce for stuffed peppers later in the week. Or try mixing leftover taco meat or slow cooker chili with rice, beans, salsa and cilantro to make a great Southwestern Stuffed Pepper. Almost any combination of flavours, meats, or sauces work.

2 cups rice, cooked
6 bell peppers, green, red, yellow, or orange
½ cup bell peppers, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped (+ more for garnish)
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasonings
1 tsp. sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
8 oz tomato sauce

Garnish:
fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Cook the rice if needed.

Cut tops of bell peppers off (save them) and remove and discard the stems. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can. Finely chop the bell pepper tops and set aside.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, brown the meat, drain and set aside. In the same pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and chopped bell pepper tops and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the meat, garlic, Parmesan, parsley, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Pour enough water into the slow cooker to just cover the bottom. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.

Right before serving, open the slow cooker and top the peppers with cheese. Recover and let cook a few more minutes until cheese melts. Use a slotted spoon to lift the peppers from the slow cooker. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• If using leftovers from another recipe, make adjustments as needed. For example, if using Sloppy Joe meat sauce, just mix it with the rice and diced bell pepper tops (no need to sauté), then stuff your peppers and follow the rest of the recipe.
• Substitute different starches as desired: rice, bulgar, couscous, or quinoa.
• If you need to cut down on prep time, you can use frozen rice or quinoa. This option is not as budget-friendly as cooking your own.
• If your slow cooker is a too big to hold the peppers upright or if the peppers are awkward shapes, you can ball up parchment paper to help keep the peppers in place. Or you can put a smaller dish into the slow cooker to hold the peppers upright. Learn more on slow cooker safety.
• If you want to cook stuffed peppers in a regular oven, before stuffing you’ll parboil the peppers in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels. Stuff, cover with cheese, and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).