Single Serving Stuffed Bell Pepper for dinner is easy and pretty darn tasty. This recipe is straight from the back of an old #10 envelope from my Mom’s recipe collection and it never fails. I make my stuffed peppers without rice in the beef mixture and instead serve my garlic butter rice as a side dish.
Try these roasted tomatoes to add extra flavor to the ground beef mixture.
Why you will like this recipe
Making the peppers in a slow cooker removes the need to blanch the pepper before cooking. Slow and low melds the flavors and softens the pepper nicely.
Click the recipe link at the top of the page to go straight to the printable recipe card which includes ingredient amounts with a detailed ingredient list, instructions, and recipe notes. You can also scroll through the post for helpful tips and step-by-step instructions. The recipe card is located at the bottom of the post.
Ingredients Notes
1 large green Bell Pepper, top and stem removed, seeded
1/3 pound Ground Beef
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
4-5 cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Chili powder
1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
1/2 cup Water
- Ground Beef – I use ground beef but a ground turkey is also very good. You don’t need much, a 1/4 pound is perfect for two stuffed bell peppers
- Bell Peppers – I tend to go with the green bell peppers, but the red and orange are also very good and have a sweeter taste.
- Tomatoes – Very flavorful cherry or grape tomatoes or you can use a canned diced tomato.
- Tomato Paste: The tube paste is great because you only use what you need, no waste.
- Seasonings: Salt & pepper to season the ground beef to bring out the flavor and chili, onion, and garlic powder to really add some spice to the filling.
Recipe Directions
(Note: please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the complete written instructions.)
Step One: Wash the green pepper and cut off the top and stem. Remove the ribs and seeds.
Step Two: In a skillet season the beef with salt and black pepper and brown until ground beef is thoroughly cooked.
Step Three: Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings to the ground beef and stir to combine
Step Four: Add the water to the bottom of a 2-quart slow cooker. Place the filled peppers into the bottom of the slow cooker. Spoon the beef mixture into the bell peppers. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. The peppers should be tender.
Tools Used
A small 8-inch skillet is big enough to cook up the beef filling and a 2-quart slow cooker holds the green pepper perfectly.
Recipe Tips
- Red, orange, and yellow peppers are sweeter than green peppers
- If the pepper is wobbly, trim a little of the bottom to even it out, but don’t cut through the pepper. If you do cut a hole in the bottom, use some of the pepper from the top to cover it up so the filling doesn’t leak out during cooking.
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
Start with a simple green salad and serve some roasted carrots as a side dish. I like my rice on the side and often serve it with this garlic butter rice.
How to store leftovers
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To reheat place in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with a little water to steam the pepper and rice.
To freeze the cooked pepper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and cover with aluminum foil and freeze for up to six months. When ready to eat place the frozen pepper in a baking dish and heat in a 350° F oven for about 30 minutes or until thawed and hot.
9 Ways to cook and use leftover ground beef
- Use it to make tacos or burritos.
- Mix it with pasta and marinara sauce for a quick and easy meal.
- Use it as a topping for a pizza or in a calzone.
- Mix it with eggs and milk to make a savory breakfast hash
- Use it to make a shepherd’s pie or a cottage pie.
- Mix it with some beans and vegetables to make a hearty chili or stew.
- Use it to make a small meatloaf.
- Add it to a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and cheese.
- Use it to make a sloppy joe sandwich or a bun-less burger.
STUFFED BELL PEPPERS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, stir in the cooked rice to the ground beef mixture right before filling the bell pepper.
For the best flavor, ground beef should have enough fat, I suggest an 80/20 fat content.
Yes, but add additional spice because turkey meat is going to be a little on the bland side. Also to help avoid the mixture drying out, add a bit of water when stuffing the pepper.
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Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Pepper for One
Ingredients
- 1 large green Bell Pepper top and stem removed, seeded
- ⅓ pound Ground Beef
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 4-5 cherry or grape tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- Wash the green pepper and cut off the top and stem. Remove the ribs and seeds.
- In a skillet, season the beef with salt and peppers and brown and cook the beef thoroughly.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and the seasonings to the ground beef and stir to combine.
- Spoon the beef mixture into the bell pepper.
- Add the water to the bottom of a 2-quart slow cooker. Place the filled peppers into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. The peppers should be tender and the rice fully cooked.
Notes
- Look for large, round, and firm bell peppers that can stand on their own. The larger and rounder the pepper, the more filling it can hold.
- Since the slow cooker will be cooking at a low temperature, precook the ground beef.
- Though not necessary, parboiling the peppers for a few minutes can make them a bit more tender. If you prefer a more crisp-tender pepper, you can skip this step.
- Don’t be afraid to season your filling generously. The bell peppers themselves are fairly mild in flavor, so a flavorful filling is key.
- Overcooking the peppers in the slow cooker can make them too soft and they can lose their shape. Typically, 3-4 hours on low should be enough.
- Place the pepper standing upright in the slow cooker. If you have trouble making them stand, you can trim a small amount from the bottom to create a flat base. But be careful not to create a hole where the filling could leak out.
- After cooking, allow the bell pepper to rest for a few minutes before serving. This will help the flavors meld together and the peppers to firm up a bit, making them easier to serve.
Nutrition
Food safety
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
I made the cottage pie for one so good and just right for me.
Thanks for great receipes for single people.