Chef John’s Stuffed Peppers

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Description

This recipe’s roots can be traced back to the Great Depression, when farmers first began selling the unripe peppers out of necessity. Of course, we did what Americans always do when faced with a new variety of food, we stuffed meat in it.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • ¼ pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
  • 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
  • 4 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for topping

Instructions

  1. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low
  2. cover
  3. and simmer until the rice is tender
  4. and the liquid has been absorbed
  5. 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
  6. Meanwhile
  7. preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  8. Make sauce: Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften
  9. about 5 minutes. Transfer 1/2 of the cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
  10. Stir marinara sauce
  11. beef broth
  12. balsamic vinegar
  13. and red pepper flakes into the skillet with cooked onion; cook and stir for 1 minute.
  14. Pour sauce mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  15. Combine ground beef
  16. Italian sausage
  17. diced tomatoes
  18. Italian parsley
  19. garlic
  20. salt
  21. black pepper
  22. and cayenne pepper into the bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff green bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
  23. Place stuffed green bell pepper halves in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano
  24. cover baking dish with aluminum foil
  25. and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
  26. Remove aluminum foil and bake until the meat is no longer pink
  27. the green peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top
  28. an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Servings: 8

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