Pizza Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

These Pizza Stuffed Peppers are perfect for dinner! They're made with ground beef, mushrooms, spinach, and olives and baked in tomato sauce.

These Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers are basically a pizza in stuffed pepper form. They're made with all of your favorite pizza toppings like mushrooms, onions, green olives, and cheese and then baked in pizza sauce.

Stuffed peppers are one of my all-time favorite meals and I look forward to enjoying them every year during the late summer months. I make sure that there are a few bell pepper plants in our garden each summer for the sole purpose of stuffing them with a bunch of tasty fillings.

The great thing about stuffed peppers is that they are incredibly versatile - you can stuff them with just about anything. They're often stuffed with some combination of ground meat, rice or grains, beans or lentils, and fresh vegetables. I love to bake them in a casserole dish in the oven along with some sort of sauce so that they stay moist.

This version is made with bell peppers that are stuffed with ground beef that's sauteed along with garlic and onions, mushrooms, spinach, and green olives. It's flavored simply with some Italian seasoning and then baked along with pizza sauce for extra flavor. These peppers are topped with melted cheese and garnished with fresh basil.

This dish is everything that's delicious about pizza without the actual crust (not that I have any issue with a good pizza crust). It's naturally gluten free and low carb, but the one thing that this meal does not skimp on, however, is flavor!

Jump to:

• Should Peppers Be Cooked Before Stuffing?
• Ingredients For Pizza Stuffed Peppers
• Does Ground Beef Need To Be Cooked Before Stuffing Peppers?
• How To Make The Ground Beef Filling
• How To Make Pizza Stuffed Peppers
• How Long Does It Take To Cook Stuffed Peppers?
• What To Serve With Stuffed Peppers
• How Long Do Stuffed Peppers Last In The Fridge?
• Can They Be Frozen?
• Pizza Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

Should Peppers Be Cooked Before Stuffing?

Some recipes call for boiling, parboiling, or baking the bell peppers before stuffing them to help them soften during the cooking process.

It is not necessary to boil or par cook the peppers before stuffing them. These Pizza Stuffed Peppers are baked in pizza sauce, which helps to provide moisture and soften them during the cooking process, eliminating the need to par cook them first.

To ensure that the peppers soften during the cooking process, simply cover the casserole dish with tinfoil while baking. This helps to "steam" them and prevents them from drying out.

If you find that the peppers are too crunchy at the end of the cook time, all you need to do is to bake them for a few more minutes, or until they reach your desired tenderness.

Ingredients For Pizza Stuffed Peppers

Here's what you'll need to make them.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 1 8 oz. package Mushrooms (such as white button or cremini)
• 2 packed cups Spinach (or hearty greens of choice)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 3 Bell Peppers (any color - red, orange, or yellow are best)
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ¼ tsp. Pepper (split)
• 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 - 1 ¼ lbs. Lean Ground Beef (or turkey)
• 1 14 oz. jar Pizza Sauce
• ½ cup Green Manzanilla Olives (chopped) (or olives of choice)
• 1 ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil for garnish (optional)

Does Ground Beef Need To Be Cooked Before Stuffing Peppers?

Yes, it's important to cook the ground beef (or any ground meat) before stuffing the peppers. This will help to improve the texture and flavor of the filling and ensure that no bacteria is present in the meat before stuffing.

The ground beef filling for these stuffed peppers is made by sauteing the meat in a skillet along with garlic and onions, mushrooms, spinach, and green olives along with some Italian seasoning and tomato paste.

Sauteing the ground beef filling before stuffing the peppers helps to develop a deeper flavor and ensures that all of the elements are evenly cooked, which means that all of the components of the stuffed peppers finish cooking at the same time.

How To Make The Ground Beef Filling

The filling for these stuffed peppers is prepared in a large skillet on the stove top. The first step is to mince the garlic and onions and to chop the mushrooms and olives. Once all of the components are ready, they are sauteed on the stove top and then stuffed into the halved bell peppers.

The mushrooms are sauteed first along with some kosher salt - this helps to deepen their flavor. They are then removed from the skillet and added back at the end of the cooking process.

• Feel free to use any variety of mushrooms you like. White button or cremini mushrooms are easily found in grocery stores and work great for these Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms.
• The filling also calls for spinach, but you can substitute any hearty greens of choice. Kale, Swiss chard, or arugula can be used in place of spinach if you prefer.
• It's best to use lean ground beef if possible (93% or 90% lean). This will prevent the filling from becoming too greasy.
• Feel free to use any variety of olive you like. I like green manzanilla olives, but you can substitute black olives, Castelvetrano, or olives of choice.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Wipe a 1 oz. package of mushrooms with a damp towel to remove any dirt (if necessary). Remove and discard any damaged or dirty stems. Dice the mushrooms into small chunks.
3. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
4. Slice ½ cup of green manzanilla olives (or olives of choice).
5. Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium. Once heated, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
6. Add the diced mushrooms along with ¼ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the sauteed mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.
7. Return the skillet to the stove top and add another Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and onions to the skillet and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
8. Add 1 - 1 ¼ lbs. of lean ground beef to the skillet and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until the meat is browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
9. Add another ¼ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper along with 2 tsp. Italian seasoning. Stir until combined.
10. Add 3 Tbsp. of tomato paste and stir into the beef until combined (this helps to thicken the filling and prevents it from becoming watery and deepens the flavor).
11. Add 2 packed cups spinach (or hearty greens of choice) along with the cooked mushrooms to the skillet. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the spinach has cooked down.
12. Add the ½ cup of sliced olives to the skillet. Stir until completely combined.

How To Make Pizza Stuffed Peppers

Once the filling is ready, all that's needed is to add it to some halved bell peppers and bake in the oven along with some pizza sauce in a casserole dish.

This recipe calls for 3-4 bell peppers. You can use any color bell pepper you like, but I find that red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are slightly sweeter and less vegetal than green peppers.

I find that it works best to cut the bell peppers in half, remove the stems, seeds and membranes, and then place them skin-side down in a casserole dish.

A 9x13 inch casserole dish works great for baking these stuffed peppers.

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pour 1 14 oz. jar of pizza sauce (or you can whip up a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce if you're feeling really ambitious) evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
3. Cut 3-4 bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the stems, seeds and membranes and discard.
4. Arrange the peppers skin-side down along the bottom of the pan in the pizza sauce.
5. Spoon a generous amount of the ground beef filling into each halved pepper (they will probably be overflowing with filling).
6. Cover the casserole dish with tinfoil and place in the oven to cook for 40 minutes.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Stuffed Peppers?

Cooking times may vary, but I find that cooking the stuffed peppers covered with tinfoil for 40 minutes and then for another 5 minutes uncovered to be the optimal combination.

The shredded cheese is added after removing the tinfoil and the remainder of the cooking time melts it perfectly.

The peppers should be soft, but not mushy when finished and the cheese completely melted. Feel free to bake for another couple of minutes if you find that the bell peppers are still slightly crunchy after cooking.

I recommend using mozzarella or any variety of cheese that melts nicely. Monterrey Jack, provolone, cheddar, or Havarti are also great choices.

1. After the stuffed peppers have baked for 40 minutes, take the casserole dish out of the oven and remove the tinfoil.
2. Shred 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese (or cheese of choice).
3. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of evenly over the top of the stuffed peppers.
4. Return the casserole dish to the oven (without the tinfoil) and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
5. Remove the casserole dish from the oven.

What To Serve With Stuffed Peppers

The great thing about stuffed peppers is that it's a hearty dish and can be served on its own.

I love to garnish these Pizza Stuffed Peppers with some fresh basil for extra color and freshness.

This dish is perfect to serve alongside anything you would normally serve with pizza.

A bright and tangy side salad like a Caesar salad or this Arugula Tomato Salad, Marinated Tomato Salad, Italian Green Bean Salad, Italian Quinoa Salad, or Italian Corn Tomato Salad are perfect with these stuffed peppers.

Sauteed or roasted green vegetables like green beans, cauliflower, or broccolini are delicious with the Italian flavors in this dish.

They're great with some warm, crusty bread or garlic bread for dipping into the pizza sauce.

Love ground beef? Check out these recipes!

• Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
• Ground Beef Enchiladas
• Tater Tot Hotdish
• Cabbage Roll Bowls
• Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chili

How Long Do Stuffed Peppers Last In The Fridge?

These peppers last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure to cool the peppers completely before transferring to the refrigerator for storage.

They may be reheated in the oven or the microwave.

Can They Be Frozen?

Yes, stuffed Peppers make a great freezer meal!

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the recipe as written, omitting the pizza sauce and cheese.
2. Once the peppers are baked, allow them to cool completely before freezing.
3. Make sure to store the peppers in a freezer-safe casserole dish and cover with plastic wrap or freezer wrap and a cover.
4. Label with the date and store up to three months in the freezer.

How To Reheat

1. Remove the peppers from the freezer and pour the pizza sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish.
2. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until heated through.
3. Remove the tinfoil, add the cheese, and bake until melted.
4. Garnish with fresh basil or herbs of choice (optional).

Love stuffed peppers? Check out these recipes!

• Greek Stuffed Peppers
• Turkey and Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers
• Southwest Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

Looking For More Ground Beef Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Mexican Ground Beef Quinoa Casserole

Ground Beef Cuban Picadillo

Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli