This is not your typical bland stuffed peppers. The meat and rice filled peppers, cooked in a pool of homemade marinara sauce, makes this recipe exceptional! Grab a bottle of your favorite wine and get ready for an outstanding dinner!
Marinara Sauce
(This is make more sauce than you need for this recipe. I usually freeze it for the next time I make this recipe or use it with some pasta the next night)
Ingredients:
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup white wine
Directions:
- In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In a large skillet over medium heat sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (I use wild/brown rice blend)
2 cups water
Sauce:
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce (from above)
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Peppers:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I use RO*TEL)
1/4 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/red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for topping
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
- Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
- Stir marinara sauce, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Pour sauce mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, Italian parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
- Place stuffed bell pepper halves in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove aluminum foil and bake until the meat is no longer pink, the green peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top, an addition 20 to 25 minutes
