The meat stuffed peppers are a traditional Italian recipe, a rich and flavorful dish that captivates at first taste. Perfect as a summer main dish, they can also be enjoyed at room temperature, ideal for a family dinner or a light but complete lunch.
In this preparation, I use a mix of ground beef and pork, enriched with parmesan, diced scamorza, and bread crumbs soaked in milk: a soft and flavorful filling that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the pepper.
If you love these flavors, also try other pepper recipes or delicious stuffed vegetables. Among the simplest and tastiest variations are the round peppers stuffed with tuna and those stuffed with ham and cheese.
Great also as a one-dish meal, the meat stuffed peppers can be prepared in advance. If you are looking for inspiration, take a look at other ground meat recipes, perfect for any occasion!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 561.80 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.26 (g) of which sugars 12.72 (g)
- Proteins 47.53 (g)
- Fat 27.80 (g) of which saturated 7.65 (g)of which unsaturated 7.76 (g)
- Fibers 6.05 (g)
- Sodium 1,542.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 450 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Meat Stuffed Peppers
- 4 bell peppers (11.6 oz each)
- 3 1/2 oz bread (crumbs; for me gluten-free)
- 14 oz beef (ground)
- 7 oz pork (ground)
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- to taste milk (to soak the bread)
- 1 bunch parsley (chopped)
- 3 1/2 oz scamorza
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
How to Prepare Oven-Baked Meat Stuffed Peppers
To prepare the meat stuffed peppers, start by soaking the bread crumbs in a bit of milk for a few minutes. Squeeze them well and place them in a bowl along with the ground beef, ground pork, chopped parsley, and parmesan (1). Mix well with a spoon, then add the egg, previously beaten in a small bowl (2). Carefully incorporate it into the meat until you obtain a homogeneous mixture (3).
Cut the scamorza into fairly small cubes (4) and add them to the ground meat (5). You can set aside some to garnish the stuffed peppers on top. Mix the scamorza well with the rest of the ingredients (6).
Once the filling is ready, proceed to clean the peppers: cut them in half lengthwise (7) and remove the stem, filaments, and seeds (8). You should obtain kind of “boats” suitable to hold the filling. Rinse them and dry them thoroughly. Divide the filling among the peppers, pressing it well to adhere to the peppers themselves (9).
Finish with the pieces of scamorza set aside (10). Line a baking tray large enough to hold all the peppers, or better yet, if you can fit them snugly together so they stay put. Drizzle them with a bit of oil (11). Bake the meat stuffed peppers in the already hot oven at 356°F (static) for about 45 minutes. Take them out (12) and let them rest for at least 10 minutes.
Serve the meat stuffed peppers warm or cold, as a main or a one-dish meal.
Storage
You can store the peppers in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Tips and Variations
Instead of scamorza, you can use any cheese you prefer: emmental, fontina, taleggio, or even a mild caciotta.
