By Becky Hardin
Published Sep 19, 2025
These air fryer stuffed peppers are one of my go-to dinners when I need something hearty but quick. I fill them with seasoned ground beef and rice, and they come out perfectly tender in just 30 minutes. They’re so simple to make, and I love how filling they are—perfect for an easy weeknight family meal.
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5-Star Review
“Just like we used to get as a kid. Delicious!” -Ervin
Easy Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers have always been a family favorite in my house, and using the air fryer makes them so quick and easy to whip up!
This simple air fryer stuffed peppers recipe is loaded with Italian flavors. I’ve taken ground beef and rice, seasoned with herbs and tomato sauce, and placed them into fresh bell peppers. Naturally, I had to top them with plenty of cheese (because I’ll never say no to more cheese).
If you are in a weeknight dinner rut, believe me, this easy recipe is a winner!
Tips for Beginners
- Cut the tops off bell peppers. Make sure your bell peppers fit in the air fryer. I had to cut more of the top off of mine for it to fit correctly. If you want to be absolutely sure they will fit, cut your bell peppers in half. You will have twice as many to cook.
- Balance bell peppers if needed. Make sure that the bell peppers are stable when they are placed in the air fryer. You can use rolled up pieces of foil to help balance them.
- Cook in batches. For best results, the bell peppers shouldn’t be touching in the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- No air fryer, no problem! Cook the filling per the recipe, then bake the peppers in the oven at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes until tender.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 lb. ground beef
- ▢ 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
- ▢ 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ▢ ½ tsp salt
- ▢ 1¾ cups cooked rice
- ▢ 15 oz. diced tomatoes
- ▢ 6 oz. tomato paste
- ▢ 4 whole bell peppers any color
- ▢ 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ▢ chopped parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease and then stir in soy sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. 1 lb. ground beef, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt
- Add in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly and cook for 3 minutes. 1¾ cups cooked rice, 15 oz. diced tomatoes, 6 oz. tomato paste
- Prepare the bell peppers by cutting off the tops and removing the seeds. Fill the bell peppers with the ground beef mixture and then place in the air fryer. You will most likely have to cook these in two batches. 4 whole bell peppers
- Cook in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 360°F.
- Remove from the air fryer, top with mozzarella cheese and chopped parsley, optional and place back in the air fryer for another 3 minutes. 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped parsley
- Plate and serve.
Equipment
- Air Fryer (click for my favorite)
Becky’s Tips
- This recipe uses ground beef, but you could easily make these with chicken, turkey, or bison. You can even make them vegetarian by using plant-based ‘meat’ crumbles.
- Feel free to change up the cheese and use whatever you have on hand , or a combination of your favorite cheeses.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers Step by Step
Cook the meat : Brown 1 lb. ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease and then stir in 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp salt.
Stir in remaining ingredients: Add 1¾ cups cooked rice, 15 oz. diced tomatoes, and 6 oz. tomato paste. Stir thoroughly and let cook together for 3 minutes.
Stuff the peppers: Prepare the bell peppers by cutting off the tops and removing the seeds. Fill the bell peppers with the ground beef mixture and then place in the air fryer. You will most likely have to cook these in two batches.
Cook the peppers : Cook in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 360°F.
Add the cheese: Remove from the air fryer, top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and chopped parsley, optional, and place back in the air fryer for another 3 minutes.
Serve and enjoy: Plate and serve.
How to Store
If you want to meal prep these stuffed peppers, you can prepare them and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer, oven, or microwave.
If you don’t have time to prepare the peppers completely, you can just prepare the beef mixture 3-4 days ahead of time and then stuff the peppers and air fry them.
Freeze stuffed peppers for up to 3 months. Let them cool, then wrap in foil and plastic wrap. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These air fryer stuffed peppers are filled with beef and rice, so I find they are pretty filling on their own, but I’ll often prepare Dutch green beans or asparagus almondine , so we’ve got some green on our plates. You can also serve up oven roasted veggies .
more healthy dinners to try
Healthy Almond Milk Chicken Curry (Dairy Free)
Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Bang Bang Shrimp
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Our Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers recipe was originally published 9/16/21. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 9/19/25.
Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer (click for my favorite)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¾ cups cooked rice
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 4 whole bell peppers any color
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- chopped parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease and then stir in soy sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. 1 lb. ground beef, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt
- Add in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly and cook for 3 minutes. 1¾ cups cooked rice, 15 oz. diced tomatoes, 6 oz. tomato paste
- Prepare the bell peppers by cutting off the tops and removing the seeds. Fill the bell peppers with the ground beef mixture and then place in the air fryer. You will most likely have to cook these in two batches. 4 whole bell peppers
- Cook in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 360°F.
- Remove from the air fryer, top with mozzarella cheese and chopped parsley, optional and place back in the air fryer for another 3 minutes. 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped parsley
- Plate and serve.
Notes
- This recipe uses ground beef, but you could easily make these with chicken, turkey, or bison. You can even make them vegetarian by using plant-based ‘meat’ crumbles.
- Feel free to change up the cheese and use whatever you have on hand , or a combination of your favorite cheeses.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
