By Becky Hardin
Published Jan 5, 2022
I love using my crockpot, especially in the fall and winter months. However, stews and chilis can get boring really quickly, and these easy crockpot stuffed peppers are a change from my usual crockpot recipes. They are stuffed with savory ground beef, tender rice, delicious spices, and gooey mozzarella. Easy and delicious, these stuffed peppers have quickly become one of my favorite weeknight meals.
With just a little prep work, I love that I can pack these stuffed peppers in my crockpot and come home to dinner ready to go! I pack fresh peppers with protein, rice, cheese, and delicious spices to create a nutritious meal my whole family loves. I just know you’ll love it too!
What’s in This Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Recipe?
- Bell Peppers: When purchasing peppers, look for shiny, brightly colored, unblemished peppers with firm sides.
- Ground Beef: I prefer lean ground beef for this recipe. If using higher-fat beef, you may want to drain off some of the excess fat after browning.
- Onion + Garlic: Create a savory base of flavor for the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a tangy and umami flavor to the meat.
- Italian Seasoning : Adds classic Italian flavor.
- Crushed Red Pepper: Adds a touch of spice!
- Marinara Sauce : Helps keep the peppers moist as they cook and adds rich tomato flavor.
- Cooked Rice : Helps bulk up the filling and keeps the meat moist.
- Cheese: You can top your peppers with any type of good melting cheese you like. Mozzarella, Jack, or if you like things spicy, pepper jack are all good options.
Tips for Success
- I do not recommend boiling/blanching the peppers, as they will overcook and turn out mushy.
- Easily deseed the peppers by slicing the tops off, then running a small pairing knife along the white membrane inside.
- To minimize waste, I finely diced the tops of the peppers and added them back into the filling.
- Make sure to precook the rice; it won’t cook through in the slow cooker.
- Don’t overfill the peppers, but do make sure the filling is packed in tightly right up to the rim.
- You can stack the peppers, so long as the lid will close on top of them.
- All slow cookers are slightly different, so feel free to check for doneness earlier than the stated cook time (the filling should be at least 165°F).
- If you choose not to brown the meat, cook your stuffed peppers for longer (low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours).
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes.
5-Star Review
“Wonderful and tasty stuffed peppers! Thank you very much!” -Kimberly Gammon
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 6 bell peppers any color
- ▢ 1½ pounds ground beef
- ▢ 1 cup diced onion
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 24 ounces marinara sauce divided (1 jar)
- ▢ 1 cup cooked rice
- ▢ 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- ▢ Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the crock of a slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove the cores. Set aside the peppers for stuffing, then dice the tops. 6 bell peppers
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add beef, diced peppers, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Brown the mixture until no pink in the beef remains. 1 cup diced onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1½ pounds ground beef
- Stir in the rice, breaking up any clumps. Then add 1 ¼ cups of marinara sauce and stir to coat. Remove the pan from the heat. 1 cup cooked rice, 24 ounces marinara sauce
- Pour the remaining marinara in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Stuff each pepper with the beef-rice mixture, and place them upright in the slow cooker.
- Slow cook on low for 4 hours (or high for 2 hours). Sprinkle tops evenly with cheese, close the lid, and allow the cheese to melt in the residual heat for 5-10 minutes before serving garnished with parsley. 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, Fresh parsley
Equipment
- Crockpot
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Step by Step
Prep the Peppers: Spray the inside of the crock of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Cut the tops off of 6 bell peppers and remove the cores. Set aside the peppers for stuffing, then dice the tops.
Brown the Beef: In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1½ pounds of beef, the diced peppers, 1 cup of diced onion, 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Brown the mixture until no pink in the beef remains.
Add the Rice: Stir in 1 cup of cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. Then add 1¼ cups of marinara sauce and stir to coat. Remove the pan from the heat.
Stuff the Peppers: Pour the remaining marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Stuff each pepper with the beef-rice mixture, and place them upright in the slow cooker.
Cook the Peppers: Slow cook on low for 4 hours (or high for 2 hours). Sprinkle tops evenly with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, close the lid, and allow the cheese to melt in the residual heat for 5-10 minutes before serving garnished with parsley.
More Stuffed Veggie Recipes to Try!
Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Mexican Zucchini Boats
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers any color
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces marinara sauce divided (1 jar)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the crock of a slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove the cores. Set aside the peppers for stuffing, then dice the tops. 6 bell peppers
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add beef, diced peppers, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Brown the mixture until no pink in the beef remains. 1 cup diced onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1½ pounds ground beef
- Stir in the rice, breaking up any clumps. Then add 1 ¼ cups of marinara sauce and stir to coat. Remove the pan from the heat. 1 cup cooked rice, 24 ounces marinara sauce
- Pour the remaining marinara in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Stuff each pepper with the beef-rice mixture, and place them upright in the slow cooker.
- Slow cook on low for 4 hours (or high for 2 hours). Sprinkle tops evenly with cheese, close the lid, and allow the cheese to melt in the residual heat for 5-10 minutes before serving garnished with parsley. 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, Fresh parsley
Video
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
