By Becky Hardin
Updated Nov 11, 2025
I love serving these sweet and spicy Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers on a cold winter night. I’ve taken rice, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and a few savory spices and stuffed them into fresh peppers for a healthy vegetarian meal, all in one neat package.
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Easy Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
When I’m short on time but craving a healthy vegetarian meal, these Instant Pot stuffed peppers are one of my go-to recipes. With just a handful of ingredients, it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, so I can quickly get a meal on the table and into hungry mouths.
When I have a little more time and want something hearty and satisfying, I make these stuffed peppers . They’re every bit as delicious and always a crowd-pleaser.
Tips for Beginners
- Create perfect bell pepper vessels . To create a good vessel for the delicious filling, turn each pepper on its side and slice the top (including the stem) off. Carefully remove the center and any seeds.
- Replace the individual spices . You can use 2 tbsp of taco seasoning instead of each spice if you’d like.
- Add protein . Feel free to add cooked ground beef, chicken, or turkey to the rice mixture for a protein boost.
- Prepare in a Crockpot . Pour ½ cup of water into the base of a crockpot, then place the stuffed peppers upright. Cover, cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top in the last 30 minutes.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ¾ cup water chicken or vegetable broth also work
- ▢ 2 cups cooked rice cooled, use white, brown, or instant rice
- ▢ 10 oz. diced tomatoes 1 can, fire roasted would also work
- ▢ 1½ cups shredded cheese divided, use your favorite
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 2 tsp ground chili powder
- ▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
- ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
- ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
- ▢ ½ tsp ground paprika
- ▢ 4 bell peppers seeds and stems removed, any color works, equal sized
Video
Instructions
- Add the trivet insert to the Instant Pot and pour the water into the Instant Pot. ¾ cup water
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded cheese, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Stuff each of the peppers with ¼ of the rice mixture. 2 cups cooked rice, 10 oz. diced tomatoes, 1½ cups shredded cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp ground chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp ground paprika, 4 bell peppers
- Place the peppers in the Instant Pot, making sure they stand upright so the filling doesn’t spill out. Divide the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top of the peppers.
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Cook on Pressure Cook-High for 10 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Switch the valve to venting and allow any additional pressure to release.
- Serve the peppers garnished with chopped cilantro or parsley.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers Step by Step
Gather your ingredients : Gather everything. Get the Instant Pot ready by adding the trivet insert to the Instant Pot and pouring ¾ cup of water into it.
Combine the filling ingredients : In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups cooked rice, a 10 oz. can diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded cheese, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp paprika. Stuff each of the peppers with ¼ of the rice mixture.
Cook the peppers: Place the peppers in the Instant Pot, making sure they stand upright so the filling doesn’t spill out. Divide the remaining ½ cup cheese over the top of the peppers.
Cook peppers: Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Cook on Pressure Cook-High for 10 minutes, and then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Switch the valve to venting and allow any additional pressure to release.
Serve: Serve the peppers garnished with chopped cilantro or parsley.
How to Store
These stuffed peppers can be made up to 2 days in advance of when you plan to serve them. Store the peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to reheat.
Store leftover instant pot stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat standing upright in a baking dish in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
Freeze instant pot stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these stuffed peppers with a hearty bowl of ham and lentil soup or a kale salad for a vegetarian option. For dessert, a warm blueberry crisp always hits the spot.
more vegetarian recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash (Maple Butternut Squash)
Creamed Green Beans
Vegetarian Stuffing
Ramen Cups (Instant Ramen Noodles)
Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water chicken or vegetable broth also work
- 2 cups cooked rice cooled, use white, brown, or instant rice
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes 1 can, fire roasted would also work
- 1½ cups shredded cheese divided, use your favorite
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp ground chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 4 bell peppers seeds and stems removed, any color works, equal sized
Instructions
- Add the trivet insert to the Instant Pot and pour the water into the Instant Pot. ¾ cup water
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded cheese, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Stuff each of the peppers with ¼ of the rice mixture. 2 cups cooked rice, 10 oz. diced tomatoes, 1½ cups shredded cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp ground chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp ground paprika, 4 bell peppers
- Place the peppers in the Instant Pot, making sure they stand upright so the filling doesn’t spill out. Divide the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top of the peppers.
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Cook on Pressure Cook-High for 10 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Switch the valve to venting and allow any additional pressure to release.
- Serve the peppers garnished with chopped cilantro or 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
