Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped fine
- 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
- 1 large eggplant or 2 medium
- 8 bell peppers, trimmed and cored
- Zatarin's Flavored Bread Crumbs
- 3 cups cooked rice
- Salt to taste
- Red and/or black pepper to taste
- Onion and garlic powder to taste (optional)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Peel the eggplant and cube. You can soak the eggplant in salty water for 30 minutes to remove the bitterness. Set rice to cook.
- In medium saucepan add oil and brown the ground beef, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and remove from heat.
- In the same saucepan, add the onion, bell pepper, celery and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the eggplant to the mixture and cook until the eggplant softens, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the mixture and continue cooking until the eggplant is completely cooked and tender, another 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I like to add onion powder and garlic powder for extra taste but this is optional. Add rice to the mixture to the desired consistency wanted; the dish will look very similar to rice dressing.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. In a larger saucepan filled with water, parboil the bell peppers until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Or you could shortcut the process by using your microwave. Works great.
- After the peppers have been parboiled, fill the peppers with the rice mixture. Place in a baking pan that has about 1/8 inch of water and cover with foil.
- Bake 15 minutes, uncover and sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs on the peppers. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more until peppers are tender and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with green salad for a complete meal.
Common Problems and Solutions
Q: Why is my eggplant bitter?
A: Eggplant can be bitter if not properly prepared. Soak the cubed eggplant in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking to draw out the bitterness, then drain and rinse before adding to the dish.
Q: Can I prep these ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! You can stuff the peppers and refrigerate them covered for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add a few extra minutes to the covered baking time if starting from cold.
Q: My peppers are too firm or too mushy. What happened?
A: The parboiling step is key. Parboil just until slightly tender (about 5 minutes), not fully cooked. They'll continue cooking in the oven. If you skip parboiling or undercook, they'll be too firm; if you overcook this step, they'll be mushy.
Tips and Techniques
Don’t skip the parboiling step for the bell peppers - it ensures they’ll be tender after baking. The microwave shortcut works great: place peppers in a microwave-safe dish with a little water, cover, and microwave for 3-4 minutes. The water in the baking pan creates steam that keeps the peppers moist while they finish cooking.
Ingredient Substitutions
- ground beef: ground turkey, ground pork, or a mix of beef and pork
- eggplant: yellow squash or zucchini, diced
- Zatarin's Flavored Bread Crumbs: plain breadcrumbs seasoned with Cajun seasoning, or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- white rice: brown rice or cauliflower rice
Equipment Needed
- medium saucepan or large skillet
- large pot for parboiling peppers
- baking pan with sides
- aluminum foil
Historical Context
Stuffed bell peppers are found throughout Louisiana, but the Cajun version often includes eggplant in the filling, reflecting the abundant local harvest and the Cajun tradition of making a little meat go a long way by stretching it with vegetables.
