Meat Parm Stuffed Bell Peppers

Meat Parm Stuffed Bell Peppers with the best ingredients, textures and flavour is a great idea! Bell peppers are amazing when they are cooked and become soft and sweet. Melted mozzarella cheese looks and tasted delicious. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is incredibly aromatic and delightful ‘au-gratin.’ The meat ragu in this recipe is to-die-for. Add some chilli if you’d like some heat.

These elements combined in one Meat Parm Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe make it an exquisite one!

This recipe for meat parm stuffed bell peppers is a fabulous one! Have it as a starter with a green salad to add freshness or make it the main course with more garnish! 

Learn about Parmigiano Reggiano cheese here

Serves 8-9

Ingredients for the meat ragu (stuffing):

500 gr ground beef or lamb

½ carrot, diced

10 cm celery, diced

½ cup red wine

1 onion, chopped

800 gr canned peeled plum tomatoes, crushed

1 cup water

Olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 or 2 hot chillies (if you want to add some heat to the meat ragu)

Salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients you’ll need:

8-9 bell peppers, preferably red because those are the sweetest, but orange and yellow will also become sweet when baked

~ 70 gr Parmigiano Reggianno cheese, grated

~ 125 gr mozzarella cheese, cut in thin slices

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven at 180 C or 350 F

How to make the Meat Ragu?

1. In a saucepan, colour chopped onions at high heat with olive oil.
2. Add diced carrot, celery, chillies (optional) and stir.
3. Add ground beef or lamb and cook well while stirring.
4. Add red wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
5. When you can no longer smell the alcohol in the wine, add honey, ground cinnamon, dried oregano and season with salt and pepper.
6. Mix well and add crushed tomatoes and water.
7. Cook uncovered at medium-high heat until the texture is creamy but dry. It should take about 25 minutes.

How to prep the Meat Parm Stuffed Bell Peppers?

1. Cut the top part (hat) of the rinsed bell peppers.
2. With a knife and spoon, remove the core, the veins and seeds. Leave them clean and ready to be stuffed.
3. Place a generous teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese at the bottom.
4. Fill the bell peppers with meat ragu to the top.
5. Place thin slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the meat ragu.
6. Cover mozzarella slices with grated parmesan cheese.
7. Place bell peppers in a baking sheet as well as the cut top (hat) of the bell peppers.
8. Bake in the oven at 180 C or 350 F for 30 minutes.

How to keep the bell peppers steady in the oven? 

Bell peppers do not have a flat bottom. To keep them steady in the oven you can use ring moulds like in the picture below.

About this recipe

The meat ragu is the same one I used for the Meat Aubergine Parmigiana recipe. My Chilean friend, a great cook and foodie, gave me this recipe. However, if you like heat from chillies, add one or two. The sweetness of the baked bell peppers will diminish the heat and will blend perfectly with the cheese and the meat ragu.

If you have more meat ragu than bell peppers, you may use it in other recipes. Here are some ideas of how to enjoy this delicious meat ragu:

• Enjoy it by itself.
• Serve with a green salad on the side.
• Mix it with your favourite pasta cooked al dente.
• Serve it on top of hot quinoa, couscous, rice, grilled aubergines, grilled courgettes… The choice is yours!

Enjoy! Bon appétit! Buen apetito!

For more starter recipe ideas, browse here!