Ingredients:

  • 4 medium bell peppers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Optional: A sprinkle of fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the baking dish.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Stir in salt and pepper. Add diced tomatoes (undrained) and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice and half of the shredded cheddar cheese (reserve the other half for topping).
  6. Spoon the beef and rice mixture evenly into the prepared bell pepper halves.
  7. Arrange the stuffed peppers in the prepared baking dish. Pour a very small amount of water (about ¼ cup) into the bottom of the dish to prevent burning.
  8. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the peppers, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  10. Garnish with fresh parsley (if using) and serve hot.