Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
- 1 (8 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 large orange bell peppers
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add beef, salt and pepper; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, just until it loses its pink color, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in rice, ¾ cup tomato sauce and parsley.
- Meanwhile, cut out stem ends of bell peppers and set aside; scoop out seeds. With a sharp paring knife, cut out a jack-o’-lantern face on one side of each pepper. Place the peppers and tops, cut-side down, in a microwave-safe pie pan. Add ¼ cup water. Microwave on High until tender but firm, 4 to 6 minutes. Empty the water from the dish and turn the peppers cut-side up.
- Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture. Spoon the remaining ¼ cup tomato sauce over the peppers. Bake until the mixture is heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Place the steamed tops back on top of the peppers.
Tips
- To make ahead: Refrigerate filling (Step 2) for up to 2 days. Continue with recipe.
- Don’t feel like freehand-carving the faces with a knife? Try using a cookie cutter instead.
Nutrition Information
Yield:
4 jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers
Amount Per Serving (1 stuffed pepper):
Calories: 383kcal
Carbohydrates: 33g
Protein: 27g
Cholesterol: 74mg
Sodium: 933mg
Fiber: 4g
Calcium: 48mg
Iron: 4mg
Magnesium: 79mg
Potassium: 905mg
Sugar: 6g
Recipe © Carolyn Casner for EatingWell
