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Making these Stuffed Bell Peppers with a filling of brown rice, creamy tomato sauce, fennel, and spices is easy enough for a #weeknightmeal or to #makeahead for a delicious lunch. Best of all, they are #LowFODMAP, #LowLactose, and naturally #GlutenFree! #mealplan #dinnertime | FeastInThyme.com
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Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice & Creamy Tomato Sauce

Making these Stuffed Bell Peppers with a filling of brown rice, creamy tomato sauce, fennel, and spices is easy enough for a #weeknightmeal or to #makeahead for a delicious lunch. Best of all, they are #LowFODMAP, #LowLactose, and naturally #GlutenFree!

Recipe adapted from How Sweet It is
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 servings
Calories 525kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup fennel, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, diced
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoons pepper
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided

Creamy Tomato Sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare the bell peppers by neatly slicing off the tops and removing the ribs and seeds. Keep the tops, but discard the ribs and seeds. Arrange the hollowed-out peppers in a baking dish. The sides of the baking dish do not need to tower over the peppers, but should come up most of the way to avoid any spillage.
  • If you have not made it ahead of time, start the Creamy Tomato Sauce (recipe below).
  • Start the Filling: Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Saute the diced fennel for about a minute. Add the rosemary, and saute for another minute. Add the ground pork and chicken to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Saute the meat until browned and no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Stir the pre-cooked brown rice, one cup of the grated parmesan, and two cups of Creamy Tomato Sauce into the meat mixture. Remove the skillet from heat, and carefully stuff each hollowed out bell pepper until full. Top them with the remaining sauce, pouring any extra sauce and filling into the pan around the peppers. Set the tops back onto the peppers, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cover the peppers with foil, and bake another 30 minutes.
  • Remove the peppers from the oven and top each serving with the remaining parmesan cheese and a few bits of basil.

To Make the Creamy Tomato Sauce:

  • Stir together the cans of tomato sauce and roasted diced tomatoes in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk (or heavy cream) until combined. Add most of the basil, and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce reduce over low heat while you work on the other components (15-20 minutes). The sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the fridge until use.

Notes

Make-Ahead Dinner: Once made, stuffed peppers can be frozen in pairs or individually in freezer-safe containers. Make sure to top each with some extra sauce. When ready to eat, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then either transfer either to a baking dish to reheat in the oven or to a microwave-safe plate for reheating in the microwave, depending on your preference.

Nutrition

Serving: 1stuffed pepper | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Potassium: 984mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2300IU | Vitamin C: 375.4mg | Calcium: 420mg | Iron: 5mg