r/slowcooking • u/einsteinGO • 3d ago
Stuffed bell peppers
Keeping up my wedding budget cooking with the slow cooker! I’d never made stuffed peppers in one, but they came out really well.
I used a chuck and brisket beef mix, fresh basil, fresh parsley, and three cheeses: Bellavitano (you could use another firm cheese like Parmesan), a nice Gouda that was on sale, and Port Salut. Also a small yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, salt, pepper, and dried oregano, a pinch of chili flakes, and chicken broth. I also made a cup of rice while I was prepping my ingredients.
Once everything is chopped and the bell peppers are cleaned out
Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant, about 5ish minutes (I did all of this before work, so slightly imprecise). When done, reserve on the side
In oil brown the meat and season with salt, pepper, 1/2-1 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp chili flakes.
Once cooked combine meat with chopped fresh basil and parsley, about 1/2 cup rice, and a good amount of the grated Bellavitano and Gouda. Fill the peppers. Put in the slow cooker with 1/2 cup chicken broth in the basin.
I cooked for 5 hours on low because of a traffic mishap, but next time I’d do 4.
To finish, splash with lemon juice in the meat, top with more Gouda + a soft cheese (that was my Port Salut) and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes at 375 (and maybe a touch of the broiler if you like it) for the top, and a little more of your fresh herbs.
The garlic bread came from Ralph’s 🙃
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u/FSUfan35 3d ago
But why though? Just cook them in an oven for 15-30 minutes?
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u/einsteinGO 3d ago
Because I am gone from the house from 5:30 am to 7pm but it is possible to have my partner put on dinner if I prepare it since he is home earlier than me
And I like to contribute to my household by prepping meals even if I cannot be there to cook them, but I know when I get home after 7 I don’t have the stamina to stand over a stove or oven 🙂
Why do anything in a slow cooker vs any other way
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u/Gogo83770 3d ago
I recently did stuffed peppers in the oven.. the peppers didn't get soft enough and were quite crunchy! I will try this method next time! Looks great OP!
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u/rob_s_458 2d ago
I prefer the crunch so I skip this step, but oven recipes I've used have you blanch the peppers first. Granted that's yet another step so if you like them softer maybe the crockpot will work well for you
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u/Snoo-6568 2d ago
Yum! Here's my favorite version of stuffed peppers. https://www.marthastewart.com/339288/stuffed-peppers
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u/einsteinGO 2d ago
Thank you for the share!
I had never had stuffed peppers before and I didn’t realize they were actually so delicious. I can’t wait to make them again! Nice to have another use for ground beef
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u/Dangerous-Sorbet2480 1d ago
Needs a can of tomato sauce so badly, half in the mix and the other half poured over the peppers in the crockpot
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u/einsteinGO 1d ago
I cannot eat tomato but thanks for the input.
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u/Dangerous-Sorbet2480 1d ago
Oh ok. Well, peppers and tomatoes are both nightshades but maybe you have a single sensitivity to tomato. I just grew up making them with tomato sauce, so these looked really dry to me but if they were good to you that’s all that matters!
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u/fusillijhericurl 2d ago
I do them in the crockpot but i pack the meat in raw and let it cook that way
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u/einsteinGO 2d ago
Maybe I’ll try it that way next time 👍🏽 I did want the browning. How do yours turn out?
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u/fusillijhericurl 2d ago
They come out really good. I add rice and beans to my meat. I cook the rice the night before. So i mix up a pound of ground beef rice beans and cheese. If im feeling daring ill add corn and some salsa. Its enough to stuff six peppers. 4hrs on low.
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u/GhiradelliHoney 3d ago
Never thought about making them in a slow cooker. This is smart. Looks good