Grilled Stuffed Peppers: A Fusion of Taste and Health

One of the best and healthiest meals has to be grilled stuffed peppers. This recipe consists of grilled bell peppers stuffed with a copious blend of tomatoes, rice, cheese, and sausage. The smorgasbord of flavor is then put back on the grill till the cheese melts.

Making Grilled Stuffed Peppers

Making grilled stuffed peppers is easy, and it can be fun. The following grilled stuffed peppers recipe is Italian-inspired, and a great way to try stuffed peppers.

It is important to begin this recipe by grilling your bell peppers. Doing this helps soften them, making them easier to stuff. When you’re done, put them back on the grill to finish cooking.

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Once you get the technique and cooking time down—stuffed bell peppers typically take about half an hour to cook—you can play around with the recipe, switching out the chicken for ground beef or even using more than one type of cheese.

The flexibility of this recipe is one of the reasons why it is popular. Try using ground beef or chicken with farro, couscous, or rice, or update the recipe with a different filling, like using quinoa and lentils instead of meat to make it vegan.

What Ingredients Do You Need?

Bell Pepper

You will need a bell pepper, typically a red bell pepper, as it can be a significant flavor element of this recipe. The red pepper, when grilled, develops a slightly sweet yet smoky flavor coupled with a tender texture. Moreover, red bell peppers are packed full of vitamin c and other nutrients.

Basil

Basil can be a great way to finish off your grilled stuffed peppers.

Cheese

While you can use just about any cheese, this recipe calls for salty parmesan and melty mozzarella to create the most delicious cheesy topping. If you want to give your stuffed bell peppers a little extra something, you can switch out the mozzarella for provolone.

Red Wine Vinegar

Red wine vinegar can provide a bit of edge to the filling.

Rice

You can stuff your bell peppers with rice as it helps them become extra satisfying and hearty. Alternatively, add another type of cooked grain such as orzo, cauliflower rice, quinoa, farro, or couscous. You aren’t limited by choice, as you can select the one that best works for you.

Diced Tomatoes

Tomatoes can fill the pepper and filling with moisture while enhancing its Italian flair.

Red Pepper Flakes and Italian Seasoning

Red pepper flakes and Italian season can add a touch of heat and delicious Italian flavor.

Italian Sausage

While you can use just about any meat for stuffed bell peppers, this recipe calls for Italian sausage. Generally, Italian sausage is a pre-seasoned and scrumptious upgrade to general ground meat.

The pairing works well with the other ingredients in this recipe. Alternatively, you could use chicken sausage or Italian turkey for this recipe. When using sausage, you should look for uncooked sausage in its casing.

Cooking Directions

The first step is to slice your bell peppers in half, removing the membranes and seeds. You then lay them sideways in a baking dish.

Pick out your choice of meat and brown it in a skillet over medium high heat with select spices. Once your meat is browned, add your vinegar and tomatoes to the skillet. After a couple of minutes, add your rice/quinoa/couscous and a little cheese.

While the mix is simmering, preheat the grill and place your bell peppers on an oiled grate for about 8 minutes or until they soften up and become slightly blistered. Once done, place your filling into the pepper halves before putting the peppers back on the grill.

Your stuffed peppers should be grilled for about 20 minutes on medium-high heat until they become tender. Just before the cooking time is done, you can add the rest of the cheese to the peppers to give them a gooey and melty finish.

After 20 minutes, transfer the peppers from the grill to the baking dish before finishing with fresh basil. And there you have it, grilled stuffed peppers.

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Changes to the Recipe

If you are looking for recipe adaptations, you can use the following.

Grilled Stuffed Peppers With Couscous

This adaptation is for those that want a healthier grilled stuffed peppers recipe. All you have to do is switch out the cooked rice for cooked couscous. You don’t have to use couscous either; you can use any nutty, chewy grain. You can even make the grilled stuffed peppers with orzo; however, the key to this is to undercook it slightly, or else it becomes mushy.

Vegetarian Grilled Stuffed Peppers

This recipe alteration is perfect for those that are vegetarian or want something without meat. In this recipe, you switch out the Italian sausage for a 15-ounce pack of low-sodium beans like cannellini beans. You can also use black beans but keep in mind they have higher sodium levels. Before putting the beans into the stuffed peppers, rinse and drain them.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Stuffed Peppers

Instead of placing Italian sausage into the mix, you can use buffalo chicken. You can make this a healthier and low-carb meal while fulfilling your buffalo sauce craving.

Low-Carb Stuffed Peppers

This recipe uses cauliflower rice instead of cooked rice or couscous for your main dish. Cauliflower is a low-carb, low-calorie alternative. It has a mild taste and can be cooked in a number of different ways, making this versatile vegetable a good choice for any grilled stuffed pepper recipe.

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