Small Effort, Big Taste: Stuffed Peppers in the Slow Cooker
Stuffed peppers are fun for the whole family. Even the little ones can get in on stuffing the peppers, and the peppers themselves make this a self-contained meal. Vegetables and protein without heavy carbs? Yes, please!
This recipe allows you to save some effort when making stuffed peppers by making the filling in your slow cooker rather than in the oven. The delicious smell with tantalize your senses, and you can start cooking before you leave for work and come home to a hot dinner!
Ingredients
- Bell pepper - 6 green, red or yellow
- Beef - 1 lb (or turkey)
- Rice - 1 1/2 cup white or brown
- Corn - 1 cup
- Salsa - 1 cup
- Cheddar cheese - 1 1/2 cups shredded, divided
Instructions
- Cut off the tops of the peppers. Remove the stem and seeds.
- Brown your meet in a skillet. Add chopped onion or garlic for extra flavor. Drain extra fat.
- Prepare rice according to directions to create 1 1/2 cooked cups. Beef broth adds a bit of flavor to your rice, or you can season according to your preference.
- Mix the meat, rice, corn, salsa and 1 cup cheese in a bowl. Top with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the mixture into each bell pepper.
- Place the peppers in your crock pot well. Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours.
- Top the peppers with the remaining cheese and allow to melt.
Tips:
If your peppers don’t cook thoroughly, you can add 1/3 cup water to the crock pot to steam them soft.
Consider removing the crock pot and placing it under the broiler for 10 minutes to melt the cheese if your pot is oven safe.
Serve with sour cream, more salsa or guacamole to taste.
You can also experiment with the style of cuisine. Trade salsa, corn and cheddar for tomato sauce, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, for example. Taco seasoning and black beans add a Mexican flare to this dish. Some people use two parts ketchup to one part Worcestershire sauce for their mixture sauce.
If you’re watching your waist, you can substitute quinoa for the rice. For an all-American stuffed peppers recipe, try using mashed potatoes in place of rice!
Whether you follow this recipe to a T or add your own flare, you’ll have a delicious meal the whole family can enjoy with minimal effort!
