Cajun Stuffed Bell Peppers
Hollowed bell peppers filled with seasoned ground beef and sausage, topped with cheese, and baked until tender. A spicy, satisfying one-pan meal bursting with Cajun flavor.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 4 whole Bell peppers (red, yellow, or green)
- ½ lb Ground beef
- ¼ lb Andouille sausage, diced
- ½ cup Diced onion
- ⅓ cup Diced celery
- 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend
- 1.5 cup Cooked rice
- ¾ cup Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Place each bell pepper on the cutting board and slice straight down around the stem like you're cutting out a cork, then pull the stem and seeds out together and discard them.
- 3
Rinse the inside of each pepper under cold running water to remove any remaining seeds, then place the peppers cut-side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 4
Cut the onion lengthwise from root to tip into thin slices, then cut crosswise to create 1/4-inch cubes, stopping when you reach the root; discard the root.
- 5
Place the celery on the cutting board and slice lengthwise into thin strips, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.
- 6
Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and break it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks, stirring once every 30 seconds until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- 7
Add the diced andouille sausage to the cooked beef and stir to combine, then cook over medium-high heat, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the sausage edges begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
- 8
Pour the diced onion and celery into the skillet and stir to combine with the meat, then cook over medium heat, stirring once every minute, until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 9
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning blend over the meat mixture and stir to coat everything evenly; cook, stirring once every 20 seconds, until the spices smell strongly fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 10
Remove the skillet from heat, pour in the 1.5 cups of cooked rice, and stir until the rice is evenly distributed throughout the meat mixture.
- 11
Spoon the meat and rice mixture into each hollowed pepper, dividing it evenly so each pepper is filled to the rim, then press gently with the spoon to settle the filling.
- 12
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese into a small mound on top of each filled pepper, covering as much of the filling as possible.
- 13
Slide the baking dish into the preheated 375°F oven and bake, uncovered, until the peppers are fork-tender when pierced on the side and the cheese is melted and light golden, about 25 minutes.
- 14
Remove the baking dish from the oven using oven mitts and set it on a trivet or heat-safe surface; let the peppers rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- Oven
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- 12-inch skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Oven mitts
- Trivet or heat-safe surface
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