Beef and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Tender, Abundant, and Quietly Satisfying

There is something almost ceremonial about stuffed peppers — the way each one becomes its own small vessel, holding warmth and richness inside a softened shell. It is a dish that asks for patience rather than precision, and rewards you with something that feels genuinely abundant. My grandmother made a version of this on slow Sunday afternoons, and the memory still carries the smell of something savory bubbling low in the oven. This is humble cooking at its most honest — the kind that fills a room before it ever fills a plate.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Alessi Arborio Rice
• 2 cups Alessi Chunky Marinara Sauce, divided
• 6 large bell peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Alessi Garlic Puree
• 1 pound ground beef
• Alessi Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking dish with foil.
2. Cook Arborio rice according to package directions.
3. Transfer to a large bowl to let cool and stir in 1 cup of marinara sauce.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
5. Cut off the top of each pepper and scoop out seeds and membrane.
6. Add peppers to pot and bring water back to a rapid boil.
7. Cook until slightly softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Using tongs remove peppers from water and drain upside-down on paper towels.
9. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft and translucent, stir in the garlic puree.
10. Add meat and cook until crumbled and no longer pink.
11. Stir in remaining 1 cup of marinara and season with salt and pepper.
12. Reduce to medium heat for another 2-3 minutes.
13. Add meat to rice and evenly combine.
14. Transfer peppers to a baking dish and fills with rice and meat mixture.
15. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.