Our classic stuffed peppers recipe is scaled down to serve one person. Filled with ground beef, onions, garlic, spinach, and cheese and cooks in less than 30 minutes!
I've been making stuffed peppers for years. It's always been one of my family's favorite meals and is so easy to customize based on the ingredients you have on hand. Stuffed bell peppers are healthy and filling and very easy to make.
We've taken our family-favorite recipe and scaled down the ingredients so that it's the perfect single serving meal.
Why This Recipe Works
- Tested and perfected recipe: This stuffed bell peppers recipe is a scaled-down version of the stuffed peppers I've been making for years.
- Easy to customize: Although I use ground beef in this recipe, you can use ground chicken, turkey, or pork. Feel free to add additional vegetables like chopped carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms.
- Single serving recipe: We take one bell pepper and slice it in half and fill it with delicious ingredients. It's the perfect amount for one person.
- Easy to double: If you'd like to make extras, just double or triple the ingredients based on how many peppers you'd like to use.
- Use your favorite peppers: Use red, green, yellow, or orange bell peppers.
- Low in calories and carbs: We don't use rice in our stuffed pepper recipe so we keep it lower in carbs and calories.
RELATED: Comfort Food Recipes For One
Ingredients
Which Color Bell Pepper To Use
You may wonder why bell peppers come in different colors. All bell peppers start out green, as they mature and ripen they change colors. If it's not picked, a green pepper may become red, yellow, or orange. The longer the pepper stays on the vine, the sweeter it becomes. This is why red, yellow, or orange peppers are sweeter than green peppers. Green peppers usually have a longer shelf life because they were less ripe when picked.
Use any color of bell pepper for this stuffed pepper recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Bell peppers: Use one green, red, orange, or yellow pepper. Look for peppers that are bright, shiny, and firm. They should not have soft spots, moldy stems, or wrinkled skin.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this stuffed bell peppers recipe as well as in every other recipe on One Dish Kitchen that calls for olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. It is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. Because of the way extra virgin olive oil is made, it retains a more true olive taste. It also contains more of the vitamins and minerals found in olives. It's my favorite type of olive oil to use but you may use lighter olive oil instead.
- Onions and garlic: Chopped onions and garlic add quite a lot of flavor to this dish, definitely don't leave them out.
- Ground beef: You may use ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork instead.
- Spices and seasonings: I use Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Spinach: I prefer using fresh chopped spinach. You may use frozen and thawed spinach instead. Just be sure to squeeze as much of the water out of the frozen and thawed spinach before using. You might also like to consider using kale or Swiss chard.
- Tomato: I use one small tomato in this recipe. A plum or Roma tomato is a perfect size.
- Cheese: Although I use shredded cheddar cheese, feel free to use your favorite type of cheese instead. Consider using gruyere, mozzarella, pepper jack, or fontina.
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
How To Cut A Pepper For Stuffing
- Lay the pepper on its side. Using a sharp knife, cut the top ¼-inch top stem section of the pepper off.
- Remove the ribs and seeds.
- Slice the pepper in half.
How To Par-Boil Peppers
Blanching the pepper for three minutes helps to make the pepper tender without being too soft. The shell is still firm enough to support the delicious filling.
- Fill a 2-quart pot with water and bring to a boil. Immerse both halves of the pepper into the boiling water for 3 minutes.
- Using tongs or a fork, carefully remove the peppers from the hot water and place them on a clean kitchen towel.
- Sprinkle ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt over the insides of the peppers and turn them over to drain.
How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers For One
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Trim the pepper: Cut ¼-inch from the stem end of the bell pepper to remove the top of the pepper. Remove the seeds and membrane; rinse the inside of the pepper and slice in half, lengthwise (see photos above).
- Blanch the pepper: Fill a 2-quart pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Immerse both halves of the pepper into the boiling water for 3 minutes. Carefully remove the peppers from the hot water and place them on a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle the insides with ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt and invert on the towel to drain (see photos above).
- Make the stuffing: Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook stirring occasionally for 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in chopped tomatoes and spinach and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the cheese.
- Fill the pepper cavities with the meat mixture. Place the peppers in a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
I'm using a 5x7-inch baking dish.
Pro Tip: If the cheese has not fully melted after baking, remove the foil and place the peppers back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
RELATED: Empty Nest Recipe Ideas
Expert Tips and Variations
- Feel free to use ground turkey, ground beef, or ground pork instead of ground beef.
- Depending on the size of your bell pepper, you may have extra meat leftover. Pour the remaining cooked meat mixture over the tops of the pepper halves before baking.
- Taste the cooked ground beef and add additional salt if you feel it's necessary.
- Always feel free to add additional cheese, if preferred.
Variations
- Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers: Ground beef, onions, garlic, chickpeas, kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
- Tex-Mex Peppers: Ground beef, onions, garlic, black beans, corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and pepper jack cheese.
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers: Sliced mushrooms, garlic, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, cheddar cheese.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this stuffed peppers recipe you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Bell peppers: Chicken Fajitas, Goulash, Seafood Gumbo, Guacamole Salad, Chicken Cacciatore
- Onions: French Onion Soup, Guacamole, Beef Stew, Tortellini Soup, Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Garlic: Lemon and Garlic Chicken, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Vegetable Soup, Carne Asada, Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
- Ground beef: Hamburger Casserole, Mini Meatloaf, Beef Nachos, Beef Enchiladas, Juicy Lucy
- Spinach: Crustless Spinach Quiche, Spinach and Orzo Salad, Pork Stir Fry, Spinach Manicotti, Southwest Wrap
- Cheddar cheese: Macaroni and Cheese, Cheese Grits, Cheesy Baked Eggs, Vegetarian Enchiladas, Potato Soup
- Tomatoes: Crustless Quiche with Tomato and Pesto, Fresh Tomato Salad, Bruschetta, Caprese Salad, Chicken Caprese
- Italian seasoning: Pork Tenderloin, Cioppino, Lentil Stew, Chicken Stew, Chicken Cordon Bleu
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, stuffed peppers can be made ahead of time. Follow all of the steps in the recipe except topping the peppers with cheese. Cover and refrigerate the peppers. When you are ready to enjoy them, top with the cheese and bake as directed in the recipe.
Yes. Prepare and bake them first, then you can freeze them individually or together. To reheat, thaw the peppers in the refrigerator overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Absolutely. If you'd like to use two bell peppers, double the ingredients in this recipe.
Don't overbake the peppers. They tend to get soggy if cooked too long. Also, avoid adding additional liquid to the filling before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Although stuffed peppers can be a meal in itself, these single serving side dishes go very well with them:
Topping Ideas
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Slices of avocado
- Salsa
- Fresh herbs
Storage Tips
- To store: Refrigerate peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Heat leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350° F or in the microwave.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes
If you’ve tried these stuffed bell peppers or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Stuffed Peppers For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper (use green, red, yellow, or orange)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 5 ounces lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 small tomato , chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh spinach
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Trim the pepper: Cut ¼-inch from the stem end of the bell pepper to remove the top of the pepper. Remove the seeds and membrane; rinse the inside of the pepper and slice in half, lengthwise.
- Blanch the pepper: Fill a 2-quart pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Immerse both halves of the pepper into the boiling water for 3 minutes. Carefully remove the peppers from the hot water and place them on a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle the insides with ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt and invert on the towel to drain.
- Make the stuffing: Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook stirring occasionally for 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in chopped tomatoes and spinach and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the cheese.
- Fill the pepper cavities with the meat mixture. Place the peppers in a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven. If the cheese has not fully melted after baking, remove the foil and place the peppers back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Feel free to use ground turkey, ground beef, or ground pork instead of ground beef.
- Depending on the size of your bell pepper, you may have extra meat leftover. Pour the remaining cooked meat mixture over the tops of the pepper halves before baking.
- Taste the cooked ground beef and add additional salt if you feel it's necessary.
- Always feel free to add additional cheese, if preferred.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Michael Reisman says
This looks fantastic and for one. Do wish I could just save the recipe as a file and not have to print it out.
Joanie Zisk says
You can save recipes from our website. On each recipe page, on the lower right side you will notice a "heart" with a "bookmark" next to it. When you click on the bookmark, the recipe is saved for you to view anytime you want. You can also print the recipe card but print it as a pdf to save to your computer.
Patricia A Potts says
I did a half recipe and it was so delicious that the hubby made comment that he had never heard so many ooohs and aahs as I ate. I did a half recipe and used a green and red capsicum/bell pepper which were on the small side compared to others on the shelf. I used fresh tomatoes (8 ounces chopped and bacon instead of the turkey mince) and had enough filling that less than half fitted in the green one but the rest only three quarters filled the red one which may have been because the bacon did not give as much volume that minced/ground meat would but that said certainly looking forward to making it with beef mince and put as Italian or Asian twist on it with seasonings and or sauce.
Judywho says
All the ingredients were healthy, however I stirred my cheese in as directed. It will not look like the photo. The next time I will put the cheese on top. I think it would enhance the looks as well as the taste and not be lost in the flavor. I couldn't help but wonder if stirring the cheese in was a misprint. Thank you for your easy delicious recipes. I am really enjoying them.
Mary says
I love this recipe. Made it last night and let me you it was amazing. I love that you did all the hard work for me. I did it in a slow cooker. I choose the meat and veggies in slow cooker it went for 5 hours on low. I like a little texture to the pepper so didn't blanch.
Joanie Zisk says
Mary, thank you so much for your feedback. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! We do have a few crockpot recipes on our site with more to come - https://onedishkitchen.com/easy-slow-cooker-recipes-for-one/
Jolene Walters says
I forgot. I need to go shopping. Is it fresh spinach or canned spinach?
Jolene Walters
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Jolene, you can use fresh or frozen spinach. If you use frozen, be sure to thaw the spinach first and try to squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can before using it in the recipe.
Jolene Walters says
I want to thank you for the recipes. I'm 84 years old and live alone. All the recipes I have and like serve six or more people. I was tired of freezing everything; and some things do not freeze well. Now, when I look at one of my recipes, I check if you have a smaller version. You usually do. I still use my old recipes when I take covered dishes to church. One of my favorite cookbooks was written in the 60's, called the Working Wives Cookbook, Employed or Otherwise.
Thank you again.
Jolene Walters
Jane says
Hi Joanie,
Thank you so much for your site.
I am a nurse in Canada and moved my husband to my daughters where the Covid virus is very minimal. He would die if he got it.
I was getting extremely bored with my cooking over the last month, then I found you.
I can't wait to go shopping tomorrow to get the supplies I need for week 1.
Will let you know how it goes.
Thank you again
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Jane,
Thank you for your kind note. We're glad you found our site and hope you find many new recipes to try.
Thank you for all that you do.
Hope you and your family stay well.
Joanie
Theresa says
Hi Joannie, what is the calorie count for this pepper? I wanted to add it to one of my healthy nutrition apps, but I didn't have a clue. Thanks so much! 🙂
Nan says
I love this scaled-down version! I always end up making way too much for my husband and I to eat.
Ashleigh says
This looks like a great and healthy recipe, I can't wait to try it! I love stuffed peppers! Thank you for sharing!