Stuffed Peppers Without Rice

While the recipe as written is not low-carb, you can easily make it low-carb by slightly changing the ingredients and portion size. These peppers are wonderful. They are hearty and bursting with flavor. The combination of peppers, onions, garlic, and spices is phenomenal. It’s also such a pretty and colorful dish. But I love making this recipe not just because it is so delicious. This recipe also evokes strong childhood memories for me.

Grandma’s peppers

My late grandma Chava used to make amazing stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage leaves (I make cabbage casserole instead). Sadly, she passed away way too young when I was only twelve years old, so my memories of her are dull and scattered. But some of the sharpest memories are food memories. Grandma was an amazing cook. She stuffed her vegetables with a mixture of rice, tomatoes, and seasonings. Just like all her dishes, something about the way she seasoned food made it taste wonderful. Grandma belonged to a different generation. A generation of women who worked hard in the kitchen, cooked without recipes, and created masterpieces out of the simplest ingredients. There were no blogs back then, no fancy grains and high-end oils, yet her food tasted so good, that some flavors linger even after 30 long years. These days I make my own version of her recipe. It’s nothing like grandma’s, but it is very very good.

Ingredients

Traditionally, you fill stuffed peppers with a mixture of ground beef, rice, and seasonings. I make this recipe without rice, using cauliflower rice instead. It’s a delicious and low-carb option that works well to absorb the juices and flavors as the peppers bake in the oven. Here’s an overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below: Tomato paste: You can omit this for a keto version. Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work. Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty. Spices: I use chili powder, cumin, and paprika. These spices add wonderful warmth and flavor to the dish. Bell peppers: It’s fun to use different colors. Try to ensure they are all about the same size. Riced cauliflower (uncooked): You can rice it yourself in the food processor or buy it pre-riced. Olive oil: I love cooking with this wonderful oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Chopped onion: I’m lazy, so I tend to use the food processor for chopping onions. Lean ground beef: I use an 85/15 mix. Leaner than that will work, but won’t be as flavorful. Chopped cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley instead. Shredded cheese: I like to use sharp cheddar.

Instructions

Making stuffed peppers without rice is actually quite easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: You start by mixing the tomato paste with the garlic and the spices. Next, you cook the riced cauliflower, the onion, and the ground beef in olive oil. Stir in the seasoning mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro and the cheese. Place the bell peppers in a baking dish and stuff them with the mixture. Spray them with olive oil, then bake them for about 30 minutes at 350°F.

Frequently asked questions

Variations and subtitutions

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

You can add a handful of spinach leaves to the beef mixture. Not too much though, as they tend to release water.Insteasd of cheddar, try using shredded provolone. Crumbled feta is also good.Use different types of ground meat, such as lamb, chicken, or turkey.You can make a keto version of this recipe. I elaborate on it in the next paragraph.

Keto stuffed peppers

This recipe as originally written is not a low-carb dish, mostly because of the tomato paste. So if you’re on a keto or very low carb diet, I suggest you omit the tomato paste. In addition, use six medium bell peppers instead of four large ones, dividing this recipe into six servings instead of four. This will considerably lower the carb content. A serving of this keto version has 14 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber.

Serving suggestions

You don’t really need to serve these peppers with a side dish. They make a complete meal of meat and cheese plus lots of vegetables. However, if you wish, you can add a simple side such as sauteed kale or roasted vegetables. You can roast the vegetables in the same oven as the peppers, slightly increasing the cooking time.

Storing leftovers

Keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power, or in a 350F oven for 15 minutes. As long as you reheat them properly so that they are heated through, leftovers taste good. In fact, this is one of those dishes that taste even better the next day.

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