Beef and Corn Baked Stuffed Peppers

Simple and tasty, these stuffed peppers with ground beef, rice, and corn make an excellent everyday family dinner. This one-dish wonder has it all: filling protein from the beef and rice, excellent fiber from the canned corn, and the perfect sweet and tangy flavor from canned tomato sauce. Making it is easy. Just soften green bell peppers in boiling water and stuff them with a flavorful filling. You need one hour total, some budget-friendly pantry staples, and lean ground beef. Great to make ahead and bake when it's time to eat, these peppers can also be stuffed and frozen, ready to bake when in need of a quick meal. Serve with a green salad, or with some slices of crusty bread to soak up the juices from the peppers.

These stuffed peppers are versatile and can be adjusted to your needs. If you prefer using ground chicken or turkey instead of beef, you can but add a few splashes of chicken broth to moisten the filling before stuffing the peppers, as these meats are leaner than beef and the recipe could use some extra liquid. For those in need of low-carb alternatives, this dish can be made using cauliflower rice instead of regular rice. Or if you'd like to add an extra kick of protein, use quinoa instead. If you want a more decadent and rich dish you can top the stuffed peppers with some shredded cheese like mozzarella or cheddar before baking them until bubbly. You can also serve the peppers topped with a generous dollop of sour cream, avocado slices, and chopped cilantro. If spicy is your deal, add chili powder, cayenne, pepper, or hot sauce to taste to the stuffing. For vegetarian peppers, replace the beef with the same amount of mashed tofu, canned black or pinto beans, or plant-based ground "meat."

These peppers can be a delicious weekend lunch, but also a fun brunch alternative when adding a sunny-side-up egg on top of each. The creamy yolk will moisten the delicious stuffing, and one pepper per guest will be enough as a main dish when accompanied with vegetables and cornbread. This is a great way of putting canned goods to good use, a great and healthy alternative to fresh produce that is as convenient as it is delicious.

What Are Bell Peppers?