The bell pepper is an excellent vessel for stuffing meat, rice, and, of course, cheese. It's strong enough to hold its shape in the oven, and the flavor is subtle enough to go well with just about anything. This is our favorite recipe but the customization options are endless. We use shredded Monterey Jack, but feel free to swap in any other melty cheese that you have on hand. You can also use another ground protein (pork, turkey, or chicken) in the place of beef. You could even use Italian sausage! Once you make this iteration we encourage you to make your own and show us the results!

We've loved stuffed peppers since we first laid eyes on them. This is our classic recipe—once you master them, feel free start experimenting with our Cheesesteak and Chicken Parm varieties.

Ingredients

• 6 large green bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoon Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Original Blend (Click To BUY)
• black pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 links of andouille sausage, diced
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 lemon - cut into wedges, for garnish (optional)
• Louisiana-style hot sauce

Directions:

• 1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 8x12 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove tops and seeds from peppers. Blanch in boiling water 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• 2.Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent. Stir in garlic, and season with oregano, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Original Blend (Click To BUY) and white pepper. Stir in shrimp and sausage, and cook until shrimp turns pink, 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and tomato sauce. Cook until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Fill peppers with stuffing mixture, and place in baking dish.
• 3.Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

Expert Tips

• Par-cooking the peppers and basically filling them with a fully cooked meat mixture means they just need a final shot of heat to melt the cheese.
• Chose a rainbow of large sweet bell peppers to stuff and while prepping, stand them upright in your baking dish—it’s easier to stuff them this way.
• Sprinkle a handful of chopped fresh oregano or parsley over each pepper before serving.
• Replace the rice with another cooked grain. Try quinoa, bulgur wheat, or a small pasta like orzo or pearl couscous.

This heirloom recipe for stuffed peppers with rice is terrific just as it is, but it also lends itself to creativity and customization.