Stuffed Peppers with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 medium bell peppers
• 2 lbs ground beef
• ½ medium onion, diced
• 1–1½ cups vodka sauce (regular tomato sauce works too)
• ¼ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• Shredded mozzarella cheese, as needed for topping
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder and Italian seasoning, optional

Directions

1. Pre-bake the peppers.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.

Place the peppers upright in a baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes (until they're just beginning to soften). You don't want them completely tender since they'll go back into the oven after they're stuffed.

2. Cook the beef and onions.
While the peppers are baking, add the ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet.

Cook over medium heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks and the onions are soft and translucent. Drain any excess grease if necessary.

3. Add the vodka sauce.
Stir in 1 cup of vodka sauce and let everything cook together for a few minutes.

If the mixture looks like it needs a little more sauce, gradually add more, up to 1½ cups total. You want the beef coated and moist without making the filling overly saucy.

4. Add the breadcrumbs.
Stir in ¼ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs and let the mixture cook briefly.

Add ¼ cup Panko and stir everything together. Let it cook for another minute or two. The filling should hold together while still staying moist.

5. Stuff the peppers.
Remove the peppers from the oven and generously spoon the hot beef mixture into each pepper.

6. Add the cheese.
Top each stuffed pepper with shredded mozzarella—as much or as little as you like!

7. Finish baking.
Return the stuffed peppers to the 400°F oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.

For a bubbly, lightly browned cheese topping, turn on the broiler for 1–2 minutes at the very end. Keep an eye on them because the cheese can brown quickly.

Make Them Ahead

If you're making these earlier in the day, prepare the recipe through the point where the peppers are stuffed and topped with cheese. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate.

When you're ready for dinner, bake the refrigerated peppers covered at 375°F for about 15–20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until they're heated through and the cheese is melted.

Broil for another 1–2 minutes if you want that golden, bubbly cheese on top.

Mom Life & Beyond Tip

The breadcrumb measurements don't have to be perfect. If your filling seems a little loose, add a touch more. If it's already holding together nicely, you're good. The goal is a moist, hearty filling—not a dry one.

This is also exactly the kind of recipe where prepping it during a quieter part of the day makes the dinner rush so much easier.