Did you know that you could make these in the CROCKPOT!? Let me show you how…
Who doesn’t love a good stuffed pepper? But in the crockpot? EVEN better. You can easily make these Stuffed Peppers
vegetarian. To save time in the morning, you could prep everything, and just stuff peppers in the morning, set the crockpot and go about your day.
Melt in your mouth good, and VERY healthy! The kids loved this one. Little D didn’t care for the pepper skins, but loved the rest. Darryl is not the biggest pepper fan, but LOVED these. Hope you enjoy this amazingly easy recipe 🙂 
How to Make Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Cut just the tops off the pepper and removed seeds and ribs from inside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, 1/2 of the can of chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, cheese, egg, salt and pepper.
- Mix well until evenly combined.
- Stuff peppers with mixture and place into crockpot, stuffed side up.
- Pour stock over and around peppers.
- Next, pour the rest of the canned tomatoes in.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5 – 6 hours.
- I topped ours with a little bit of cheese and served right away. Nom Nom Nom. This one is kid APPROVED!
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Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers (w/ optional vegetarian version)
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1.5 lbs raw ground chuck or Morning Star Grillers Recipe Crumbles for vegetarian version-
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 15oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or cheese blend. I used Cheddar/Jack blend.
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Cut just the tops off the pepper and removed seeds and ribs from inside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, 1/2 of the can of chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, cheese, egg, salt and pepper.
- Mix well until evenly combined.
- Pour stock over and around peppers.
- Next, pour the rest of the canned tomatoes in.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Stuffed peppers are awesome! I’ve never done them in the crock before, I should do that next time, thanks!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
I know! I never thought to do it either. I am so glad I tried 🙂 So much easier 🙂
Audra T says
Going to make this today. I am just going to add some corn, for the crunchy texture, and use fresh tomatoes. I love the sweetness of fresh cooked tomatoes. On a cold day, we all enjoy the smells coming from the crock pot on a cozy winter day. Thanks so much for the crock pot recipe.
Wonderful web site too.
ceara says
do you brown the meat first???
Corey says
No, you do not need to brown the meat first. It will cook in the peppers.
Chikita says
So you cook it with the peppers inside the pot ?? What if it’s a small pot
Keeley McGuire says
i kid you not, i saw a recipe for these at the end of last week and contemplated buying peppers at the store Sunday to try… i’m so glad you did it first so now i really know that they’re good! HAHA 😉
great pictures too lady! i am seriously going to try these when we get back from vacay… awesome! ps: i totally voted for my crockpot recipes, hehe
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Proving once again, that we were separated at birth 🙂 HA! YOU voted for crockpot recipes!!! No-WAY! hehe
Keeley McGuire says
darn it… for MORE crockpot recipes. not my* – BLEH! i got food excited. lol
Cheryl says
looks delish Corey!..we make a mexican version by adding chopped jalapeno, chili powder and cumin -yum!!
Becky says
I have done a ‘Mexican’ using chorizo & ground chuck… salsa &/or diced tomatoes w/chilies and I stuffed poblano peppers instead of bell peppers… they were well liked!
Priscilla says
Wow, that some amazing!!!!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Yes Cheryl! I am also thinking about doing a Italian blend one with parm or mozzarella cheese, and some Italian spices!
Vanessa says
I LOVE Paula Deen & Crockpots! these were great tonight…even my Vegetarian 2 year old loved it:) Will be adding this to our ‘regular” dinner rotation.
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Vanessa, this comment made my day! Thank you so much for sharing!
Karyn Tripp says
I love stuffed peppers, and since everything is better in the crockpot, I will definitely be trying these out!! Thanks for linking up!
AmyinTexas says
A totally stupid question as I’ve never made stuffed peppers… do you cook the ground beef first or mix it in raw?
Anonymous says
I was wondering the EXACT same thing! Doesn’t specify, but it does look cooked in the pictures….hopefully we will get an answer soon :/
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Mix it in raw 🙂 Some of the pictures you see on here are with the vegetarian meat, so that is why it looks cooked. Hope they turn out great for you!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
I will specify that in the recipe now, in case others have the same question 🙂
Shemetris says
can you use raw ground turkey?
Corey says
Yes!
Kathleen M Morouse says
FYI, I use uncooked boil in a bag brown or white rice and it works just as well!! Love it in crock pot. I have been doing it like that for years.
shannon says
Will it still work if I cooked the meat first?
Audra @ Once a Mom Always a Cook says
New follower via Mouthwatering Mondays! Love stuffed bell peppers! They are a big hit at my house! Definitely will try them in the crock pot next time and I like how you use wild rice. I always put Mexican rice in mine. I have a cooking blog and would love for you to stop by.
http://onceamomalwaysacook.blogspot.com/
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Hey Audra! Thanks for stopping by! I am heading over to check out your site now!
Sarah says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah says
I have these in the crockpot right now. We used a bag of Quorn crumbles instead of meat. Will let you know how they turn out! Thanks!
Sarah says
They were FABulous!!!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
I am so glad you loved them! I am making them again this week. I just love how easy and healthy they are!
Currer Bell says
Okay, forgive me if this is a silly question, but I’m a crockpot newbie. I plan to use the Morningstar crumbles and I understand the meat is supposed to be raw, but what about the veggie crumbles? Should I cook those up first or use ’em straight from the bag? Thanks in advance!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
You can use the crumbles straight from the bag 🙂
Tai*Ling*a*Ling says
Just started working days at my job and have been looking for more recipes for the crock pot because most of what I cook in there comes out tasting the same. Can’t wait to try this one! Thanks!
Tracey says
Just found your blog via Circle of Moms. So excited to find some healthy new recipes for my family! One quick question though. I really don’t like chunky tomatoes but can tolerate sauces, purees, etc. Is there something I could substitute for the canned tomatoes in the recipe? Thanks!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Tracey, My family is the same way, so if you can find petite diced tomatoes, they really break down a bunch when being in the crock for so long. Also, if you just wanted to throw your canned tomatoes in a blender or food processor to break them down, I am sure that would work to. I hope you love them!
OhMarieOH says
Really looks good! I just printed this out and will cook it at home. My kids might just like this since they’re pepper fans. I’m so engrossed with my crockpot too. It makes cooking easy & out of my busy hours. Thanks for the share 🙂
Anonymous says
DUMB QUESTION…. DO YOU COOK THE MEAT BEFORE STUFFING THE PEPPERS?
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Not a dumb question at all. No, you do not need to cook the meat. The pictures in this post show the Morning Star “fake meat” so it looks a little cooked, but there is no need to cook the meat before stuffing the peppers 🙂 Hope that helps!
Anonymous says
Do the stuffed peppers freeze well after you make them?I’m planning to make alot and would like to freeze some for a future meal….
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Honestly, I have never tried to freeze them. I can fit 6 peppers in my crockpot. My 2 girls will each have one, my husband will eat 2-3 and I will eat 1. So that usually only leaves us with 1 or maybe 2 left. They are always gone by lunch the next day! hehe Let me know how the freezing works out!
XO
Rachel says
Super sorry to say….My whole family hated this. The peppers turned to mush in the crock pot, the filling was bland, flavorless mush. I really wanted to love this recipe, but I don’t. I just want to leave a contrasting review for anyone who, like me, finds many crock pot meals, bland and mushy (which is a shame, because I love my crock pot.) If you don’t like bland and mushy…don’t make this!
Corey @ Family Fresh Meals says
Sorry they didn’t turn out to your liking Rachel. I feel it took me awhile to learn how to finesse my crockpot cooking. For example, my crock runs hot, so I usually choose the lower cooking times in recipes, and usually choose the low setting versions. Maybe you could give that a try? It might help with the mushiness.
Also, I found that when people feel like a recipe is flavorless, you might need to bump up the salt, or in this case garlic. Experiment with different cheeses. Everyone has different levels of sensitivities in the taste bubs 🙂
Lana says
Its always great to add your own addition of spices as well. I like garlic, so I used more pieces. Also, I did not cook the rice before. I also opted to add other spices. This is my third crock pot meal, and I always adjust any recipe that I find online-whether its swamping out ingredients of adjusting amount of liquid etc.
LL says
Lana, what kind of rice did you use? I have this in the crockpot now, and used white rice that was cooked in the rice cooker. I would love to eliminate that step if I ever make it again. I don’t really get how uncooked rice works since there is not much liquid for it to soak up…? If you could explain, that’d be awesome!
LL says
Nvm. The filling was mushy and bland and we all had to force ourselves to eat it. I did only cook it for 3 hours on high. We don’t like lots of salt but I did add a little more than the recipe called for, as well as a little more garlic but that didn’t help the flavor. Even though I used very lean meat, you could see the grease from it in the bottom of the crockpot and the whole dish had a little too much liquid so now I totally see how you could use uncooked rice. I’m actually tempted to make it again w/o cooking the rice but then I’d probably cook the meat too so it had more texture but by then I might as well not even make it into a crockpot meal. I also don’t understand the point of the egg? I’m sure that only added to the mushy factor.
The 2 leftover ones did taste better the next day. Not sure if that was because they sat in the crockpot longer or what…
Cheryl says
I am excited to try this. My kids are such picky eaters and my daughter won’t eat anything close to flavourful so bland works for us. I find regular recipes, although mild in spices, tend to be too much for my daughter. She doesn’t seem to like much beyond salt and a tiny bit of pepper. Also, both of my kids don’t like cooked veggies. They much prefer raw. Which is great but makes it difficult on those nights when I want some comfort foods from my childhood like a roast beef dinner or Sheppard’s pie.
Carrie Berard says
Hi There! I wasn’t sure if you were supposed to cook the beef or not so I went ahead and cooked it, just in case. I also added chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to kick it up a notch. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out! Thanks for the recipe!
Corey says
Hey Carrie! I am so happy you are giving this recipe a try 🙂 You do not have to cook the beef before hand, so I’m thinking you could reduce the cook time. I look forward to hearing how they turn out! XO
Patricia says
i have a question do you need to drain the can of diced tomatoes or are you adding it in with the water?
Corey says
You do not need to drain the tomatoes. But your “water” comment scares me. Do not add water. As in the directions, the liquid being used is broth (your choice of what kind). Much more flavorful than water 🙂
Elizabeth says
Hi Corey!
I wanted to try this tonight and forgot that it was a crockpot recipe. Any ideas on how to do this in the oven if I don’t have time for the crockpot? I haven’t ever made stuffed bell peppers but this sounds super good!
Thanks!
Corey says
Howdy! Ok… here is what I would do. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Follow the recipe for the Crockpot Bell peppers, BUT make sure to brown the meat.( you don’t need to do that for the crockpot ones) Stuff peppers and cook in a baking dish, COVERED for about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, top with some yummy cheese. Hope that helps Elizabeth! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
XO
Tina says
accidentally browned Turkey before stuffing. Doh!!habit I guess. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙁 ….I decided to still go through w it. We’ll see 🙁
Corey says
Let me know how it turned out Tina 🙂
Annie says
When making in the oven I always boil the peppers for 5min (after cleaning & cutting the tops off but before stuffing). It helps the peppers get that soft, roasted feel once in the oven. 😉 I also put a little bit of water (maybe 1/2C) in the bottom of the pan under the stuffed peppers to keep the bottoms from sticking and browning. Thanks for the crock pot recipe, I am going to try something similar tonight!
Corey says
Thanks for the tips Annie 🙂
Jill says
I’m late to party with this reply to the lady who forgot this was a crock pot recipe.
You can also do them in the microwave as opposed to the oven which is a lifesaver in situations just like this or just quick suppers. Simply place the prepared peppers in a microwave safe baking dish, cover with plastic wrap (or the lid), vent it and cook for about 12 min on high. Rotate 180 degrees and cook another 10 min. If you have a rotating microwave (you know, the part inside), just put it in for about 20-22 min. I’ve made them like this for years. Adjust the time to your desired doneness.
Elizabeth says
Hi Corey!
It’s me again! Just wanted to let you know how I we did vegetarian style for our family of 6!
I didn’t change that much about this but I did bake it the oven at 350 for about 30 mins. I’m sure it will be just as good in the crockpot, though!
I used one pkg of the Morningstar crumbles and “beefed it up” by using one 8 oz pkg of baby bella sliced mushrooms finely chopped with my Pampered Chef chopper. I I also added Worcestershire sauce. I also used 2 boxes of wild rice (Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice with mushrooms and then a regular box).
The kids LOVED it! They have no idea that there are mushrooms in this recipe–which totally makes me soar since mushrooms are not their favorite!
Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Corey says
Oh good Elizabeth! I am so glad it worked out! Great idea using some chopped up mushrooms, YUM 🙂
Courtney says
I only have beef broth right now. Do you think that will work instead of the chicken or vegetable stock?
PS- I’ve tried several of your crock pot recipes recently because our stove is acting up- they have been a huge hit! I’m still learning to cook and figured the crock pot was a good place to start anyway! Excellent website! 🙂
Thanks!
Courtney
Corey says
Thank you so much Courtney! Keep on Crockin’ girl 🙂 hehe Yes, I am sure beef broth would taste great! Hope it turns out great for you 🙂 XO
Hannah says
If you use chicken, should you cook that first?
Corey says
Yes, and then I would maybe reduce the cook time a little.
Teresa says
If you choose to bake these in the oven instead of using a crock-pot, would you still add the broth?
Corey says
Yes, I would, but maybe not as much. You are baking them covered in the oven, so the broth will add some yummy moisture to the dish 🙂
Ruth Jamison says
I made the recipe but my peppers disintegrated. Cooked for six hours and went to take them out……very disappointed. Will try again.
Corey says
I’m so sorry you didn’t like them Ruth. Crockpot stuffed peppers do become much more soft than your typical stove peppers. If you would like a firmer pepper, try browning your meat before putting into the peppers and then reduce the cooking time. Hope that helps 🙂
Barbara Vasilaros says
Have been making stuffed peppers for many years and wanted to know if anyone has tried using ORZO in place of rice? I also add a can of sweet corn to my recipe….it adds a wonderful tasty crunch.
Corey says
I have never used orzo, but I am SURE that would be YUMMY! Great idea 🙂
Rebekah says
I was glad to find this recipe tonight! I’m going to be one of those people I get annoyed by who says “Great recipe! I just modified it by changing the whole thing.” Just kidding, I didn’t change the whole thing, but I did have to modify it based on what I had on hand. Soooo… I thought that might be a helpful comment for any readers who come across your recipe when they don’t have time for a trip to the store!
That said…I subbed in:
*a can of “arrabiata” canned tomatoes and red peppers
*onion flakes and garlic powder (I know, SO not as good as the real thing)
*ground turkey
*brown rice
I also added:
*red pepper flakes (hubby likes spicy)
*shredded carrots (I like to get in extra veggies where I can)
*the chopped up bell pepper tops, minus the stems of course (waste not!)
I did all the prep tonight (leaving the peppers separate from the mixture), and I’m going to stick it in the crockpot in the AM. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Rebekah says
Update! Turned out pretty good! I might try pre-browning the meat/cooking for a shorter timeframe as you suggested to get a bit more of a crispy bell pepper. I also ended up with quite a bit of leftover mixture that wouldn’t fit in the peppers, so I think I’m going to cook it up in a skillet and put it over chips. Thanks again!
Traci says
Mmmmm..anything over chips is a plus in my book!
Rudy says
Added a handful of Italian bread crumbs, and swapped out the stock for a jar of chunky ragu spaghetti sauce. Came out delicious!
amanda says
Can I sub ground turkey?
Corey says
Sure! I think that would be great 🙂
Traci says
That’s what I’m using!
Taylor says
Having these in the crock pot now, so glad I came across your website b/c I was gonna bake but thought I would give it a try this way. I did add kidney beans and corn to my mix to please the hubby.
Traci says
Okay so I plan on making these tomorrow night but wanted to know if I could premix everything (stuffing). I didn’t know because of the eggs. Sometimes its yes, sometimes no. I would love to be able to mix it up tonight during my “easy” night and just get up, stuff, and push the button. TIA! PS-I don’t have wild rice so I’m planning on using brown rice. Hoping it comes out similar.
Corey says
I think as long as you have it refrigerated, you would be fine. I hope you love them Traci!
Christie says
Help! I am making this tonight and I accidentally added the 2 cups of chicken stock INTO THE MEAT MIXTURE instead of along the sides of the peppers. AAAA! DO I have to throw everything out and start over? What do you think? I have everything in the fridge right now. Maybe I could cook it down on the stovetop for 30 min or so first so its not as runny? It still might have a really weird salty flavor though. Luckily I realized my mistake before adding the teaspoon of salt so I didn’t put that in. Why didn’t I just read these directions carefully before starting? I think I got too excited because it sounds SO GOOD!
Corey says
No worries Christie. Just put them in the crockpot as is. Crockpot peppers tend to be very soft as is, so I think you will be just fine. I hope you enjoy!
Veronica says
Could you substitute beans instead of the rice?
Corey says
I have never done that, but I don’t see why not. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
Shirley says
I am so happy I stumbled onto your website…love the way you take the time to answer each comment. Does it matter if I use red peppers instead of green? Also, do you pack the mixture tight or loose?
Corey says
I am so glad you found my site too! Any color pepper works just fine. I love a lot of stuffing in my peppers, so I pack those puppies up tight 🙂 Hope that helps!
Tamra says
I am trying this for the first time, as I got a crockpot for Christmas. Question….my crockpot is smaller than I thought and I have 3 stuffed peppers I can’t fit into the crockpot. I read the above comments and know I can put them in the oven but because I didn’t plan it, so the meat isn’t browned. I have a predicament. Any suggestions?
Corey says
I would just cook them as you would any oven crockpot pepper.
Tamra says
I just finished the crockpot ones and they are so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Shirin says
How long did it take in the small crockpot? I’m new to this. My crockpot booklet says if it takes 30 minutes in the over then it would take two hours on the crockpot.
Michelle R says
I found some humongous peppers on sale & felt they were deserving of being more than just diced up in a trinity, lol. Searching for a new & tasty spin to stuff these bigguns,I’m so glad I finally found your page. However after all the searching then prep, I ran short on even the 4-6 hrs crock time. Needing to get these done before they wound up being next days breakfast, I pulled out my electric pressure cookers. Loaded them both with 4 peppers(loosely stuffed) , ladled about 1&1/2 cup of pasta sauce over them, cooked on low pressure for 12 minutes. They came out magically delicious!!! The magic was that even my picky 3 y/o ate some too! Thanks for recipe, I’ll be back next Sunday, just a little bit earlier in the day, lol 😉
Corey says
Great tip on how to cook these in the pressure cooker Michelle! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Kathy says
Have these in my crockpot now! I love garlic so my only change was using a can of diced tomatoes in garlic and olive oil. Will post later on how they came out! Thanks so much for the recipe! 🙂
Amy says
I always find it very helpful for people who are trying new recipes, and on a weight loss journey is to know the calorie count. What is the calorie count for one serving?
Corey says
There is a recipe builder on MyFitnessPal, where you can put in all the ingredients to get a complete nutritional value read-out 🙂
Tammy says
Hi Corey! I will be making this recipe tomorrow for my family. Is it ok to omit the rice? I’ll be making a couscous salad for a side dish. Also, chicken or vegetable stock is on your list of ingredients but in the picture of ingredients you have vegetable broth. Which do you prefer for a tastier dish?
Corey says
Hey Tammy!
Yes you can omit the rice, but it will be a little more “soupy” then. I have used both stock and broth…both will turn out great.
Italian says
Great recipe! In a post in 2012 you mentioned about using other ingredients to make it different, we add oregano and basil. Instead of using cheddar we use Parmesan. Instead of broth we also use our leftover homemade spaghetti sauce, mix a few tablespoonfuls of sauce in with the meat before we stuff them. Nothing beats a stick-to-the-ribs comfort meal like stuffed peppers. Keep posting your recipes, they’re delish!!
Pat Glasgow says
If you want to freeze them, cook first? Then frreze, thaw when ready to eat and warm in microwave?
Cheryl says
If i bought peppers too small, can I just use a couple extra ones so that I can use all the filling? I’d have 8 instead of six. I’m gonna try it…
Cheryl says
Also, if I did this, would I need extra stock? I’m going to go with the low setting for eight hours.
Corey says
No, I think the same amount of stock should be fine 🙂
Corey says
Yep that should work fine 🙂
Andrea says
Hi! Quick question, do you stack the peppers in the crockpot? My crockpot wont fit all 6 side by side I don’t think…
Thanks!
Corey says
No ,I didn’t stack mine. What size is your crockpot?
Andrea says
I’m not sure, I can’t find anything on it that says. I would assume its a medium to large sized one. I only got 5 peppers just in case…starting to make it now, so excited! I’m using ground turkey by the way so hopefully it turns out well 🙂 Thanks so much for the recipe!
Andrea says
One more question…most of time the low and longer setting works best, is that the case for this? I found this too late in the day to cook for 8 hrs, should I just wait until tomorrow and do it the best way (low for 8 hrs)???
Thanks!
Erica says
Overall a great success!!! My batch made about enough for 9 peppers, not six. Will definitely make this again!!!!!!
Marsha says
I have a food allergy with tomatoes, so I’m not able to use tomatoes or tomato sauce. What could I use in place of tomatoes and tomato sauce?
Corey says
I think could just do extra broth 🙂 I hope that helps!
Melissa says
If I make these the night before, can I stuff them or should I wait until morning?
Corey says
If you stuff them, I would make sure to refrigerate them until you put them in the crockpot 🙂
Lindsey says
Quick question: Our family is fond of a particular spicy pepper in South America, locally called Rocoto. Baking, frying… takes out the spice (well, most of it). I assume it would do the same in the crock pot in this recipe, right? I might try that instead of the Bell Pepper. Looks and sounds wonderful!
Trisha says
For Marsha with the food allergies…you could use corn instead of the tomatoes!!
I always worry about the extra grease from the ground meat…I’d prob want to cook it ahead and drain. Do you think it would be too dry? Guess I could add more chicken stock then! Sounds really good!
Christine says
I have been enjoying your recipes. I tried this one tonight and I used green bell peppers. The meat was good but the green pepper had this weird awful aftertaste. Is that because I used green peppers instead of red?
Corey says
No, green shouldn’t have led to a bad after taste.
Megan Erwin says
I made this tonight as well. Not sure why but my green pepper was extremely bitter as well. They looked and smelled amazing… but I’m not sure what happened.