Put These Italian Stuffed Peppers on Your Winter Bucket List

Stuffed peppers are one of my very favorite make-ahead lunches to take to work. I love that they’re healthful and colorful, and that they reheat nicely in a break-room microwave. This particular stuffed pepper from Well Plated is full of gooey cheese and fresh basil for an Italian-inspired version that would be perfect for making an extra-large batch to freeze or refrigerate the leftovers for later. 

Any kind of pepper works for a recipe like this. I prefer red and orange peppers for their color, and the author says red peppers have a sweetness that goes well with the Italian seasoning. The rounder your peppers, the easier they’ll be to fill and to fit in the baking dish.

I used to have a lot of trouble making stuffed peppers. I thought I was supposed to cut the stem part out, which made my stuffed peppers more likely to fall apart after cooking. To help them keep their shape, the author says to slice them down the middle, right through the stem. Then leave the stem and its base in place, so the pepper will stay round. 

Ground chicken is a healthful, lean protein that makes a good base for any seasoning, so it works well here with an Italian spice blend. You could also use ground sweet or spicy Italian sausage, or a combination of your favorites. Between the peppers, rice, cheese, and meat, a stuffed pepper is a whole meal in itself, so you don’t even need any side dishes for it to feel complete. 

Get the recipe: Italian Stuffed Peppers from Well Plated

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