Grilled stuffed bell peppers have a delicious smoky flavor from cooking them on the grill. The peppers have beautiful charred marks, combined with the Italian flavors of the stuffing mixture. The stuffing mixture also gets a tasty smoke flavor from being returned to the grill once stuffed. The best part is that each pepper is topped with melty mozzarella cheese and salty shaved parmesan cheese. Best, best part, these grilled stuffed peppers are gluten free, low FODMAP, and can easily adapted to dairy free!
These grilled stuffed bell peppers are not your grandma’s stuffed peppers. Ditch the sometimes bitter green bell peppers for multicolored bell peppers picked at the peak of freshness. Brush the inside and outside of the bell pepper with garlic-infused olive oil, salt and pepper. Next, place them on the grill. They are then stuffed with a tasty combination of Italian sausage, ground beef, diced tomatoes, rice, and Italian seasoning.
Ingredients
- Multi Colored Bell Peppers - Use your favorite colored pepper or green peppers.
- Garlic Infused Olive Oil - All the flavor of garlic without using actual garlic.
- Italian Ground Turkey Sausage - Using turkey sausage versus pork sausage reduces the amount of grease and calories.
- Ground Beef - Ground beef is typically found in stuffed green peppers and pairs nicely with the sausage.
- Fresh Tomatoes - Picked straight from the garden and diced.
- Tomato Sauce - Adds the liquid and another layer of tomato flavor.
- White Rice - Cooked in beef broth and so flavorful.
- Green Onions- Using only the green onion tops to keep it low FODMAP.
- Italian Seasoning - A garlic-free version. I love Penzy’s Italian Herb option.
- Mozerella Cheese - Compliments all the Italian flavors.
- Parmesan Cheese - A salty cheese also compliments the Italian flavors.
- Fresh Basil - Optional, but so delicious sprinkled on the tops of the peppers.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees or medium high heat. We love our pellet grill. We have a RecTec.
Cut each pepper in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Inside the pepper, remove the white membranes with a butter knife. I have found a butter knife is perfect for this task. It is not too sharp to cut the pepper, allowing me to scrape out the insides.
Next, brush with garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle each bell pepper with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Before placing the bell peppers on the grill, grease the grill grates with avocado oil soaked on a paper towel.
Place peppers on the grill grates and cook for six minutes.
In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage and ground beef over medium heat on the stove top until no pink remains.
Dice the tomatoes into small pieces and add to the meat mixture. Cook the tomatoes over medium low heat in the meat for 4-5 minutes to allow the tomatoes to cook down. If you are using canned diced tomatoes, skip this cooking step.
Next, add the rice, green onions, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning. Allow the rice mixture to simmer on the stovetop over low heat while the pepper cooks. Taste the rice mixture and add salt according to your taste preferences.
On the grill, flip the peppers to the other side and cook again for six minutes.
Remove the bell peppers from the grill and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle a teaspoon of shredded mozzarella cheese inside each of the peppers. With a small spoon, fill the inside of the peppers with the stuffing mixture. Gently compress the mixture into the peppers, filling every nook and cranny of the pepper.
Cover a grill basket with non-stick foil or a baking sheet.
Place the stuffed peppers into the grill basket and top with mozzarella cheese first, then parmesan cheese. Put the cheese-topped stuffed peppers back on the grill over indirect heat for twenty minutes or until the cheese melts.
Remove the peppers from the grill. Place the stuffed peppers back into the baking dish and sprinkle some fresh-cut basil over the peppers. Serve immediately.
Variations
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Swap out the bell peppers for poblano peppers.
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers - Use all ground beef, taco seasoning, and pepperjack cheese.
- Stuffed Sweet Peppers - Instead of bell peppers use sweet mini peppers and sweet Italian sausage.
Substitutions
- Rice - Use brown rice, instant rice, or cauliflower rice. All great alternatives to white rice if you need a different option.
- Cheese Mixture - If you want to mix up your cheese options, try goat cheese for a soft cheese option. Creamy, cheesy option - stir two tablespoons of cream cheese into the rice mixture.
- Tomatoes - If it isn’t peak garden season, use a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
- Fresh Herbs - Use flat leaf parsley instead of fresh basil as a topping.
Alternative Cooking Methods
No grill basket? You can use a disposable aluminum pan. Skip covering the pan with tinfoil since there are no holes, and you will not need to wash it.
No outdoor grill? Or is it raining outside? Cook the stuffed peppers in a 375 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes. Boil the halved peppers in salted water until fork tender before stuffing. Use a baking sheet or a cast iron skillet.
Low FODMAP Notes
Bell Peppers have various FODMAPs depending on the color. FODMAPs once again keep all of us on our toes! Depending on the serving size and which color bell pepper you choose, Monash states the following:
- Green Bell Peppers are safe at 75 grams or ½ cup.
- Red Bell Peppers are safe at 43 grams or ⅓ cup.
- Orange Bell Peppers are safe at 38 grams or ¼ cup.
- Yellow Bell Peppers are safe at 35 grams or ¼ cup.
- Green Onion Tops - Using only green onion tops and not the white part keeps the fructans at bay.
- Garlic Infused Olive Oil - All the flavors of garlic without the actual garlic.
Storage
Keep any leftover grilled stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the peppers in the microwave until warm. If you cut the pepper in half, it will help heat the middle. No microwave? Place the stuffed pepper on a baking sheet and warm in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Freezing leftovers, wrap in a plastic wrap and place in a freezer friendly container. Defrost completely before reheating.
Meal Planning
Grilled stuffed bell peppers are a delicious dinner alongside a cob of sweet corn. Create a heartier meal and serve the stuffed peppers as a side dish alongside a grilled steak or smoked pork chops. Don’t have any bell peppers but have zucchini? Try stuffed zucchini! This is another delicious option and a wonderful way to use fresh garden produce!
FAQs
Suppose you want to enjoy the stuffing mixture inside the peppers but not the bell pepper. Skip preparing the peppers at all and create a stuffed pepper casserole. Place the stuffing mixture in a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake until heated through.
Grilled Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 Bell Peppers Any Color
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Infused Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 pound Italian Turkey Sausage
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 Medium Sized Fresh Tomatoes
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup Cooked White Rice
- ½ cup Green Onion Tops
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese Shaved
- Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 350 degrees or any outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
- On a cutting board with a sharp knife cut each bell pepper in half, and remove the white membranes.
- Brush each pepper with garlic-infused olive oil with a marinating brush. Sprinkle the peppers with kosher salt, and ground black pepper on the inside and outside.
- Grease the grill grates with avocado oil soaked on a paper towel. Place peppers directly on the grill grates and cook for six minutes.
- On the stovetop, in a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage and ground beef until no pink remains.
- With a sharp knife on a cutting board, dice the tomatoes into small pieces and add to the meat mixture. Cook the tomatoes in the meat over medium low heat for 4-5 minutes to allow the tomatoes to cook down. If you are using canned diced tomatoes, skip this cooking step.
- Next, add the cooked rice, chopped green onions, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning to the meat tomato mixture. Allow the rice mixture to simmer on the stovetop over low heat while the peppers cook.
- On the grill, flip the peppers to the other side and cook again for six minutes.
- Remove the bell peppers from the grill and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese into the bottom of each pepper. With a small spoon, fill each pepper with the stuffing mixture.
- Cover a grill basket with tin foil or a baking sheet.
- Place the stuffed peppers into the grill basket and top with mozzarella cheese first and then parmesan cheese.
- Put the cheese-topped stuffed peppers back on the grill over indirect heat for twenty minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Remove the peppers from the grill. Place the stuffed peppers back into the baking dish using tongs and sprinkle some fresh-cut basil over the peppers. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Green Peppers are safe at 75 grams or ½ cup.
- Red Peppers are safe at 43 grams or ⅓ cup.
- Orange Peppers are safe at 38 grams or ¼ cup.
- Yellow Peppers are safe at 35 grams or ¼ cup.
Nutrition Information
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