Mini Meatloaf Pepper Rings
Stuffed Mini Meatloaf Pepper Rings make a delicious one-pot supper!
Hello everyone! I’m a little late getting this post out today. I normally post my new recipes very early in the morning, but that didn’t quite work out for me this morning. I didn’t even hear my alarm! Like not at all! Luckily my 3 year old came in my room when she did because we would have had a really late morning.
So I kind of just relaxed a little after taking my older kids to school. Rather than hurrying up to come home and start all the usual clean-up chores and email checking, I went to my parents house to bring my three year old to play for the day. They love to have her. They actually kept her when she was an infant while I was still working. So she has a special little place in their hearts and boy does she know it!
The baby and I stayed to visit for a while. It’s really nice to break routine every now and then!
Speaking of breaking routine, how about changing up your meatloaf routine a little. Do you all make meatloaf? It is one of my husband’s favorite dinners. I don’t make it too often because I’m usually experimenting with other blog recipes, but it is always a nice treat. And so are these Mini Meatloaf Pepper Rings!
They are a super easy supper to make! Even though my kiddos aren’t big on the peppers, they sure do dig any type of meatball-related dinner. This idea actually came from Sunny Anderson on Food Network several years ago. I thought it was so cool how she got so creative with bell peppers.
Now, I like to use a lean ground beef for this dish to minimize how much the meat will shrink down in the peppers. Plus it keeps it a healthier meal . I served it with a little green salad, skipped out on the carbs, and felt really good about my dinner.
Mini Meatloaf Pepper Rings
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
- 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
- A pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Prepare peppers by slicing off a little of the top and bottom of each pepper. Do not discard these. Cut out ribs and seeds. Slice into 3 thick rings and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment for easy clean up. Dice up remaining parts of peppers to use in meat mixture.
- Prepare meatloaf mix: Mix ground beef with seasoning, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, garlic, and remaining diced peppers until combined.
- Stuff each pepper with meat mixture leaving a dome of the mixture on top of each pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. (If you do not have an oven-safe pot, you will just transfer them into a casserole dish to bake later).
- Brown each stuffed pepper ring for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. You may need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your pot.
- Once, browned on each side, pour crushed tomatoes over the stuffed pepper rings. (Transfer to casserole dish before topping with crushed tomatoes if you do not have an oven-safe pot.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for 5 more minutes. Top with fresh parsley and serve.
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We all need to slow down a bit, don’t we? Love this newer take on stuffed peppers! It’s a nice balance for kids that don’t always love the pepper part too. Pinned!
Thanks Laura!
Please go back and read your directions as they don’t make sense – parchment paper to pan? Why?
Hi Susan! Are you talking about this part: “place on a sheet pan lined with parchment for easy clean up?”
This is my suggestion to make your clean up easy after you are finished prepping everything. It is completely optional to use the parchment. You can even use foil if you’d like.
Yes, I was not sure about that part either. Also, I couldn’t find what to do with the Italian blend cheese. I mixed some with the meat and put some on top when it went in the oven. It’s cooking now, so hopefully it turns out good!
Hi Julie! You top with the Italian blend cheese at the end of the recipe, but putting extra in the meat like you did would be great too!
I am so intrigued by this recipe! I hate meatloaf- my fiancé loves it! I loves veggies, so I thought it was a good mix! Now, I made the mixture browned each side of the rings. Can I stick them in the fridge until later tonight when we begin to think about dinner? I’m uneasy about it because I don’t make meatloaf. I would pull the meatloaf rings out an hour before dinner cook them for 35-45 mins and then melt cheese over top like suggested. I just want to make sure they’ll last in the fridge because I already browned the rings.
Thanks!
I’m so eager to try this!
Hi Megan! Yes, that would be fine to do that. I would always let it cool first before placing in the fridge.
What a fun idea, I love meatloaf and I love stuffed peppers, so naturally, I’m going to love these!
Thanks Heather!
What a great twist on meatloaf! Those grandparents sure know how to love up on grandchildren and help Mom out don’t they?! 🙂
Yes they sure do! Thanks Julie!
I grew up on stuffed peppers – my mom made them weekly – but these rings are truly genius!!! They could also serve as a perfect appetizer!
Thanks Kate!
I’m drooling! These would be a hit at my house! I lived with my parents when I had my oldest son and my parents will always have a close bond with him because of that. Grandparents are the best! 🙂
Yes they are! Thanks Jen!
These were delicious. Easy to make, and pretty! Directions were easy to follow. Yum!!!
So glad to hear!
Love these little meatloaf bites! Plus it’s a great way to use up all those (soon to be here!) summer time bell peppers.
Thanks Nutmeg Nanny!
Stuffed peppers are always a hit and stuffed with meatloaf? My husband is gonna flip over these!
Thanks Meg!
This recipe is delicious!! Tried it last week and loved it so much I am making them again this week! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I featured this recipe on my latest blog post of my favorite pinterest recipes, https://www.meshkomoments.com/tried-true-pinterest-recipes/ . Thanks! 🙂
Hi Katie! I’m so glad you liked it, and thanks so much for letting me know!!
Can you omit the browning process, and just cook in the oven?
Hi Brooke! I haven’t tried that yet with this particular recipe, but I have done it with oven burgers and it worked fine. Thanks for visiting!
I didn’t brown it and it came out perfect.
Browning a bit just adds flavour!
This recipe sounds delicious!!! Do you think I could freeze it already made up, but not baked? I’m looking for make ahead ideas. Thank you!
Hi Diana! I think this recipe could be made say on a Sunday and then cooked on a Tuesday. So you could basically make the meat mixture, stuff the peppers, and just wait and cook it all on the night you want it. If you want to freeze it, perhaps you could do everything up to the point of topping with tomatoes and finishing them off in the oven. Just defrost them in the fridge overnight, then top with tomatoes and bake them. I think that would work fine.
Thanks for your response. I’m going to make the the full recipe and freeze half. I’ll let you know how it works out. Have a great weekend!!!
Diana – did you try freezing them and cooking them at a later time? I would love to try that if it works.
Thanks!
How did that work out? 🙂
My husband & I Absolutely Loved this!
Definitely a Keeper! Thank You!
Hi Sheryl! I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
I made this tonight but only had on lb of ground chuck so basically cut the recipe in half….it was delicious…hubby loved it too… I made microwave scalloped potatoes with it and green beans….we have enough left for tomorrow night too… I do wish these recipes gave the calorie count etc to enter into my fitness pal…but I will just have to enter the whole recipe and let it give me the answer…THIS WAS VERY GOOD AND WORTH THE WORK TO MAKE IT…
So glad you liked it Dotty!! Thanks for letting me know!
I know a few people who love stuffed peppers so I’m going to tell them about this recipe. However, I’m not big on peppers. Do you think this would work with thick onion rings? I want to try it but I’m not sure how the onions would bake..
Hi Sonia! I think the onion ring idea sounds great!
Trying these today! Added some extra spice with lime basil and Mexican oregano. The house smells yummy! Thank you!
Hi Tammy! Hope you loved it! Thanks for visiting!
Jaren! This was fantastic! I made it for the 4th of July, not only was it delicious it was beautiful. Mami would say when I was younger ” don’t eat with your eyes.” This was a big hit because they are as good as they look. God bless.
We love this one too! Thanks for letting me know, and I’m so glad you liked them!!
Jaren,
Wondering if I could finish them in a crock pot instead of the oven, as it is super hot today.
Hi Kathy!! I’ve not tried doing that with these. I would probably try it on low for 4 to 6 hours. I’ve actually thought of testing this recipe out like that too! Thanks for visiting!
I made this recipe tonight, and my husband and I really enjoyed it. I made a few modifications to personalize it for our tastes, but I do believe it is something that I will continue to make on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing!
That’s awesome Liz! Thanks for letting me know!!
I made these last night using ground turkey. What do you think the serving would be 1 or 2 stuffed peppers.
Hi Lei! Glad to hear you made them even quicker without browning! I would say two would be a serving. Hope you enjoyed!
I made these by first halving the recipe because I had equal amounts of lean ground beef and turkey. It was delicious! I gave the beef half to a friend who is doing a no carb diet by using almond flour instead of bread crumbs. Worked like a charm. For any of the new cooks out there, I’d remember to salt as you go. Using a good salt, not table salt during all the steps results in a a tastier outcome than salting at the table. I used ground pepper as well and I sautéed some of the pepper with some garlic before adding a splash of wine and the tomatoes to the pan after I’d removed the pepper rings. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Hi Susan! So glad you liked it! Thanks for your wonderful suggestions too!!