Name: Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 4 medium bell peppers (red are the sweetest); 1 lb ground beef (85/15 (500g)); 1 cup cooked rice (150 g); 1/4 cup tomato sauce (55 g); 1/2 onion (diced); 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp oregano; Parsley or basil (for garnish)

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Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers are a quick and easy, flavorful dinner that’s both light and satisfying. Also great as leftovers the next day!

When it comes to the Instant Pot, we have a list of super easy recipes that we make in it for dinner that just can’t get any easier. These Stuffed Bell Peppers are one of them.

» If you love stuffed peppers, also check out these Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers.

This recipe couldn’t be any easier. The peppers turn out so flavorful and delicious, and there are even a few minor adjustments you can make to change them up so you don’t ever get bored of them.

If you just got your Instant Pot or you haven’t used it yet, this is a great recipe to start with. It’s impossible to mess it up, even if you don’t know what you’re doing.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet (go directly to Amazon and order one!), you really should consider it. We have a free Instant Pot starter guide when you join our mailing list. You can also check out our Instant Pot page for more information.

What Peppers to Use

You can really use just about any pepper to make stuffed peppers but for this recipe we use bell peppers.

Not only do they stand upright, they are firm enough to hold the ingredients, and they have a nice sweet flavor.

I typically use red bell peppers that are medium in size and that have a flat bottom on them. Red peppers are slightly sweeter than the other options. However, you can use green or yellow bell peppers as well.

If your peppers aren’t flat on the bottom, they won’t stand upright and will be difficult to serve, so be careful in picking. You also want peppers that are pretty uniform in size so they call cook at the same rate.

How to Make Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Start by cutting the tops off the peppers. Take the seeds and membranes out. You don’t have to get too technical about it, just shake out the pepper and pull out the thickest of the white ribs.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef with the remaining ingredients. I just mix it up with my hands. It’s easiest to get everything well incorporated that way. You can mix it with a spoon or even put it in the food processor, if you want.

For the hamburger, I use a 15% fat ground beef. This gives the beef the fat it needs to be really tender and juicy. It adds a lot of great flavor to the peppers.

Once it’s all mixed up, stuff the mixture evenly into each pepper. If you have medium peppers, the mixture will fill each pepper to the top.

Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot and insert the trivet. Place the peppers upright on the trivet. Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing.

Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 8 minutes. Allow for a natural release of pressure (about 5-10 minutes). It sometimes takes less time, so if you’re in a hurry, you can release the pressure manually after 4 minutes.

Test the internal temperature of the peppers with an instant read thermometer to make sure it reached 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Serve the peppers with fresh parsley or basil for garnish. You can also serve it with extra tomato sauce or some sour cream, if you want.

Variations for Stuffed Peppers

As mentioned, there are many variations you can make to these peppers to mix things up a bit.

Serve them with cheese melted over the top (cheddar, smoked gouda, or mozzarella are our favorites)
Mix the ground beef with 1/4 cup of cream cheese instead of tomato sauce
Use different rice, such as brown rice, Mexican rice, or cilantro lime rice
Mix in 2 teaspoons of homemade taco seasoning and serve with fresh tomatoes, shredded lettuce and salsa on the top
Use cauliflower rice instead of white rice, for a low-carb alternative

Side Dishes to Try

Salads
Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Corn & Black Bean Pasta Salad
Bacon, Jalapeno & Corn Salad
Classic Wedge Salad
Pear & Gorgonzola Salad

Veggies
Roasted Asparagus with Cranberries & Feta
Shaved Asparagus with Pesto
Roasted Green Beans & Mushrooms
Crispy Roast Potatoes

Soups
Popcorn Soup
Butternut Squash Soup

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