Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (2024)

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Did you know you can make delicious stuffed peppers in your Instant Pot? These Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers are so delicious and filling and can be quickly made in your pressure cooker. Suitable for a Gluten-Free diet and Low Carb diet. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (1)

Stuffed peppers are my new thing. Probably because they are super easy to make and (I) you can add in anything you like. If you can think of it and like it, you can pretty much add it in. My current favourite version are these delicious stuffed bell peppers with mince topped with melted cheese. Next week however, the additions will be different…….

And then there are Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers, which are even easier to make. Especially as there’s no need to sauté your onions because the Instant Pot will handle all of that work for you. Pressure cooker stuffed peppers are the perfect solution if you’re in a pinch and want a comforting meal fast.

Did I mention this recipe is quick? And I mean quick. That’s what I love about the Instant Pot. A typical recipe for stuffed bell peppers can take over an hour in the oven. Your Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers,on the other hand, will be on your plate in less than half that time.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (2)

This easy stuffed bell peppers recipe is great because it uses a lot of what you have in your pantry already or can be made from leftover ingredients from another recipe. They’re also great to make ahead and keep well in the fridge to enjoy for lunch over the next 2 days. Are you sold yet?

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers Tools

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Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.

You can have these Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers that are jam-packed with flavour in less than 20 mins. Gather your ingredients and I’ll show you how…..

How to Make Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Step 1. Combine mince, half shredded mozzarella, rice, a quarter of the tomato sauce, egg, spring onion, herbs, garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl.

Step 2. Prick the base of the peppers with a fork and fill with seasoned meat mixture

Step 3. Pour the water into the Instant Pot Insert and place a trivet into the Instant Pot.

Step 4. Place the peppers on the trivet so they are standing upright and cover the peppers with the remaining tomato sauce.

Step 5. Cover your Instant Pot, set the vent to ‘sealing,’ select the manual or pressure cook button (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 10 mins.

Step 6. When done allow the pot to undergo natural pressure release, open and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the peppers, and cover the Instant Pot (but not seal) and let stand for 2-3 mins until the cheese melts.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (3)

Pressure Cooker Stuffed Peppers Tips

  • You can use any fresh bell pepper for stuffed peppers. Colour of the pepper doesn’t matter. There are some differences in the different bell peppers and I prefer the red bell pepper for its nutritional value and light sweetness.
  • You can substitute a lot of ingredients. Stuffed peppers exist in a lot of cuisines all over the world and work well with many different spices. You can also swap out the rice for more protein or veggies to make low carb.
  • Use a lean meat mince. Using a lean meat like turkey mince will prevent your stuffed peppers from becoming too greasy in the Instant Pot.
  • You can use a pan with holes to help drain the liquid from the stuffed peppers. But no worries if you don’t have a pan with holes. You can drain later.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers with Brown Rice

You can certainly makeInstant Pot Stuffed Peppers with brown rice. Plenty of extra fibre if you do so. Simply swap the white cooked rice for some brown cooked rice.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa

Prefer a grain-free version, then why not try makingInstant Pot Stuffed Peppers with quinoa instead of rice?

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (4)

What to Serve with this Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

The Easy Stuffed Bell Pepper recipe is actually a complete meal in itself. However, if you have some very hungry guests or want some extra sides to go with these then why not serve them with some of the recipes below.

Garlic Green Beans.

Baked Tomatoes.

Instant Pot Broccoli.

Sesame Spinach Salad.

What’s the Difference in Bell Pepper Colours?

Bell peppers can add a rainbow of colour to any recipe requiring peppers but there is a difference. Red and yellow peppers are peppers that have been allowed to ripen. Red bell peppers are the ripest with yellow being somewhere in the middle. And because green bell peppers can be harvested and sold sooner, they’re typically cheaper at the market.

The riper the bell pepper, the more nutritional value there is. If you’re looking to add a bit of Vitamin C to your diet, choose the red bell pepper which has the most out of all the bell peppers.

Are Bell Peppers Spicy?

Nooooope. Even though bell peppers are in the capsicum family the bell peppers have zero capsaicin. These stuffed peppers won’t set your mouth ablaze.

Weight Watchers Points in Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

There are 5 Freestyle points in each serving of these pressure cooker stuffed peppers.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (5)

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Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

You will love these comforting and tasty stuffed peppers in your Instant Pot!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Western

Servings: 5

Calories: 333kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 5 bell peppers, tops removed and deseeded
  • 450 g 1 lb turkey or lean beef mince
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella divided use
  • 3/4 cup cooked rice
  • 250 ml 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 3 spring onions scallions finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp garlic puree
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 250 ml 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix together the mince, half the shredded mozzarella, rice, 60 ml (1/4 cup) tomato sauce, egg, spring onion, herbs, garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl until well combined.

  • Prick the base of the peppers with a fork and fill with seasoned meat mixture

  • Pour the water into the Instant Pot Insert and place a trivet into the Instant Pot.

  • Place the peppers on the trivet, to they are standing upright (you could also put the peppers standing upright in a shallow dish) and cover the peppers with the remaining tomato sauce.

  • Cover your Instant Pot, set the vent to 'sealing,' select the manual or pressure cook button (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 10 mins.

  • When done allow the pot to undergo natural pressure release, open and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the peppers, and cover the Instant Pot (but not seal) and let stand for 2-3 mins until the cheese melts.

  • Switch off the heat and serve.

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Notes

Recipe Notes

  • The total cook time does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to get to pressure and the time for the natural pressure release.

Tips

  • Place stuffed peppers on pan with holes so the water drips out. Not necessary and you can drain the liquid without the use of the pan.
  • Using lean mince will prevent your stuffed peppers from becoming too greasy.
  • Red bell peppers pack the most Vitamin C and nutritional value but any colour bell pepper will do.
  • Substitute rice for more mince or vegetables to enjoy a low carb meal.
  • The total cook time does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to get to pressure and the time for the natural pressure release.

What to Serve with this Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Garlic Green Beans.

Baked Tomatoes.

Sesame Spinach Salad.

Weight Watchers Points in Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

There are 5 Freestyle points in each serving of these pressure cooker stuffed peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4465IU | Vitamin C: 157.2mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 3mg

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers - Recipes From A Pantry (2024)

FAQs

Should I pre-cook bell peppers before stuffing them? ›

You don't need to cook the peppers before stuffing them. Budget-Friendly. Stuffed peppers turn humble, affordable ingredients like rice and ground beef into a well-rounded meal (don't miss these other Ground Beef Dinner Ideas for more wallet-friendly meals).

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy? ›

To prevent it from happening, you should try to avoid or reduce excess moisture – here are three of the things you can do:
  1. Pre-cook Peppers. ...
  2. Use Leftover Rice. ...
  3. Save Cheese for the Topping.

How to stop stuffed peppers from being watery? ›

Following the logic of precooking your peppers to safeguard against sogginess, you should also avoid watery ingredients in your stuffing. Let's say your filling calls for tomato sauce. Rather than spooning it directly into your hollowed peppers, reduce it on the stove until it's thick.

Should I cover my stuffed peppers when I bake them? ›

Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, another 15 to 20 minutes.

What is the best way to precook peppers for stuffed peppers? ›

Many recipes call for boiling the peppers first, but I prefer to roast them – more flavor and less cleanup! The best way is to slice the peppers in half from the stem end down through the base, remove all the seeds and membranes, and then roast the halves until they're tender-crisp.

How far in advance can you prep bell peppers? ›

Bell peppers are a great thing to slice ahead of time for quickly adding to a meal. Once cut, store bell peppers in an air-tight container in your fridge. Use within 3 days or move to freezer.

Why do my stuffed peppers taste bland? ›

The thing about most stuffed bell pepper recipes is 3that they call for salt in the filling, not for the peppers themselves. Without salt, the peppers are flabby and bland, merely a filling case. With a sprinkle of salt, they transform into a sweet and powerfully savory part of the dish.

Why are my stuffed peppers bitter? ›

If your supposedly “sweet” peppers taste bitter, the most likely culprit is lack of water. Pepper plants need to be consistently moist. Drought-stressed peppers go into survival mode, hastily ripening fruits and seeds without putting much energy into flavor. The resulting peppers are thin-walled and bitter.

Why are stuffed peppers watery? ›

Bell peppers contain more than 90% water, much of which is released during the cooking process. If you cook your stuffed peppers in one fell swoop, that moisture will release and end up in the final dish. Give them a jump start and prevent them from falling apart by roasting them for a short time in a hot oven.

Why didn't my rice cook in my stuffed peppers? ›

If you find your rice didn't cook in your stuffed peppers, it's likely one of two reasons: It didn't have enough time to cook through. There wasn't enough moisture for the grains to absorb.

How do you store uncooked stuffed peppers? ›

Freezing Uncooked Stuffed Peppers

Blanch your peppers in boiling water a few minutes to lightly soften. Cool, then stuff your peppers. Place all of the stuffed peppers into a freezer-safe dish. A large casserole dish works well.

What are the ingredients for stuffed peppers? ›

Why do stuffed peppers take so long to cook? ›

For Uncooked Fillings in Whole Peppers:

It's possible to stuff peppers with a raw filling. If you're stuffing a whole pepper, it takes awhile to cook because the filling needs to reach a safe temperature. Out of all the stuffed peppers, this one takes the longest to cook because of its size.

Can you microwave peppers to soften them? ›

Remove seeds and membranes; rinse. Place peppers, with tops, upright in ungreased 9x12 inch glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave until hot, 3 to 4 minutes--(note: do NOT cook peppers until done, you are just blanching them, 3 to 4 minutes should be plenty, depending on the size of your peppers).

Should you cook or raw bell peppers? ›

Bell peppers, whether raw or cooked, are packed with vitamin C and various antioxidants. Eating them raw provides maximum vitamin C content, but cooking bell peppers can increase the availability of other nutrients. Roasting or grilling bell peppers enhances their natural sweetness and offers a delightful flavor.

How long to boil bell peppers to soften? ›

To boil bell peppers: Cook peppers, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. To sauté bell peppers: Heat a skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add bell peppers and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.

Why do you parboil peppers before stuffing? ›

The most common reason to parboil peppers is to soften them ready for stuffing so that they can then be baked in the oven. This recipe for Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers is the perfect example!

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