These stuffed bell peppers without rice are a hearty, oven-baked dinner made with ground beef, cheese, bacon, and simple seasonings. Skipping the rice keeps the peppers lower carb while still making them filling and flavorful.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice
🕒 Ready In: ~55 minutes
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~420 per serving
🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground beef, bell peppers, cheese, bacon, onion
📖 Dietary Info: Low carb, gluten-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - mix, stuff, and bake
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The beef mixture is combined in one bowl, packed into fresh bell peppers, and baked until tender and juicy. With bacon mixed into the filling and melted cheese on top, this recipe delivers classic stuffed pepper comfort without needing grains.
If you enjoy easy low-carb dinners like this one, you may also like our Spaghetti Squash Casserole, Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast, or French Onion Chicken that are simple to prep and make.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love this Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice FAQs:
- More Easy Dinner Recipes You'll Love
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- Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice
Why You'll Love this Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice:
No rice required: Skipping rice keeps these stuffed peppers lower carb while still hearty and filling.
Naturally gluten-free: Made without breadcrumbs or grains, just be sure to use gluten-free ketchup and bacon.
Big flavor: Ground beef, cheese, and bacon make the filling rich and satisfying.
Simple prep: Everything mixes in one bowl and bakes in the oven.
Great make-ahead option: These peppers reheat well for easy lunches or dinners later in the week.
Key Ingredients:
- ground beef. Use 85/15 for the best balance of flavor and moisture. Leaner beef may result in a drier filling.
- cheddar & parmesan cheese. Cheddar adds creaminess, while parmesan brings salty, nutty depth.
- ketchup. Adds a sweet and tangy flavor, use homemade ketchup for the best flavor.
- bacon. Cooked and chopped for a smoky bite in every bite, save some for topping!
- bell peppers. Use any color you like; look for firm, wide-bottomed ones for easy stuffing.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Make it dairy-free: Use dairy-free shredded cheese or omit the cheese entirely and finish with extra bacon on top.
- Use a different protein: Ground turkey or ground chicken can be used instead of ground beef; adjust seasoning as needed.
- Swap the almond flour: Crushed pork rinds or gluten-free breadcrumbs can be used in place of almond flour.
- Change the cheese: Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a cheddar blend all work well.
- Add extra vegetables: Finely diced zucchini or mushrooms can be mixed into the filling for added moisture and volume.
How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish or sheet pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, diced onion, ketchup, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, almond flour, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in most of the cooked, diced bacon, reserving a small amount for topping.
- Wash the bell peppers and slice the tops off. Remove the seeds and ribs from the inside and arrange the peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
- Divide the beef mixture evenly among the peppers, pressing it gently into each one. Top with the reserved bacon and additional cheese if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Don't over mix the filling: Mixing just until combined keeps the beef tender instead of dense.
- Choose evenly sized peppers: This helps them cook at the same rate and sit upright in the baking dish.
- Check doneness with a thermometer: The filling should reach 160°F to ensure the beef is fully cooked.
- Let the peppers rest briefly: A short rest after baking helps the juices redistribute and makes them easier to serve.
- Serving suggestions: Pair with Roasted Carrots and Zucchini or Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad for a balanced plate.
How to Store:
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or microwave individual portions until heated through.
Freeze: Let stuffed peppers cool completely, then wrap individually in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat from frozen: Bake covered at 375°F for 35-45 minutes or until heated through.
Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice FAQs:
Absolutely. Just note that leaner meats may result in a slightly drier texture, consider adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the mix.
Yes. Stuffed bell peppers without rice can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, then baked when ready to serve.
Yes. Stuffed bell peppers without rice are naturally gluten-free because they are made without grains or breadcrumbs. Be sure to use gluten-free ketchup and bacon, as ingredients can vary by brand.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers Without Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 bacon strips, cooked and diced
- 6 bell peppers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish or sheet pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, diced onion, ketchup, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, almond flour, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in most of the cooked, diced bacon, reserving a small amount for topping.
- Wash the bell peppers and slice the tops off. Remove the seeds and ribs from the inside and arrange the peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
- Divide the beef mixture evenly among the peppers, pressing it gently into each one. Top with the reserved bacon and additional cheese if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- Don't over mix the filling: Mixing just until combined keeps the beef tender instead of dense.
- Choose evenly sized peppers: This helps them cook at the same rate and sit upright in the baking dish.
- Check doneness with a thermometer: The filling should reach 160°F to ensure the beef is fully cooked.
- Let the peppers rest briefly: A short rest after baking helps the juices redistribute and makes them easier to serve.
- Serving suggestions: Pair with Roasted Carrots and Zucchini or Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad for a balanced plate.
margaret smith says
This was delicious. I tried making them whole and after 45 minutes I cut one in half to see if meat was done. It was still a little mushy for our taste so I cut all them in half and cooked another 30 minutes. They were fantastic. I also left out the coconut aminos or soy sauce. For chili powder I substituted 1 teaspoon of mild chili mix from a small package mix. Also next time if adding bacon I will cook strips first then add to peppers.
Jayme Silvestri says
Thanks! My fiancé is an amazing cook but me, not so much! I made this today for dinner so he didn’t have to cook. It was great! Easy enough for this inexperienced cook and tasty enough for his experienced taste buds! I added A super reduced balasmic on top since we use it for Caprese salad and it baked onto The chicken really well. This recipe is a keeper! Any idea for a balsamic Like sauce to go with it?
A.Gramma says
I make it with whole peppers and use Sweet Baby Rays sugar free Barbecue sauce. I reduce heat to 375 and add 40 minutes. I do temp check them to make sure they are at 160F. They are my sons favorite. They also reheat in the air fryer wonderfully. I normally make 8 to 12 so there are leftovers.Yummmmm! Thank you for the Great Recipe.
Stacia says
I saw a 1lb meatloaf sale at the grocery store, bought 2 of them so I could use up some bell peppers quickly tonight. Had precooked bacon in the freezer from an event earlier this month. Excited to see how this turns out!
A. Gramma says
I am sure it turned out. I have used store bought and other meatloaf recipes and they have all turned out great.
Cheri Hinton says
Absolutely divine and easy to prepare will have this again. Hats off to Coty!
Allison says
Hello - I was looking for clarification on the serving size. It looks like there are 8 half peppers and it is for 6 servings. Is that correct? So, 1 full half stuffed pepper with a third of another half? Thanks!
Roché Woodworth says
Hi, I have it as 6 servings on average based on what I see when I serve it to family. But honestly, it will depend on how much your family eats per person in the end. We serve 4 adults and 2 kids and there’s always one or two half peppers left over.
Sandy says
This was excellent. I used medium hot peppers, no other changes. I'll DEFINATELY make this again!
Sheila says
How long do you cook if using whole peppers?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Sheila! It’s so hard to answer this. I would assume that you would need to add at least 20-30 minutes on top, but I really can’t be sure unless I test it myself first.
I usually try hard to keep recipes as short as possible and would definitely recommend you prepare them cut in half as recipe requires. Once I find time to do a recipe test with whole peppers, I will update the recipe card with my findings.
Yvonne says
What a fresh way to have meatloaf! This was super delicious and so easy to make!