Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 bell peppers, tops and cores removed
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack
- Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees.
Step 2: Cook the rice in a small saucepan according to package instructions.
Step 3: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, saute the onion for about 5 minutes until tender. Add in the tomato paste and garlic. Stir and continue to cook for another minute until aromatic. Add in the ground beef, breaking up the meat using a wooden spoon, and continue to cook for 6 minutes more until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
Step 4: Add the beef mixture back to the skillet. Stir in the cooked rice and the diced tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, then simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid slightly reduced.
Step 5: In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, put the peppers on the bottom cut side-up. Drizzle with oil and spoon the mixture to the peppers, and sprinkle over the Monterey Jack.
Step 6: Use foil to cover the dish and place it inside the preheated oven. Bake for about 35 minutes until the peppers are soft. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and garnish. Serve warm.
