Pizza night is sacred in our house, but sometimes I want all the saucy, cheesy, pepperoni-topped goodness without the crust. These Pizza Stuffed Peppers are exactly that: bell pepper “boats” filled with seasoned ground beef or turkey, pizza sauce, mozzarella, and all your favorite toppings.
They are naturally low-carb, gluten-free, wildly customizable, and still deliver that melty cheese pull. The best part? No one has to agree on toppings. Give everyone a pepper half, set out the fixings, and let dinner become a tiny pizza bar.
What are Pizza Stuffed Peppers?
Pizza stuffed peppers are bell pepper halves filled with pizza-inspired ingredients like seasoned ground beef or turkey, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, or other favorite pizza toppings.
Instead of using pizza dough, the peppers act as the base, making this an easy low-carb, gluten-free dinner option.
Why Pizza Stuffed Peppers Recipe Works
If you love pizza you’ll adore these delicious peppers that pack in all of the goodness of pizza in a different form.
- Covering the peppers first helps them steam until fork tender, but keeps their shape and flavor.
- Uncovering them at the end lets the mozzarella melt, bubble, and brown.
- Cooking and draining the meat first builds flavor and keeps the filling hearty and prevents watery, soggy peppers.
- Sauce in the baking dish keeps everything moist and adds extra flavor for serving.
- Great for picky eaters! Covering veggies with cheese or transforming them into pizza is an easy way to encourage kids (and even picky adults) to get some nutrient-packed goodness.
Ingredients For Pizza Stuffed Bell Peppers
This healthier pizza makeover is a cinch to pull together with lots of ingredients you probably already keep around.
- Bell peppers – Red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter, while green bell peppers have a slightly sharper flavor. Either works, but colorful peppers make this dinner fun and festive.
- Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is the best for sauteing and its light flavor works well in this recipe.
- Ground lean ground beef or turkey – Lean meat keeps the filling hearty without making the peppers greasy. Ground Italian sausage also works if you want extra pizza-shop flavor and a little heat.
- Italian seasoning – You can make your own mix or use the store-bought variety.
- Garlic powder – I use powders in this recipe to make it easier but if you want to press garlic or mince it you can do that instead. You can also use store-bought minced garlic.
- Onion powder – Again, the powder is the easiest way to get this meal together quickly but you can also finely mince the onions.
- Salt – Only a little of this is necessary since the cheese will add some salty flavor to these pizza stuffed peppers as well.
- Black pepper – Your typical shaker of black pepper will do but you can use fresh ground or a peppercorn medley if you want to fancy it up.
- Pizza sauce or marinara sauce – Use a thicker pizza sauce rather than a thin marinara when possible. Thicker sauce helps prevent watery stuffed peppers
- Mozzarella cheese – Low-moisture shredded mozzarella melts beautifully. For extra flavor, add parmesan or an Italian cheese blend. Freshly shred, skip the bagged stuff for the best texture.
- Toppings of choice – Mini pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms, banana peppers, diced onions, jalapeños, and cooked sausage are all great options. Watery vegetables like mushrooms should be sautéed first.
- Chopped parsley – This garnish is optional but does make the pizzas pretty. You can use dried, or fresh parsley that’s finely chopped.
How to Make Pizza Stuffed Peppers
With less than 20 minutes of hands-on prep time this pizza pepper recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or an alternative to a typical weekend pizza night.
- Prep. Preheat the oven and after spraying a baking dish or baking sheet with cooking spray, pour some of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish.
- Add the peppers. Next, place prepped peppers in the dish so that they are evenly spaced.
- Brown & drain meat. In a large skillet heated over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and ground meat. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the meat, if there is excess fat or liquid, drain in a fine mesh colander and return to the pan. Add the other seasonings and cook for another 3-4 minutes to sweat them out. Browning will add flavor and allow moisture to evaporate out, preventing soggy peppers.
- Assemble. Fill each of the pepper halve with the ground meat mixture being careful to drain some of the extra grease before filling. Top the ground meat with the pizza sauce, cheese and any other desired toppings.
- Cover & Cook. Cover the dish with its fitted lid or aluminum foil. Bake. Halfway through cooking, remove the lid or foil from the top of the dish and continue to bake.
- Rest. Remove the peppers from the oven when they have become fork tender and the cheese is fully melted and golden brown. Allow the peppers to cool briefly.
- Garnish. Garnish with parsley or additional parmesan cheese if desired, and serve.
How to Keep Stuffed Peppers From Getting Watery
Bell peppers naturally release moisture as they bake, so a little liquid in the dish is normal. To keep them from getting watery, use lean meat, drain the cooked filling well, choose a thick pizza sauce, and avoid piling on raw watery vegetables. If using mushrooms, onions, spinach, or zucchini, sauté them first so they release moisture before going into the peppers.
Best Toppings for Pizza Stuffed Peppers
- Mini pepperoni
- Cooked Italian sausage
- Black olives
- Mushrooms, sautéed first
- Banana peppers
- Jalapeños
- Diced ham
- Crispy bacon
- Red onion
- Spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
- Parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh basil
- Pineapple
- Diced tomatoes
Variations
There are all sorts of interesting add-ins and changes to make these pizza stuffed peppers special.
- Mini peppers – Instead of large peppers, try using mini peppers. They’re perfect for kiddos or as appetizers.
- Portobellos – Swap out the peppers for portobello mushrooms. Just clean them, remove the stem and add the meat, cheese, and topping.
- Creamy cheese – Swipe a creamy cheese across the bottom of the inside of the pepper for a cheesier treat. Cream cheese, ricotta, seasoned boursin, or goat cheese are all options.
- Fresh mozzarella – Try buying the smaller pearl mozzarella balls. Place a few on top of the meat instead of, or in addition to, the shredded cheese.
- Meatless – Use your favorite ground meat substitute or just omit it altogether. You can also fill it with other veggies like seasoned riced cauliflower or broccoli.
- More seasoning – After adding all of the ingredients to the peppers, sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top of the peppers.
- Heat – If you like a little spiciness with your pizza, try adding crushed red pepper flakes to the beef mixture. Or sprinkle finely diced jalapenos to the top.
- Parmesan cheese – Sprinkle some grated parmesan over the top of the peppers.
- Toppings bar – Get everyone involved in the preparation! Put out bowls of toppings to use to dress up the peppers before they go in the oven.
- Diced tomatoes – For more tomato flavor, add petite diced tomatoes to the meat and seasonings.
- Sauce – Skip the marinara and make a variation on a white pizza by using an alfredo sauce.
What to Serve with Pizza Stuffed Peppers
These pizza stuffed bell peppers are hearty enough to serve on their own, but they also pair well with a simple green salad, garlic bread, roasted broccoli, Caesar salad, zucchini fries, or a bowl of extra warm marinara for dipping.
Storage, Make Ahead and Freezing
It’s unlikely that you’ll have many leftovers after making these tasty pizza stuffed peppers. But if you do, they’re easy enough to store in the refrigerator.
Make-Ahead: If you’re prepping these for a party or just doing meal prep to have dinner ready to pop in the oven the next day when you get home, you can fill the peppers with the cooked beef ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings just before baking.
Refrigerator: Place these peppers in an airtight container, or wrap them with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, heat at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.
Freezer: While you can freeze these, the texture of the peppers themselves may differ once thawed and reheated. If you do choose to freeze them, store in a ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes. Ground beef, turkey, or sausage should be cooked before being added to the peppers. This ensures the meat is fully cooked, lets you drain excess grease, and keeps the peppers from becoming watery.
Yes. Cook the meat filling and stuff the peppers up to 24 hours in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator, then add sauce, cheese, and toppings just before baking.
Drain the cooked meat well, use a thick pizza sauce, and sauté watery vegetables like mushrooms or onions before adding them. Baking uncovered at the end also helps reduce excess moisture.
Absolutely. Skip the meat and use sautéed mushrooms, riced cauliflower, spinach, plant-based crumbles, or extra vegetables. Just cook watery vegetables first so the filling stays thick.
More Pizza Inspired Dishes
Pizza Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers , (any color will work) seeded and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey or lean beef
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups pizza sauce or marinara sauce , divided
- 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese , freshly shredded
- toppings of choice
- chopped parsley , optional
- parmesan cheese , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly spray a 13 x 9 inch baking or casserole pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup of pizza sauce to the bottom of the dish and spread around evenly. Arrange the sliced and seeded 3 bell peppers on top of the sauce. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 pound ground turkey or lean beef, browning and breaking apart. IF there is moisture or grease, drain it and return to the skillet. Stir in the 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, cooking for another minute.
- Spoon the ground meat mixture evenly into the prepared bell peppers. Top each with 2-3 tablespoons of pizza sauce and then evenly distribute the shredded 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese. Top with your favorite pizza toppings (I used olives and pepperoni).
- Cover the peppers with a fitted lid or aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 more minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.
- Remove and allow the peppers to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with optional chopped chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
I absolutely love stuffed peppers so trying this pizza version was an obvious choice. I’m so glad that I did! This version is so cheesy and delicious!
This is such a fun take on stuffed peppers! I can almost taste all that pizza goodness right now.
I love this, plus it is on the low carb side. Win win! Thank you!
Oh how fun! These stuffed peppers look so good. Such a wonderful combination of flavors and I love all that melted cheese.
This is seriously amazing!! I will definitely make it again!