Louisiana Dirty Rice was made to be stuffed into a zesty bell pepper and enjoyed! Richly savory, wonderfully aromatic, the seasoned ground beef, spicy sausage, herbs and rice marry perfectly with sweet bell peppers to create a classic comfort meal. Top with Parmesan cheese and this easy recipe becomes a new way to enjoy a Louisiana tradition or just make the most of your dirty rice leftovers!
There is no doubt there are plenty of ways to stuff a bell pepper to make a meal, but there is none that fits perfectly quite like Dirty Rice. This classic Louisiana dish is frequently used as stuffing for quails, turkey and chicken during the holidays and on special occasions. So from texture to the tailor-made flavors, this rice knows what being the perfect filling is all about!
There is no extra moisture to make the peppers soggy. And since bell pepper is a part of the dirty rice recipe, each herb, spice and rich, savory meat is made to complement the bright. zesty sweetness of the pepper.
What You Need to Make Louisiana Dirty Rice Stuffed Peppers
- Louisiana Dirty Rice (Find our #1 recipe here!)
- 4 bell peppers (orange, green, red & yellow)
- shredded Parmesan cheese
- fresh Parsley
Which Bell Peppers Should I Use To Make Stuffed Peppers
- As with most recipes, perfect stuffed peppers begins at the grocery store.
- Choose peppers with smooth, tight skin and with no wrinkles or blemishes. It’s also important to choose peppers that have equally sized bumps, or lobes, on the bottoms so that your pepper will stand up easily while cooking. Peppers with four lobes are female peppers. They have more seeds, but are sweeter to eat!
- I like to use green, red, yellow and orange peppers for this recipe. All of the colors make for an incredibly delicious and special looking meal. And each pepper brings a subtly different flavor to the dish. The red bell pepper is the sweetest, while the green is the most zesty!
Do you have to Pre Cook Bell Peppers Before Stuffing them?
- Many recipes require pre cooking peppers before stuffing them by either simmering them in a pan of water or prebaking them. This recipe does not.
- The peppers are stuffed while still raw and come out of the oven crisp tender and full of flavor.
- By not pre cooking the peppers, this recipe is deliciously aromatic while baking, and both the pepper and the dirty rice infuse the other with rich, deep flavors as they warm and bake.
Properly Using Leftovers
This recipe includes making Dirty Rice & stuffing the peppers. But everyone knows that Dirty Rice, like any good southern recipe, makes plenty. So stuffed bell peppers are also a perfect way to enjoy leftover dirty rice the next day.
- If you are working with leftovers instead of a full recipe of rice, you will need fewer peppers to stuff. Assume 1- 1.5 C of leftovers per pepper half. Also, the total prep and cooking time for using leftovers is about only 35 minutes!
- Dirty Rice Stuffed Peppers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for 3-4 days. They also freeze well either individually or as a dish. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed throughout.
- These peppers are also a make ahead dream! Prepare them 1-2 days ahead of time (see storing instructions above) and then bake according to the recipe when you’re ready.
What To Serve with Dirty Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Cornbread Pudding (coming soon!)
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
- Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce (coming soon!)
- Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas & Ham
- Blueberry Spinach Salad
Other Classic Louisiana Recipes
- Easy Louisiana Sausage Jambalaya
- Easy Louisiana Gumbo with Green Chile Rice
- Mini Natchitoches Meat Pies
- Layered Muffuletta Salad
- Million Dollar Shrimp & Crab Dip
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Louisiana Dirty Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 8+ C Louisiana Dirty Rice
- 4 medium bell peppers
- 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spray bottom of 9x13 or large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Wash and dry bell peppers. Slice off tops or cut in half lengthwise right through the stem. Remove seeds and seed membranes from inside the pepper halves.
- Stuff peppers with 1 C to 1.5 C of rice, using a spoon to create a rounded top with the rice. Line in baking dish rice side up. Top with shredded Parmesan and bake in preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes. Tent a piece of aluminum foil over the dish for remaining cook time to prevent over browning or drying out.
- When cook time is up, peppers should be tender. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
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