I tried stuffed-pepper recipes from Ree Drummond, Giada De Laurentiis, and Alex Guarnaschelli, and the best was very filling

The ingredient list for Drummond’s stuffed-pepper recipe included lots of produce, like zucchini, onion, garlic, Roma tomatoes, and bell peppers. 

She said that any color of bell peppers could be used, so I went with red, orange, and yellow for variety.

I also needed ground beef and long-grain and wild rice to add bulk — I bought a mixture of the two grains that can be microwaved to save time.

To prepare my base, I cut off the tops of my bell peppers and used a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.

Then I chopped any leftover pepper scraps and other vegetables before even heating my pan, to streamline the process of making my filling.

I cooked the ground beef in a skillet and placed it on a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up the excess fat.

I sautéed the chopped onions, peppers, garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes. 

After adding salt, I skipped the recommended red-pepper flakes and opted for Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning because I prefer its flavor. 

Then I mixed in the ground beef, cooked rice, and pepper-jack cheese.

I stuffed and placed the peppers in a baking dish, poured water around them, and drizzled olive oil on top. The water will help steam and soften the pepper as it bakes.

Then, I placed them in my preheated oven. Drummond called for covering the stuffed peppers with foil for the first 30 minutes of the bake and removing it for the last 20.

In the last 20 minutes, the cheese I sprinkled on top browned and melted.

The cheese helped hold the stuffed pepper together and gave it a creamy texture, which I enjoyed. Unfortunately, I lost the creaminess when reheating the peppers for leftovers — perhaps because there wasn’t enough cheese.

Stuffing a pepper with so many fruits and veggies was a bit overwhelming. If I were to make this again, I’d add more meat (or even rice) to the mixture to create a better balance.

De Laurentiis’ stuffed-pepper recipe stood out from the others because it didn’t contain ground beef.

The filling called for orzo pasta, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, zucchini, mint leaves, and pecorino Romano. I was intrigued that the recipe was using orzo instead of rice, quinoa, or lentils, which are common in stuffed-pepper recipes.

The recipe lists red or yellow bell peppers, so I used both.

I combined the canned tomatoes, grated zucchini, mint leaves, grated pecorino Romano, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

I cooked the orzo in chicken broth for a few minutes, drained it, and added it to the tomato mixture.

If you want to make the recipe fully meat-free, you can substitute veggie stock. 

De Laurentiis recommended slicing the bottom of the peppers to help them stand up, so I did.

I filled the peppers with the orzo mixture, placed them in a baking dish, and poured the remaining chicken broth around them.

She said to cover the peppers with foil for the first 45 minutes of the bake at 400 °F, so I did. Then I removed the foil, added more cheese, and baked them for 15 more minutes.

I thought these stuffed peppers would lack flavor without ground meat, but I was wrong.

Since the pasta added a contrasting texture and the cheese had a nice flavor, I liked this recipe more than Drummond’s.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the added mint, so I’d probably opt for basil instead if I were to make the recipe again.

Guarnaschelli’s take on stuffed peppers mostly included pantry staples like canned tomatoes, black beans, apple-cider vinegar, chili powder, and cumin.

In addition to ground beef, cooked couscous or rice was recommended to make the dish more filling. I went with the same mix of brown and wild rice I’d used in Drummond’s recipe.

Guarnaschelli called for halving the bell peppers instead of cutting the tops off.

I then seasoned the peppers with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and roasted them at 400 °F until they were juicy and soft.

The recipe said to brown the ground beef and set it aside. Then I sautéed the vegetables in my seasonings and mixed the meat back into the pan.

I added canned black beans and apple-cider vinegar to the mixture before removing it from the heat.

After filling each pepper halfway with rice, I finished them off with the chili-like mixture.

Then, I sprinkled sharp cheddar cheese on top of the stuffed peppers and put them in the oven for about 25 minutes.

The recipe provided tons of leftover filling, which I liked. It was tasty the next few days on its own or wrapped in tortillas.

Cutting the peppers in half created a great balance with the stuffing.

The peppers had a lot of flavor thanks to all the spices, and the beans were a nice way to add even more protein to this simple dish.

Although I could taste the meat, I would’ve liked more of it in the peppers. Otherwise, these were almost perfect.

I thought Guarnaschelli’s and Drummond’s recipes could’ve benefited from more ground beef and fewer vegetables, but Guarnaschelli’s stuffed-pepper recipe was my favorite.

Cutting the peppers in half made for a well-rounded dish with plenty of stuffing to balance the pepper. The spices elevated the flavor, and the addition of black beans and rice made it a filling meal.

Check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we’ve put head-to-head so far.

This story was originally published on November 6, 2023, and most recently updated on March 17, 2026.