Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers
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Instant Pot stuffed bell peppers are a simple dinner with less effort than the oven version. They cook up tender with a flavorful ground beef and rice filling and plenty of tomato sauce to serve alongside.
This recipe is cooked in an Instant Pot (a multicooker with a pressure cooker setting), which is perfect for busy nights when you want a hassle-free dinner.
Before you start
- Rice: this recipe uses cooked rice (leftover rice works well).
- Pressure cook time: 8 minutes for medium peppers. Add 1 to 2 minutes for large peppers.
- Release: let pressure drop naturally for 4 to 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Pot size: a 6-quart usually fits about 4 medium to large peppers upright on a trivet.
Ingredients
- Bell peppers
- Onion
- Ground beef or pork (or a combination of these two).
- Cooked rice
- Marjoram
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Sugar – optional, helps balance the sauce.
- Water – for a richer flavor, use chicken or vegetable stock.
Tools you’ll need
- Measuring cups and spoons or a scale.
- Mixing bowl and fork (hand will also do the trick).
- Cutting board & knife – For this simple cutting any knife will work here.
- 6-quart (6-liter) Instant Pot or 8-quart (8-liter).
Possible variations
- Cheese: either as a topping or mixed in the stuffing mixture.
- Meat: ground pork or a combination of ground pork and beef.
- Spicy: add a few finely chopped jalapenos in – to your taste.
- Cauliflower rice: many of our readers used cauliflower rice instead of white rice. If using cauliflower rice, drain or squeeze out excess liquid so the filling doesn’t turn loose.
- Quinoa: another great option and substitution for rice.
What can I serve with stuffed bell peppers
- Salad: Any leafy salad with a vinaigrette or dressing works great.
- Bread: It’s great to soak up the tomato sauce. What kind? Choose what you like: Crusty sourdough, garlic bread, store-bought or homemade bread – pick your favorite!
- Cooked vegetables: Green beans or broccoli are the easiest options.
- Mashed potatoes are also great here if you want something cozy to catch the sauce.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can. Uncooked stuffed peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 24 hours before cooking. To make sure everything is cooked through, add 1 or 2 minutes to the pressure cook time. Or you can prep the filling a day in advance and refrigerate, in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
It is possible, but I don’t recommend it. The filling itself will be fine, but the peppers will change their texture. Perhaps try freezing uncooked stuffed peppers instead. That will give you a slightly better texture.
For medium peppers, count with 8 minutes of active cook time. With large peppers, add an extra 1 to 2 minutes. Keep in mind the 8 minutes is the pressure time. You’ll also need time for the pot to come to pressure, plus a few minutes for the release.
This recipe is written for cooked rice. Uncooked rice can stay firm inside the peppers and can make the filling dry. For consistent results, use cooked rice.
It usually means the sauce on the bottom is too thick, or there isn’t enough thin liquid. Add a splash of water or stock and make sure the peppers sit on a trivet so they aren’t sitting directly in the sauce.
Useful tips
- Any type of cooked rice will work here.
- Marjoram can be substituted with oregano. Italian seasoning is another good option.
- You can also add some fresh parsley to the filling.
- Great for meal prep: Cooked stuffed bell peppers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days if stored properly.
- Optional: Top stuffed bell peppers with shredded cheese right before serving.
- Peppers: I prefer yellow and red ones as they have a milder taste. Green peppers tend to taste bitter.
- Don’t pack the filling too tightly. A gentle fill helps everything heat evenly.
More instant pot recipes to try
- Chicken Risotto: Our readers’ favorite. So easy, done in a pressure cooker.
- Tortellini Soup: This is the perfect weeknight dinner. Serve it with crusty bread and you are in for a treat.
- Chicken Paprikash: A tasty chicken dinner (my favorite) with plenty of sauce, cooked without a hassle.
Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium bell peppers see notes 1 and 2
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ½ pound ground beef or pork, (220 grams)
- 2 cups cooked rice (300 grams)
- 1½ tablespoons marjoram divided, see note 3
- 1½ teaspoons salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 can tomato sauce divided, (14 ounces/400 grams), see note 4
- ½ cup water or chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon olive oil optional
Instructions
- Rinse all the peppers. Cut off the tops, then remove the membranes and seeds.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 small finely chopped onion, ½ pound ground meat, 2 cups cooked rice, 1 tablespoon marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 minced cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs and 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce (reserve the rest for later). Mix with a fork or hand until well combined.
- Fill each pepper with the mixture.
- Pour water (or chicken stock) and the remaining tomato sauce to the inner pot of a 6-quart (6-liter) Instant Pot. Stir in ½ teaspoon sugar (optional), ½ teaspoon marjoram, generous pinch of salt (skip it if using salty stock) and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).
- Insert the trivet and arrange the stuffed peppers on top.
- Lock the lid and set the steam release valve to SEALING. Press MANUAL (older models) or PRESSURE COOK (newer models) and set to 8 minutes on High Pressure. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to VENTING to release the remaining pressure. Or wait until the pin drops itself (natural release).
- Let the peppers rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve the peppers in the sauce or ladle the sauce over each portion.
Video
Notes
- Any color will do but keep in mind that green peppers tend to taste bitter.
- For large peppers, add 1 to 2 minutes to the pressure cook time to make sure the meat is cooked through. Ground beef and pork should reach 160°F (71°C).
- Marjoram can be substituted with oregano or Italian seasoning.
- Tomato sauce can be substituted with tomato passata or flavored tomato sauce.
- This recipe is enough to fill 4 medium peppers.
- Optional: top cooked stuffed peppers with shredded cheese.
- The meat to rice ratio can be adjusted to your liking.
- The cooking time does not include time for the pot to come to pressure and release pressure, usually about 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.
So do I cook rice seperately before mixing? I’m new to using a pressure cooker. Can I do instant rice?
Yes, you do cook it separately and instant rice will work great here.
Hi, these look really good, but why do you put the tomatoes in the bottom? Does that make a sauce? You don’t explain what to do with it, unless I missed that bit. Thank you!
Hi Amy. Yes, those tomatoes make a little sauce. I guess you can use water only, if you are not interested in the sauce. Sorry for the confusion!
I can’t wait to try this version. I made my own tonight and found your recipe when I looked for Instant Pot stuffed peppers. I have already made my filling and just wanted to know a cooking time for the peppers if all of the filling was pre cooked. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Lindsay. I have to say I am not sure but I would probably try reducing the active cooking time by half (4 minutes). Then you will have to check yourself if the doneness of the peppers is OK for you. Hope this helps a bit.
I’d like to do this with double the meat and half the amount of rice – any suggestions as to how much longer I’d need to cook them?
Hi Chelsea, the meat should be ready in 8 minutes but if you feel more comfortable cooking it longer, then you can increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Hope this helps.
I wanted to love this but the ground beef was not cooked all the way through. Put it in for 8 more minutes and it was still raw in the middle. Are you certain the ground beef shouldn’t be browned first? My first instant pot fail :(
Hi Amanda. I am sorry to hear that. I have never had anyone having problem with the beef not being cooked through. It does not need browning but you can do it if you don’t feel comfortable with the length of the cooking time. You could also increase the cooking time. However, this recipe works with the time stated in the recipe card so not sure how much time you would need to add as I am not sure what went wrong in your case.
Made this recipe and I must say WOW!!! I just can’t believe how good it taste . This is definitely not a once in a blue recipe .
Yay! Thank you so much for your comment and rating, Lilly! Hope you find more recipes you like on my blog.
I made these stuffed peppers tonight! I can’t get over how easy, quick and delicious they were! I took your advice and added ketchup to the mixture and a little on top, then some shredded cheese after they cooked. WOW! I really enjoyed it. Thanks!
You are welcome, Heather! :) I am so happy to hear you also tried adding ketchup and you liked it. Thank you for finding time to write the feedback and leaving rating.
I loved the recipe, I find it very easy to do. Thank you for sharing.
Glad to hear that! :) Thanks for finding time to write the feedback.
Tried this recipe it turned out well but my peppers would not stand at attention so I put them in coffee cups work well
What a great idea using coffee cups, Arthur! Thanks for finding time to write the feedback.
Delicious! My husband isn’t an easy critic when it comes to food and he loved this! My kids, not so much, but it had nothing to do with the taste but the general “pickiness” of kids. Very easy to put together for a quick weeknight dinner! I will be making again for sure!
Thanks so much for your feedback! Glad to hear your husband loved it too! :)
Made these tonight for the first time, and they were delicious! I swapped the ground beef for ground turkey and cooked them for ten minutes (only because I couldn’t tell if the turkey was fully done or not). They were SO tasty, and I will definitely be adding them to our recipe rotation.
Have you ever doubled the recipe and frozen half?
Thank you for sharing this!!
I am so delighted to hear that, Haley! :) I haven’t tried doubling the recipe and freezing so I am afraid I am no help here. Thanks so much for finding time to leave a comment & rating.
Can you substitute Tomatoes for the Bell Peppers? I made stuffed tomatoes basically the same way, bit different on spices and we use ground turkey not ground beef. I used to only use the oven, but Summers it’s too warm. So years ago I started using the microwave. It’s about 16 min cooking time, but makes a mess every time, plus now fearful of cooking in the microwave with new studies and all. Plus every once in awhile it over hears the microwave and it’ll blow the surge protector, then I’m unsure how long it cooked. I’d love to make them in my 6qt IP!
Monique, I haven’t tried making tomatoes in the IP but I don’t see a reason why you couldn’t. The only thing is adjusting the active cooking time – I would go with only 4-5 minutes. It should be enough for the ground turkey as well as the tomatoes. However, you will have to try it for yourself to see. Hope this helps.
Monique-
Stuffed tomatoes are a family tradition and STAPLE in the summer around here. I’ve about lost my marbles waiting for them to take 2 hours to cook in the heat. It just occurred to me today that the Instant Pot might help. Dying to know- did you make these? Please share the results if you did. Pre-cook the meat? How much time? TIA
Looks like a great recipe, does the ground meat need to be cooked first or does it go into the peppers uncooked?
Hi Casey. Thank you! No, no need to cook the meat ahead. It goes in uncooked.
I have the 8 qt IP, it does not have a manual button on it. Do I use the pressure cook button for 8 min?
Yes, Cheryl. Pressure cook it for 8 minutes.
Just a note. It’s helpful when listing a can of anything as an ingredient to mention what size can you’re talking about. Imagine a recipe that just said a spoonful of salt…
Hi Glenn. If you check my recipes there is always stated amounts for the exact reason you mentioned. I must have missed it here so thank you for catching this mistake. One can in this case is 14 ounce (400g).
Okay, another reason I really need an instant pot. I see so many great recipes that I’d love to try and stuffed peppers is definitely one of them.
Oh Stephanie, you definitely need one! I love cooking in it! :)
I miss my mom’s stuffed peppers! I’ve been trying to find a recipe that resembles hers and I think I found it in yours! Yay!! I love cooking with my instant pot and I can’t wait to try your delicious recipe! I love that you used vibrant bell peppers! Beautiful photos!
Happy to hear that, Elaine :) Hope you enjoy them!
I love easy recipes like this. Stuffed peppers are my favorite!
Thank you, Shadi! :)
I was excited to find an instant pot shortcut recipe for stuffed peppers. I made these and used 2 tbsp of fresh herbs (parsley and oregano) instead of dry and I also added shredded cheddar to the stuffing. Did everything else the same. Cooked for 9 min on manual pressure cook in my instant pot. I thought they were very bland and parts of the beef and onion were uncooked. I would not recommend using raw beef and onions. I would saute the onions and garlic in oil, with spices, then brown the beef. This recipe also needs about 2 more teaspoons of salt. I’m not sure if the instant pot mutes flavor but it was devoid of seasoning even with the fresh herbs and addition of cheese. It was edible but terribly bland and one-note with flavor and texture.
Hi Lo. Fresh herbs cooked under high heat lose their taste and for that reason you should use dried herbs only in this recipe.
Another vote for the Instant Pot! I love it that you can make stuffed bell peppers in that beast! Pinning and sharing…thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks so much, Traci!
You made this classic comfort food dish a breeze to make. Can’t wait to break out the insta pot and give it a try.
Let me know what you think!
I made this the other night, made a few adjustments based off a family recipe. The raves were amazing! Thank you so much. You’ve made a family favorite I would make only a few times a year due to the work, into something we’ll be having monthly!
Thanks so much for the feedback, Kelly! I am happy to hear that this recipe made your life a bit easier and you’ll be able to make it more often :)
I made the stuffed peppers tonight. Followed easy directions to the letter! I even cooked my rice in my IP first. They were delicious!!! Thankyou for posting!
Thanks for your feedback, Karen! Happy to hear you liked this recipe and I hope you find some more inspiration for cooking on my blog :)
what is the other option other than “manual”? I guess I have a newer version of instant pot
Just pressure cooking. Any setting you have that does the normal pressure cooking should be the one. Hope this helps.
Manual is not on the bigger settings.
What do you put it at steam?
Hi Ruthanne, I am not sure what type of instant pot you have but manual = pressure cooking. Always cook on high unless otherwise stated. I haven’t developed this recipe for steaming so I don’t know if it would actually work. Hope this helps.
Made recipe and turned out AMAZING!
Great to hear that, Robin! You might also like the Instant Pot stuffed pepper soup I have on blog so :)