Italian Style Stuffed Bell Peppers

Fresh Produce:

• Start by gathering all your fresh produce. You’ll need about three pounds of ripe Roma tomatoes, along with one small onion, four cloves of garlic, one stalk of celery, one carrot, and one small zucchini. Finely chop the onion, celery, carrot, and zucchini. Mince the garlic and set it aside for later, as it will be added toward the end of the sautéing process. 

Prepare the Tomatoes:

• Next, prepare the tomatoes for peeling. Using a paring knife, make a shallow “X” incision on the bottom of each tomato—this will help the skin peel off easily after steaming. Place the tomatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam them for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the skins start to blister and peel away. Once the skins are loose, remove the tomatoes from the steamer and place them in an ice bath or allow them to cool naturally until they are easy to handle. Peel off the skins, remove any tough cores, and crush the tomatoes by hand or with a spoon. Set them aside in a bowl. 

Cooking the Sauce:

• Now, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and zucchini. Sauté the vegetables until they begin to soften and develop a little browning around the edges—this will take about 10 minutes. Once lightly browned, reduce the heat to low and allow the vegetables to sweat, releasing their natural moisture. This step is key to achieving a thick, rich sauce without excess water. 

• After the vegetables have cooked down and are soft, stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Then, add the peeled and crushed tomatoes to the pot and stir everything together. At this point, season the sauce with The Bearded Butcher Original Blend Seasoning and add a handful of fresh chopped herbs such as basil, bay, oregano, and parsley, if you have them from the garden. 

Simmer on Low:

• Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat for about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. As the sauce cooks, it will thicken, and the flavors will meld together beautifully. 

• Once the sauce has finished simmering, use an immersion blender to blend it to your desired texture. For a smooth, marinara-style sauce, blend thoroughly. For a chunkier texture, pulse lightly until it reaches the consistency you like. 

Let the sauce cool slightly before using it in your stuffed peppers, or store it in jars in the fridge for up to a week. This fresh garden tomato sauce also freezes well and is perfect for pastas, pizzas, or as a dipping sauce. 

Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers - Step-by-step Instructions: 

Boil the Orzo Pasta: 

• To begin this recipe, start by par-cooking the orzo pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add one cup of orzo, and cook for about five minutes—just until the pasta is slightly tender but still firm in the center. Drain the orzo and set it aside; it will finish cooking inside the peppers later.

Cook the Meat: 

• While the orzo is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add one pound of ground beef and one pound of Italian pork sausage. Cook the meat until it is browned, breaking it up as it cooks, and season with The Bearded Butcher Bold Blend Seasoning. Once the meat is cooked, drain any excess grease if needed. Then, stir in about two to three cups of homemade garden tomato sauce—or use a 24-ounce jar of high-quality canned pasta sauce if preferred. Let the meat and sauce mixture simmer for a few minutes, then add the cooked orzo and stir everything together until well combined.

Prepare the Bell Peppers: 

• Next, prepare the bell peppers. Choose large, fresh bell peppers—red, orange, and yellow for sweetness, or green for a more traditional flavor. Slice off the tops to create an opening, and use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes from the inside. Lightly season the inside of each pepper with The Bearded Butcher Original Blend to enhance the flavor even further.

Fill the Peppers: 

• Once the peppers are ready, spoon the meat, sauce, and orzo filling into each pepper until they are fully stuffed. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright into a skillet to keep them stable during cooking.

Top Them Off: 

• Now it’s time to top them. Sprinkle the tops of each pepper with seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, then add a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Finish each one with another light sprinkle of The Bearded Butcher Original Blend for a final layer of seasoning.

Cook the Peppers:

• Preheat your smoker or oven to 325°F. Place the skillet of stuffed peppers onto the smoker and cook for one hour, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top. 

Once done, remove the peppers from the smoker and allow them to cool slightly before serving. These Italian Style Stuffed Bell Peppers make a flavorful, hearty summertime meal—perfect for showcasing the best of your garden harvest with the bold taste of The Bearded Butcher Blend Seasoning in every bite.