Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers {Beef and Rice}
83 CommentsUpdated Feb 07, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers feature seasoned beef and rice tucked inside tender peppers, all simmered in a rich sauce, and my recipe sticks to nostalgic, pantry-friendly ingredients you already love.
Recipe Highlights
Built-in portions: one pepper = one tidy serving, perfect for dividing up
Edible vessel: the pepper itself becomes a tender, flavorful bowl that you can cut up and eat as you go
A Complete meal: my crockpot stuffed peppers are a full meal – Meat, veggies and starch
Key Ingredients
- Bell peppers – Green Bell Peppers are classic for this. If your bell peppers are very large you may need to use less than five.
- Ground beef – The meat is browned and crumbled. – Use can use leftover crockpot ground beef.
- Rice – Leftover cooked rice works well in this stuffed peppers recipe.
- Onion – Diced white onion adds flavor and heartiness to the crock pot stuffed peppers.
- Marinara – I choose to use marinara instead of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes; you can use homemade marinara sauce if desired.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, thyme and oregano are all you need!
How to Make Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Combine browned beef with diced pepper tops, rice, seasonings, and a splash of marinara.
- Stuff the peppers, pour remaining sauce around them in the crockpot.
- Cover and cook on low until the peppers collapse into tender, saucy goodness.
Variations
Here are my ideas for changing up this recipe:
- If you’re going for a veggie option, swap the beef for soy crumbles or a can of pinto beans. You can also toss in extra veggies like chopped squash or asparagus to the rice mix.
- Salsa works great as a replacement for marinara sauce, and you can use Italian seasoning instead of thyme and oregano for a different flavor.
- Prefer something other than ground beef? Try ground chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage instead.
How to Serve Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers
These peppers are very filling, so you don’t need many sides:
- These can certainly be considered a full meal in one pepper, but you can serve with a green salad and garlic bread!
- Stuffed peppers often come with cheese, but it’s totally optional. If you want some cheesy goodness, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella on each pepper about 10 minutes before they’re done cooking.
- When it comes to other toppings, you can try a variety of ideas such as a dollop of sour cream, diced tomatoes, salsa, or bacon bits.
Featured Comment
I make this often and it always turns out great! I especially like it for the summer because it doesn’t heat up the house. Thanks for sharing!
– lisa
Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers {Beef and Rice}
Classic stuffed peppers made with ground beef, rice in a savory marinara sauce.
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 5 bell peppers, tops cut off and diced for filling
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice, can be leftover rice
- 24 oz. jar marinara sauce, divided
- 1 small white onion diced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. dried oregano, tarragon works well too
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet on the stove top. Drain.
- Add the beef, cut up bell pepper tops, rice, 1 cup of the marinara sauce, onion, salt, garlic powder, thyme and oregano to a medium sized bowl. Stir.
- Stuff the peppers with the filling you just made. If there is any leftover filling add it to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add remaining marinara sauce to the slow cooker.
- Add the stuffed peppers in the slow cooker. I try not to let them rest on the sides of the slow cooker, but most of the time they end up falling over later.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Sarah’s Notes
Tempted to use raw meat instead of browning? Raw meat in stuffed peppers does work well, but the texture will be more like a meatloaf than a crumbly filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 971mg | Potassium: 1056mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4355IU | Vitamin C: 164mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Made this recipe? Leave a comment below!
More recipes with bell peppers:
- Tender strips of beef and peppers simmer in savory sauce for Slow Cooker Pepper Steak, while Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas bring bold, zesty flavor to taco night.
- Slow Cooker Swiss Steak features beef slow-cooked with tomatoes and onions, and Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers delivers classic Italian flavor with minimal effort.
- Try Taco Stuffed Peppers for a fun twist on a classic, or enjoy the same flavors in a cozy bowl of Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup.
I lost my mom a year ago and she was a wonderful cook and loved to cook. I however did not inherit that gene, I don’t like to cook never have. I have moved back home to take care of my dad. With all this COVID stuff I have been working from home and the slower cooker has become my friend. I found this and first time EVER making stuff peppers and they turned out so good. The only thing for me was the marina sauce it was a little to spice hot for my dad. He is a survivor of mouth cancer and anything with a little heat he can’t eat. The next time I made them I use spaghetti sauce he loved them. Y’all just don’t know how much this website has helped me!
Awe. It’s nice to have you here.
I would definitely try cooking stuffed peppers in my slow cooker. I used to brown the hamburger before stuffing, but I now mix the meat, herbs, spices, and an egg – as though for a neat loaf– and do NOT cook prior to stuffing the pepper. They come or delicious! So… I am wondering about slow cooker cooking time if I prepared them that way. Do you think the peppers would hold up with a longer cooking time? Thanks for any thoughts on this.
Hi Penny! I do this sometimes, here is another recipe that is similar to what you are describing. I cook on low for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/taco-meat-loaf-stuffed-peppers/
5 hour is a long time for cooked ground beef. I agree
Just finished this recipe. It tasted great. I cooked them in the crock pot on high. I used tomatoe sauce and added extra spices, as I did not have marinara. Will definitely cook them again. Thank you!
Can you use tomato sauce instead of marinara sauce
You can but you will need to add salt, pepper and seasonings to it.
This recipe tasted great!! I cut my peppers in half so it is easier for my kids to eat. The recipe turned out fantastic. I froze the leftovers and gave them to my father in law and he really enjoyed them. I have made this recipe with chicken and beef it tastes great either way. I added corn when I made it with chicken.
Thank you.
I made your recipe for Taco Meat Loaf stuffed bell peppers which was outstanding!! I will try this one as well. Being stuck here at home right now, I have tried several of your crock pot recipes! Keep them coming!
Made this recipe tonight for dinner.
YUMMY!!! It’s a keeper….
I have green peppers from my garden. I mix ground beef, cooked rice, seasonings, and some tomato sauce. ( beef is raw ). I fill peppers and freeze them. When ready to use, I put as many as I want into crockpot with a little tomato sauce on top. Cook on low 6 to 8 hrs. Sometimes on high. You can tell when they are done. In the winter, when peppers are 2.00 a piece mine are in the freezer. Ready to cook.
Such a great idea. I batch cook things for my mom and grandpa, they would LOVE this.
I like this idea I always cook then freeze, good idea!
I cooked everything as per the instructions but also added a can of petite cut tomatoes to the marina sauce!! Turned out great!!
Why did my peppers get so bitter. Could not eat them.
I never use green peppers for stuffed peppers only red or yellow or orange. We find that the green ones tend to get bitter