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Easy Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

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This Crockpot Stuffed Peppers recipe is an easy-to-prep dish for a healthy, delicious slow cooker meal you’ll love. Minimal prep with no premaking or pre-cooking needed. Easy, easy, easy!

Closeup side view of Crockpot Stuffed Peppers in a white oval serving dish with fresh basil and Greek yogurt.

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If you’re looking for a delicious, I mean truly, truly delicious and easy slow cooker dinner recipe that also happens to be healthier with almost zero prep… you’ve found one of my favorites!

It’s a crowd-loving Italian-inspired recipe perfect for weekdays, game days, summer days when you want to keep the kitchen cool or… when you simply want an easy and delicious meal that doesn’t require a lot of work or ingredients!

I get that!!

Let’s Talk About Easy!

This Crockpot Stuffed Peppers recipe is so easy, you almost can’t believe it. You don’t need to pre-cook the quinoa and you don’t need to brown the meat. There is no chopping, other than slicing the tops from the peppers and hulling the inside.

Everything else is just mixing the filling, stuffing the peppers, programming the crockpot, and walking away. Happy sigh!

These stuffed peppers are easy, healthy, and make the best leftovers ever! Can’t eat them right away? Freeze for later and you’ll be glad you did!

If you’re looking for a stuffed pepper recipe not made in the slow cooker, try my Easy Stuffed Peppers Recipe!

Closeup side view of Crockpot Stuffed Peppers in a white oval serving dish

What to Love About Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

  • The prep is easy… like crockpot meals should be. No chopping or pre-cooking!
  • Healthy but simple ingredients are already packed with flavor.
  • Make ahead friendly for big gatherings or meal prepping.

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

Specific ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below, but here is a list of what you’ll need, along with some ingredient notes.

  • Bell Peppers: I’m using large bell peppers in 3 colors, but you can use any color you like. Depending on the size of your peppers, you may have a bit of leftover filling. If this is the case, I cook it in a covered skillet on the stovetop with a bit of added water or chicken stock until the meat and quinoa are cooked through. It’s perfect for quick lunches throughout the week!
  • Ground Meat: I absolutely love using ground bulk sausage in this dish. The flavor is incomparable, eliminating the need for additional aromatic ingredients. I like lean turkey sausage in this recipe, but you can substitute it with ground chicken, turkey, or beef.
  • Quinoa: This nutritional powerhouse is a good source of nutrients, including folate, magnesium, zinc, and iron. It’s also rich in fiber and protein… and deserves its title of “superfood.” If you’re not a quinoa fan, make the stuffed peppers with cooked rice or lower-carb cauliflower rice instead. You do not need to pre-cook the quinoa in this recipe.
  • Tomatoes: This pantry-style crockpot meal uses canned diced tomatoes. My favorite tomatoes are Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, Oregano and Basil for added flavor, but any diced tomatoes you have on hand will work.
  • Cheese. I like to use Mediterranean-inspired cheese like Italian blend shredded cheese or Mozzarella. Parmesan brings a delicious salty flavor that makes it perfect.
  • Spices. Italian seasoning is all you need with the already flavorful sausage. If you’re using more mild meat like ground chicken, turkey, or beef, consider adding additional garlic powder for flavor.
  • Toppings. Anything you love WORKS! Here I’m using fresh chopped parsley and, of course, basil. I’ve also drizzled it with a dollop of Greek yogurt. You may notice in the photos I’ve eliminated the additional melted cheese called for in the recipe. That’s a personal preference to keep it healthier, but most people love the added cheese!

How to Make Crockpot Stuffed Peppers 

Step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a quick overview:

Begin by slicing off the bell pepper tops. Remove the ribs and seeds by carefully running a butter knife around the insides of the peppers. Be sure to keep the peppers intact without breaking open the sides.

Top view of uncooked Crockpot Stuffed Peppers in a black slow cooker base.

In a large bowl, add ground meat (sausage, chicken, turkey, or beef), tomatoes, uncooked dry quinoa (or cooked brown or white rice or cauliflower rice), spices, and cheese; stir to combine. Then spoon the filling to the top of each pepper.

Top view of uncooked Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with quinoa filling in a black slow cooker insert.

Add a 1/2 cup of water to the slow cooker, stand the peppers on their bases, cover the crockpot, and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.

Top view of cooked Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa in a black slow cooker insert.

How to Store Cooked Stuffed Peppers

You can store leftover cooked stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat leftover peppers, it’s best to cut the cooked peppers into a few pieces so that they warm evenly. You can place the peppers in a baking dish, cut side up, and warm in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. You can also gently reheat them in the microwave until heated through.

Can You Freeze Stuffed Peppers?

Absolutely! You can definitely freeze stuffed peppers. They freeze well, taste wonderful and are easy to thaw and reheat.

To freeze cooked stuffed peppers, wrap each completely cooled stuffed pepper in storage wrap, along with a layer of aluminum foil. Or you can store them in an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen stuffed peppers in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

Recommended Tools for Making Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Programmable slow cooker: I like to use a 6-quart programmable slow cooker that automatically switches to “keep warm” to help prevent overcooking.

What to Serve with Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

  • Cornbread. Try these peppers alongside a simple Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread for a delicious side!
  • More Vegetables. Roasted or sautéed vegetables is a delicious side dish for stuffed peppers like roasted zucchini or sweet potatoes.
  • Salad: You can never go wrong by pairing Italian recipes with a big green salad or a Mediterranean salad like 10 Minute Greek Salad.

More Recipes You May Also Love

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Side view of Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa in a serving dish in front of a window
Top view of Italian Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with fresh basil

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

These easy Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa are a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious meal with no pre-cooking. Easy, easy, easy!
4.7 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 6 large bell peppers in any color you like
  • 1 pound ground turkey sausage or ground chicken, turkey, or lean beef (see notes)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with juices, (use Italian tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil, if available)
  • 1 cup dry quinoa or 3 cups cooked brown or white rice
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheese like Mozzarella, Italian blend, or your favorite cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Slice the tops from each pepper and remove the seeds and ribs. Do this carefully to keep each pepper intact without breaking the sides.
    Horizontal top view of uncooked Crockpot Stuffed Peppers in a black slow cooker base.
  • In a large bowl, add the ground sausage (or meat), tomatoes with their juices, uncooked quinoa, Italian seasoning, salt, 3/4 cup of shredded cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Stir to combine.
  • Spoon filling all the way to the top in each of the hollowed-out centers of the peppers.
    Horizontal top view of uncooked Crockpot Stuffed Peppers with quinoa filling in a black slow cooker insert.
  • Pour 1/2 water into the base of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Transfer the peppers and arrange them standing on their base. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
  • Sprinkle peppers with remaining shredded cheese, cover, and let sit for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted.
  • Serve with favorite toppings like Greek yogurt and chopped fresh herbs like parsley and basil.

Video

Notes

 
Substituting Ground Meat for Sausage: Because ground sausage brings so much flavor to the dish, if you substitute ground chicken, turkey, or beef, add another 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the uncooked filling for additional flavor. 

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5435IU | Vitamin C: 216mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe? Pin it Today!Follow me on Pinterest for more and use the "Pin" button at the top of the recipe card.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: stuffed peppers, crockpot stuffed peppers, slow cooker stuffed peppers
4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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