Meat Loaf Stuffed Peppers

Leftover meat loaf isn’t always inspiring, but these meat loaf stuffed peppers are. They are attractive and tasty and make a fun way to repurpose leftovers. It doesn’t really matter which meat loaf recipe you use as your starting point, stuffed peppers with meat loaf are a solid winner.

This is a quick recipe at just 40 minutes from start to finish, so it’s ideal for weeknight meals. It’s the kind of recipe that begs you to put your own spin on it, so feel free to tweak it with whatever’s in your fridge.

Ingredients for Meat Loaf Stuffed Peppers

• Green bell peppers: Green bell peppers provide an edible wrapper for the stuffing, and additional chopped peppers add their flavor to the stuffing.
• Leftover meat loaf: Leftover meat loaf gives this economical meal much of its flavor and protein.
• Spaghetti sauce: Spaghetti sauce helps moisten the peppers’ stuffing and also keeps them from drying out in the oven.
• Cooked rice: The leftover rice in this recipe gives the filling its bulk and stretches the costlier ingredients.
• Onion: Chopped onion adds a pungent, savory note to the filling and helps elevate its other flavors.
• Cheddar: The shredded cheddar cheese provides a pleasantly gooey layer of flavor atop the stuffed peppers.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the peppers

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Cut the tops from the peppers and remove the seeds and any oversized ribs from the inside. Drop the peppers into a pot of boiling water to par-cook for three minutes, then scoop them out and drain. Pour 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce into a shallow baking dish, and set the dish aside.

Step 2: Make the filling

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In a saucepan, combine the leftover meat loaf and rice with the onion, chopped green pepper and remaining spaghetti sauce. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s heated through. Stuff each pepper with the meat loaf mixture, then transfer the peppers to the sauce-covered baking dish.

Step 3: Bake the stuffed peppers

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Bake the peppers, uncovered, at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re heated through and the peppers are tender. Sprinkle the cheese over top of the peppers, and let them stand until the cheese melts before serving.

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Meat Loaf Stuffed Pepper Variations

• Switch up the meat: This recipe was designed to use up leftover meat loaf, but you can tweak it according to the leftovers you have on hand. Leftover cooked sausages, hamburgers and baked or braised meatballs can all be diced up and used the same way.
• Use a meaty tomato sauce: If meat loaf and meatballs aren’t in the regular mealtime rotation at your house, but pasta dishes are, you have a different option. A few cups of leftover Bolognese sauce or other meaty spaghetti sauce can replace both the meat loaf and the plain tomato sauce.
• Go with a different sauce altogether: The whole spirit of this dish is using up what you have on hand, so don’t feel that you have to have tomato sauce. Using cooked salsa or salsa verde instead, for example, takes the meal in an entirely different direction. Got beef gravy? Use that instead. If you’re using meatballs as a substitute for the meat loaf, and they were cooked in a sauce, it makes sense to use up the sauce in your stuffed peppers.

How to Store Meat Loaf Stuffed Peppers

Any leftover stuffed bell peppers should be moved to a food-safe storage container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerated as soon as possible after your meal.

Can I make the stuffed peppers ahead of time?

Yes, they’ll reheat well. Make them earlier in the same day, or even the day before, and return them to the oven until they’re heated through to the USDA’s recommended temperature of 165°F. If you do this, hold back on the cheddar cheese and put it on once they’ve finished reheating.

How long will these stuffed peppers keep?

That’s an interesting question. Ordinarily, a dish such as this one would keep for three to four days in the fridge, but in this instance, you’re working with leftovers. The meat loaf, rice or sauce may already have spent two or three days in your fridge, which makes them riskier than fresh ingredients. You should plan to either eat up any “leftover leftovers” within a day, or else freeze them immediately after your meal for longer storage. Frozen, they’ll keep for one to three months depending how well you wrap them.

Tips for Meat Loaf Stuffed Peppers

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I’m not keen on green peppers, can I use a different kind?

If you prefer the sweeter, mellow flavor of ripe bell peppers, feel free to use those instead. They’re a 1:1 substitute for green peppers. You could also use mild chile peppers such as Anaheims, poblanos or banana peppers. Those have a different shape, so it’s best to halve them lengthwise and fill the halves. They’ll be shallower than bell peppers, but you can still fill and cook them in much the same way.

Can I stuff other vegetables?

Yes, of course. Remember, this recipe is all about using what you’ve got. Instead of stuffed peppers with meat loaf you could use large tomatoes, for example. Scoop out the juicy middle and use it in a salad, then stuff and bake the tomatoes. Zucchini and other summer squash are good for stuffing, and so are acorn or Sweet Dumpling winter squashes. In a pinch, you can even use large leaves of cabbage or chard. Blanching the cabbage leaves in boiling water for a few minutes makes them flexible enough to roll around the filling.

Can I use a different grain?

Of course, if that’s what you have on hand. Small grains and grain-like options are best, including bulgur wheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa and couscous. For those who have been trying to incorporate more whole grains into their diet, we have a few less-common options you can try in this or other recipes. If you don’t have leftover cooked grain but do have leftover pasta, that can work as well. Just chop the pasta coarsely before mixing it with the meat loaf and sauce.