If you love the comforting flavor of classic stuffed bell peppers but dread the tedious prep work of coring, stuffing, and waiting for whole peppers to slowly bake, this recipe is your shortcut to dinner heaven. This Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Stuffed Pepper Pasta delivers all the sweet, savory, cheesy flavors of the traditional dish, re-imagined as a bubbling, low-effort weeknight pasta bake.
By chopping the peppers and tossing them right into the mix, you get a beautiful blend of tender pasta, rich meat sauce, and melty cheese in every single forkful.
The 5-Ingredient Shopping List
Keeping the ingredient list minimal means choosing high-impact staples that deliver built-in flavor:
1 lb Ground Beef or Italian Sausage: Lean ground beef keeps things classic, but using sweet or hot Italian sausage adds built-in seasonings like fennel and garlic without opening a single spice jar.
2 Large Bell Peppers: A mix of one green and one red bell pepper gives you the perfect balance of earthiness and sweetness, plus a beautiful pop of color.
1 jar (24 oz) Marinara or Tomato Basil Sauce: Opt for a high-quality, flavorful pasta sauce, as it serves as the primary seasoning liquid for the entire dish.
8 oz Short Pasta (like Penne, Rotini, or Rigatoni): Short shapes with ridges or hollow centers are ideal because they hold onto the meat sauce and cheese beautifully.
1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese: Half goes into the pasta mix to create gooey pockets of cheese, while the rest melts into a gorgeous golden-brown crust on top.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
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