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Stuffed red and green Bell Pepper on trivet inside Instant Pot topped with parsley.
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4.94 from 45 votes

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Made with tender peppers filled with rice, meat, and a savory tomato sauce, this easy recipe delivers classic stuffed peppers in record time!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Pressure Build-Up and Release30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers any color
  • 1½ cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup tomato sauce for filling
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 large egg optional
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey or chicken
  • ½ cup tomato sauce for topping

Instructions

  • Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and then pour in 1½ cups cold water.
  • Wash and dry the peppers. Slice the tops of the peppers off and remove seeds and ribs. If desired, use a toothpick to poke 3-4 holes of the bottom of the pepper. This is not necessary, but helps excess liquid to escape, preventing the peppers from becoming mushy.
    Spoon scooping out ribs and seeds from cavity of bell pepper.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine, 1½ cups cooked rice, 1 cup tomato sauce , 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 large egg. Mix until well incorporated. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and gently combine until the meat is evenly distributed throughout the rice mixture. Use caution to not overmix.
    Rice, beef, tomato sauce and seasonings mixed together inside mixing bowl.
  • Divide the rice mixture evenly between the peppers, filling up to the brim of each cavity and place them upright on the trivet inside the inner pot. Top each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of the remaining tomato sauce.
    Spoon pouring topping tomato sauce on 4 stuffed peppers inside instant pot on trivet.
  • Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, by selecting manual or pressure cook and using the +/- buttons to adjust the time.
  • Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. Open the Instant Pot, and use a digital thermometer, test the internal temperature to be sure that 165℉ (74℃) has been reached. If not, place the lid back on the Instant Pot and cook for an additional 3 minutes with 10 minutes natural pressure release.
    4 stuffed bell peppers inside Instant Pot on metal rack after pressure cooking.

Video

Notes

To Cook Rice First: Rinse and drain 1 cup of dry rice using a fine mesh strainer. Add the rice and 1 cup of cold water to the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH pressure for 3 minutes for white rice or 22 minutes for brown rice. Let pressure release naturally. Remove the rice from the inner pot and let cool before proceeding with the recipe. 
**Tomato Sauce: You will need one 15 ounce can (for recipe as written), but divided into 2 steps.
Bell Peppers: It is best to use peppers that are the same size and fairly flat on the bottom. Any color of pepper works for this recipe. 
Egg-Free: Omit the egg if you have an egg allergy.
Storage: Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.  
For High Altitude Cooking, refer to Instant Pot Altitude Adjustments. 
Each serving is based on half a stuffed pepper. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3078IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg
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