Best Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Best Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Author: Catalina CastravetServes: 6 servings

Prep time: 20 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time: 1 hr

Ingredients

Perfect Instant Pot Rice:

1 cup basmati rice (uncooked)

2 cups water 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Stuffed Bell Peppers:

5 medium or 4 large bell peppers 

1 lb ground beef (chicken or turkey)

1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked rice* (see notes)

1 small sweet onion (diced)

1 small tomato (diced)

1 tablespoon minced garlic 

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

1 teaspoon paprika 

1 teaspoon oregano 

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon salt (or more based on preference)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1 tablespoon breadcrumbs 

2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)

1 cup water 

Optional Garnish:

8 tablespoons marinara sauce 

8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese 

Fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

Perfect Instant Pot Rice:

Add the rice, olive oil, salt and the 1 cup of water to an Instant Pot safe dish. Stir to combine. Cover with foil and pinch a few holes or use my favorite Stackable Pot.

Add a long legged trivet to the Instant Pot and the remaining 1 cup of water.

Add the pot with the rice onto the trivet.

Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 5 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid.

Carefully remove the dish with the rice from the Instant Pot. Let it stand for 10 minutes, remove the foil and fluff up the rice using 2 forks.

Measure 1 - 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice for the Stuffed Peppers and store the rest.

Rinse the Instant Pot stainless steel insert.

Stuffed Peppers:

Wash the peppers, cut off their tops (I like to keep them to use when serving the peppers), remove the seeds and clean the inside well by removing gently all the veins.

You can brown the beef in a skillet or in the Instant Pot before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. I prefer to skip this step and save time by using raw ground beef.

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients starting with the ground beef - up to the chopped parsley. Stir well to fully combine.

Stuff the prepared peppers equally with the mixture.

Cook:

Add a trivet with handles to the IP or a steamer basket.

Add 1 cup of water and arrange the peppers onto the trivet.

Close the lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 5 minutes + 5 minutes Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure manually and carefully open the lid.

Using the handles of the trivet or steamer basket, carefully remove the peppers from the pot.

Optional Garnish and Broiling:

Turn on the oven broiler.

Add stuffed peppers to a baking dish.

Top each pepper with 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Transfer the baking dish into the oven under the broiler and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted.

Remove from oven, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.