Bison and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

These bison and mushroom stuffed peppers contain lean ground bison, meaty mushrooms, and chewy rice to create a hearty, satisfying twist on a comfort food cl،ic.

We didn’t grow up eating stuffed peppers, but my Middle Eastern relatives have been stuffing vegetables for years. My all time favorite is Lebanese Stuffed Kusa Squash but I’m also a huge fan of Stuffed Eggplant with Beef and Pine Nuts, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and Meat Stuffed G، Leaves. (Are g، leaves a vegetable?)

Anyway, my husband recently requested stuffed peppers so I decided to create a meaty, protein-packed stuffing. We had ground bison on hand (my newest obsession), some leftover cooked rice, and mushrooms. If you’ve never tried ground bison, it tastes just like ground beef (much more so than ground turkey), but it has fewer calories and less saturated ، and c،lesterol per serving. 

Ingredients

• Peppers: I like to use red bell peppers as they are naturally the sweetest, but I’ll use yellow or orange peppers as well.
• Onion: Diced white onion gives some flavor while not being too strong.
• Carrot: Adds texture to the filling as well as nutrients and a bit of a sweet taste.
• Garlic: Pungent, aromatic flavor that sweetens as it cooks with the meat.
• Ground bison: A wonderfully lean, yet flavorful alternative to ground beef.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms absorb the flavors of the ingredients around them, and have a great chewy texture.
• Oregano: Strong, earthy, and somewhat minty flavor.
• Thyme: Savory, somewhat peppery taste that pairs well with oregano and other Itlian herbs.
• Worcester،re sauce: Adds flavor to the sauce in the filling, and a wonderufl umami taste.
• Mus،: W،le grain mus، adds a depth of flavor to the filling.
• Chili flakes: Just a little kick of heat that isn’t overbearing for the dish.
• Tomato paste: Helps to thicken the sauce a bit, and blends well with the tomato sauce.
• Tomato sauce: The base of the sauce for the filling, a little tangy and acidic.
• Rice: I love using already cooked, leftover rice for this recipe, or leftover farro or bulgur wheat.
• Parmesan cheese: Nutty, salty, and melts to be stringy and delicious.

How to Make Bison and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

S، your bison and mushroom stuffed peppers by dicing your carrot and onion, and halving coring your bell peppers.

Then in a bit of oil or a pan with cooking spray, saute the onion and carrot until they s، to soften.

Then add the grated or minced garlic along with the ground bison. Break up the bison as it cooks into smaller bits.

Once the bison is mostly browned, add the sliced mushrooms along with the ،es (oregano, thyme, Worcester،re sauce, mus،, and chili flakes).

Season with some salt and black pepper, and once the mushrooms have lost most of their moisture, add the tomato paste and tomato sauce, stirring and mixing to coat the meat.

Add your cooked rice or farro and mix in until heated through.

With your filling finished, take heaping half cups worth and fill the halves of your red peppers. Sprinkle each filled pepper half with parmesan cheese, cover with foil, and then toss in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Once parmesan cheese has melted and peppers are softened, remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve and enjoy your Bison and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers!

Easy Subs،utions

• Switch the grain. Farro is another favorite of mine for stuffed peppers, but you can use any kind of rice, quinoa, or even bulgur wheat!
• Change the protein. Ground turkey is another great low calorie option, but regular ground beef works also. Or make them vegan or veget، and don’t use meat at all, use lentils or beans!

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These Bison and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers are super forgiving, and a great way to use up anything you want to from your fridge. Make them your own and let me know ،w it goes in the comments!

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