Just 30 minutes to cook!! These easy meatloaf stuffed bell peppers are quick to put together, can be made ahead, freezes like a dream, and tastes deliciously moist and meaty. Wrapping them in bacon keeps them moist and gives them even more flavor.
Cut the peppers in half long-wise and remove seeds and membrane.
Set aside.
Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, ketchup, eggs, salt, and pepper together until it is well blended.
Pack an equal amount of the mixture in each Bell pepper half.
Wind bacon around the pepper and meatloaf, securing it with toothpicks.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155F and the bacon is crispy.
Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Don't wrap with bacon - place cooked, crumbled bacon on the top after cooking.
Prepare as above but without wrapping with bacon.
Add ¼ cup of water or tomato juice to the slow cooker.
Add the meatloaf stuffed peppers to the slow cooker.
Cook on low 6 hours.
Serve.
Notes
These easy mini meatloaf stuffed peppers have plenty of variations - and because they freeze really well they're great to have on hand. Here are some of my favorites.
Use poblano peppers.
Use the small sweet peppers to use this recipe to make appetizers. Bake for just 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temp is 160.
Add a slice of cheese to the top before wrapping in the bacon.
Make cheese stuffed meatloaf by forming the ground beef around a cube or two of Pepper-Jack cheese.
Substitute crushed crackers for the Panko.
Make on the grill - just place on top of an aluminum pan so the fat doesn't catch on fire. Add some wood chips for even more flavor.
Hollow out Vidalia onions and use in place of the Bell peppers. So good!
Ground venison works really well in this recipe because this cooks in Bell peppers and is wrapped in bacon. The fat helps it to stay moist.