Stuffed Peppers with Beef and Bulgur Wheat

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place prepared peppers in a glass baking dish.

Step 2

Slice off small portion of the bottoms to create a flat surface reserving any excess pepper to add to the filling.

Step 3

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick spray. Add ground sirloin and break down with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Once meat starts to brown, add onions, salt and pepper.

Step 4

Cook for 5-6 minutes until onions start to soften. Stir in spices, garlic and zucchini. Continue to cook until meat browns and veggies soften. (Important: Don't be afraid to let the meat mixture brown and caramelize! This is flavor, my friends. Walk away from the pan. It will be ok, I promise.)

Step 5

Once mixture is browned and you simply can't stand another minute or watching it darken, pour in half of the tomato sauce. Use wooden spoon to scrap up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in cooked Bulgar wheat and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed.

Step 6

Scoop mixture evenly into the 4 peppers. Since the wheat is already cooked, you can fill them to the top! Pour the remaining tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan to create a little bath for the peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Remove from oven and top each pepper with about a tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 additional minutes. Serve with fresh parsley.