mexican stuffed peppers with ranchero sauce
Since I was 17, I fell in love with a hated vegetable - the bell pepper. A group of us teens went to eat at a Tex-Mex Casa Manana. My sister ordered the stuffed peppers there. I took a bite and fell in love. I'm now 48 and the hubby and I took an anniversary trip back there to have them. That/s when I got the idea on trying to make my own and figured out their secret ranchero sauce.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
There are a few steps to this stuffed peppers recipe, but don't let them scare you off. These stuffed peppers are fantastic. The filling for the bell pepper is worth making this recipe alone. It's meaty and full of chunks of onion and bell pepper that add tons of flavor. You will have a bit of filling left over but don't worry, it's delicious on its own too. The ranchero sauce is thick, creamy and really elevates the stuffed peppers. This dish does take a little bit of effort, but it's so worth it.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 packages taco seasoning
- 2 small cans tomato sauce, 8 oz each
- 3 cups cooked white rice, can cook it in chicken broth (1 1/2 cups uncooked rice if cooking in broth, optional)
- 2 cans water using the tomato sauce cans
- 1/4 cup velveeta cheese melt with milk and sour cream semi thick (cheese sauce)
- RANCHERO SAUCE
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups knorr's chicken bouillon broth (use the builoon with 3 cups of water prepared per package directions)
- 1 can mild rotel tomatoes or rotel with cilantro and lime or the fire roasted
- - salt and pepper, to taste
How To Make mexican stuffed peppers with ranchero sauce
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Step 1Cut tops off bell peppers and de-seed. Save tops. -
Step 2Place the peppers in a large pot of hot water and allow them to cook a bit on medium-low heat until tender while everything cooks, about 10 minutes. Not soggy, you still want them to stand.
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Step 3Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper pieces to a 4 or 5-quart Dutch oven.
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Step 4Brown and drain grease. Preheat the oven to 350.
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Step 5Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and 2 tomato sauce cans of water to the meat. If too dry, add a little bit of extra water. The goal is the consistency of a Mexican jambalaya. If desired, you can add a bit of chili powder and cumin. Let simmer for the flavors to meld together.
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Step 6Add the cooked rice after simmering. Turn to the lowest setting or turn off the stove.
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Step 7Next prepare the ranchero sauce. In a large skillet, add butter and melt. Saute the 1/2 chopped onion in butter.
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Step 8Then sprinkle in the flour in (you may not need all of it). Stir like making a gravy.
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Step 9Add the can of Rotel tomatoes and keep stirring.
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Step 10A little at a time, add the 3 cups of chicken broth until all blended and until it starts to thicken. You may not need all the broth.
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Step 11Place the peppers in a 9X13 baking dish. Then fill them with the meat and rice mixture, almost overfilling them (you may have some mixture leftover).
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Step 12Next, pour some of the ranchero sauce over each pepper.
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Step 13As an option, add a slice of American cheese over each pepper.
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Step 14Pour the remaining ranchero sauce in the baking dish to flood the pan.
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Step 15Bake for about 30 minutes.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
