Spiced Garlic Beef and Spinach Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers pack a serious protein punch while delivering big, bold Mediterranean flavor. Lean ground beef is seared with plenty of garlic and smoky, fiery harissa paste, then combined with wilted spinach and a touch of tomato for richness. The mixture is piled high into halved bell peppers and baked until the peppers soften and the filling turns deeply savory and slightly caramelized at the edges. Finished with a drizzle of garlicky olive oil and a scatter of fresh herbs, this dish is as satisfying as it is nutrient-dense. Each pepper half delivers a hearty dose of protein from the beef alongside fiber, vitamin C, and iron from the spinach and peppers, making it an ideal high-protein dinner for muscle recovery, satiety, and sustained energy. It's naturally low in refined carbs, keeps well for meal prep, and can easily be scaled up for a crowd.

Ingredients

• 4 largebell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded
• 1 lblean ground beef, 90% lean or higher
• 6 clovesgarlic, minced, divided
• 3 tbspharissa paste
• 1 mediumyellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 ozbaby spinach, roughly chopped
• 0.5 cupdiced tomatoes, canned, drained
• 4 tbspolive oil, divided
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspsalt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 cupfeta cheese, crumbled, optional for topping
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve the bell peppers lengthwise through the stem, then remove the seeds and membranes.
2. Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season lightly with salt. Set aside.
3. Mince the garlic and finely chop the onion.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. 4:00
5. Add half the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 0:30
6. Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 6-7 minutes. 7:00
7. Stir in the harissa paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, coating the beef evenly.
8. Add the diced tomatoes and chopped spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts completely, about 2-3 minutes. 3:00
9. Remove the skillet from heat and taste the filling, adjusting salt and harissa as needed.
10. Spoon the beef and spinach mixture generously into each pepper half, mounding slightly on top.
11. Bake the stuffed peppers until the peppers are tender and the filling is bubbling and slightly caramelized on top, about 25-30 minutes. 27:30
12. While the peppers bake, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the remaining minced garlic and a pinch of salt in a small bowl to make the garlic oil drizzle.
13. Remove the peppers from the oven and drizzle generously with the garlic olive oil. Top with crumbled feta and chopped parsley if using.
14. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.