Campfire Dutch Oven Italian Stuffed Peppers
Whether you are camping or need a family friendly dinner, these campfire Dutch oven Italian Stuffed Peppers include ground beef, Italian sausage, quinoa and tomatoes and topped with cheesy goodness all served in a sweet bell pepper.
Servings 7
Calories 551kcal
Ingredients
- 7 large bell peppers
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onion diced (approximately 2 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 30 oz canned petite diced tomatoes
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with water.
- In a fire safe pot add 1 ½ cups water with your rinsed quinoa. Cover pot, bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and continue cooking until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
- Remove from heat and transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl.
- Cut tops off the bell peppers, remove stem and dice remaining pieces of bell pepper. Reserve.
- Remove seeds and membranes from peppers.
- Place peppers in your 12-inch Dutch oven, cut side up, and make sure the tops of the peppers are below the rim of the Dutch oven. Remove hollowed peppers and reserve.
- Heat Dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot add diced onions and bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Add ground beef and Italian sausage and continue cooking and breaking down meat until crumbly in texture and cooked through.
- Stir in dried oregano, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Stir in canned tomatoes and remove from heat.
- Add meat mixture to the quinoa mixture and mix completely.
- Quickly rinse and wipe down Dutch oven.
- In chimney starter, light up 30 charcoal briquettes.
- Place hollowed out peppers, cut side up, inside Dutch oven and fill up each pepper with meat mixture.
- Top each stuffed pepper with shredded parmesan cheese, finishing with a generous helping of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place lid on Dutch oven and transfer to a fire ring or fire safe container.
- When briquettes are mostly gray (about 15 minutes), place 12 briquettes evenly underneath the Dutch oven and 18 briquettes evenly on top.
- Bake until cheese is browned, approximately 45 minutes.
Notes
To bake at home, place stuffed peppers in a large casserole dish and bake at 400ºF/204ºC for 45-60 minutes, or until cheese is golden.
If using a 10-inch Dutch oven, place 10 hot briquettes evenly underneath the Dutch oven and 16 briquettes evenly on top.
TO STORE: If you are home, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If you are camping, place leftovers in a cooler with ice.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer cooled leftovers to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1stuffed pepper | Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 851mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g
