How many carbs are in a bell pepper?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to how many carbohydrates are in any one bell pepper. However, one average-sized pepper with the top sliced off contains around six grams of carbohydrates . Green peppers have the least amount of carbohydrates since they are picked underripe.

Should I parboil peppers before stuffing?

My professional opinion as a classically-trained chef is absolutely not. If you boil bell peppers the water will leach out nutrients like Vitamin C. You can also make the bell peppers a bit limp and water-logged. A soggy pepper will not caramelize, or brown, in the oven. And this caramelization creates new, delicious flavors. But it will only happen in the absence of moisture. Soft peppers will also not be easy to stuff. If you prefer to cook bell peppers before stuffing, the best method is to roast them in the oven. But only do so for 10 or 15 minutes around 375° F. Since you will be putting the peppers back in the oven after stuffing, you risk mushy peppers if you cook them too long before filling.

Do you put egg in stuffed bell peppers?

You certainly can! Adding an egg to a batch of stuffed pepper filling will make it more cohesive. The egg white proteins and the lecithin (an emulsifier) from the yolk will bind the filling ingredients a little. If you do add an egg to the stuffing mixture, roast the stuffed peppers for at least 15 to 20 minutes at 375° F. This will allow the egg to cook and reach a safe temperature of 160° F. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer to check the stuffing temperature in the center of each pepper.

Italian-Style Keto Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound of pastured ground meat such as grass-fed beef, bison, turkey, chicken, or lamb
4 whole bell peppers, organic recommended
¼-½ small onion, diced into small pieces
1 garlic clove, minced (about a tablespoon)
About 1 cup riced cauliflower, cooked
1 Roma tomato or several of a smaller variety, diced small
½ cup tomato sauce
1-3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
¾ cup Parmesan, grated (or as much or little as you like)
1 teaspoon of kosher salt (less if table salt, but know iodized salt contains sugar)
A pinch of ground black pepper

Garnish Ideas

sliced avocado
sour cream, plain whole-fat yogurt, créme frâiche
olive oil
additional grated Parmesan

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Instructions

Before you begin, gather your pans, baking dishes, and ingredients. Rinse your bell peppers briefly under running water and dry them well. Bring your ground meat to room temperature. Mise en place. Which in English means get everything in place.

Preheat the oven to between 375° and 400° F. The hotter the oven, the more the peppers will brown during roasting.
Cook your cauliflower rice per the package instructions. Set aside.
In a large skillet or pan, sauté minced onions and garlic in a little oil on medium heat. When the vegetables begin to brown, add ground meat.
Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains.
While the meat cooks, trim the tops off of the bell peppers and hollow them out. Level the bottoms of any bell peppers that don't stand upright with a sharp knife. Take care not to create a hole in the bottom (if it happens, just fill the pepper with loads of cheese before adding the meat mixture). You can also simply slice the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stem on.
Season the insides of the peppers with a sprinkling of salt.
Mix the cauliflower rice, chopped herbs, diced tomatoes, cheese, and salt into the meat mixture.
Divide the filling evenly among peppers. Transfer the peppers to a sheet pan or baking dish. Top with more shredded cheese, if desired.
Roast the bell peppers until the skins begin to wrinkle, the peppers begin to brown, and they are soft, 25 to 35 minutes. If the filling begins to brown, cover the peppers loosely with foil.
Serve drizzled with olive oil, or topped with healthy dollops of sour cream, plain yogurt, or crème frâiche.
Store stuffed peppers for up to a week in the refrigerator. The filling can be made ahead and frozen for several months.

Notes

The Ratio... An easy formula to remember for stuffed peppers is one pound of cooked meat and one cup of riced cauliflower for every four bell peppers. Any aromatic vegetables, herbs, and cheese are a matter of preference. And don't greatly affect the overall volume of filling like the meat and cauliflower.

For the lowest carbohydrate content possible, reach for green peppers since they are under-ripe and contain a little less natural sugars. Use half the amounts given for the added aromatic vegetables like onions and garlic, and cut back on the tomatoes and tomato sauce.

For true keto peppers, divide the filling among 5 or 6 bell peppers, and load up on the avocado slices and sour cream.

On making ahead... You can make the filling (through Step 7) ahead and chill or freeze it. If you freeze filling, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of cold water that you refresh often. Bring the filling to room temperature before stuffing prepped bell peppers and roasting.

To reheat... Reheat stuffed peppers in the oven at 350° F until the very inside of the filling is 165° F. You can also use the microwave, but the peppers may turn a bit soggy.

Author: Christina
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Keto
Method: Sautéing + Roasting
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Stuffed Pepper
Calories: 404
Sugar: 4.9 g
Sodium: 243.2 mg
Fat: 30.9 g
Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
Carbohydrates: 13.2 g
Fiber: 5.8 g
Protein: 22.1 g
Cholesterol: 60.2 mg

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