Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Roll

Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Roll

Serves

4–6 people

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 lb ground beef (or turkey / plant-based)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 3 bell peppers (mix of red, green, yellow), diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower rice)

• 1½ cups marinara or tomato sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (or provolone)

• ¼ cup grated parmesan

Roll Base (pick one)

• 1 large sheet pizza dough
  or

• 2 large flour tortillas overlapped
  or

• 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)

Topping

• Extra marinara

• More mozzarella or parmesan

• Fresh parsley or basil (optional)

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Instructions

1. Cook the filling

   • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

   • Add onion and peppers; sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.

   • Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.

   • Add ground meat and cook until browned.

   • Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.

   • Mix in cooked rice and marinara. Remove from heat.

   • Let cool slightly, then stir in cheeses.

2. Prepare the roll

   • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

   • Roll out dough on parchment into a large rectangle.

   • Spread filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border.

3. Roll it up

   • Starting from the long side, roll tightly like a jelly roll.

   • Place seam-side down on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan.

4. Bake

   • Spoon a little marinara on top and sprinkle with cheese.

   • Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

   • Rest 5–10 minutes before slicing (important—trust me).

5. Serve

   • Slice into thick pinwheels.

   • Garnish with herbs and extra sauce if you’re feeling fancy.

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Variations (because why not)

• Low-carb: Use cauliflower rice + egg roll wrappers

• Cheesy deluxe: Add ricotta to the filling

• Southwest: Swap marinara for enchilada sauce + pepper jack

• Vegetarian: Mushrooms + lentils instead of meat

If you want, I can tweak this for air fryer, gluten-free, or meal prep 👀🍽️