Stuffed peppers are usually made with bell peppers or other types of big pepperswhich are filled with meat, vegetables and personalized additions.
There are many different recipes for stuffed peppers, because they constitute a nutritious and delicious foodand they can also be saved for later, as long as you reheat them properly.
What is the best way to reheat stuffed peppers? The best way to reheat stuffed peppers is to use the oven or toaster oven, but if you’re in a hurry you can use the microwave, otherwise if you want to experiment you can also try reheat stuffed peppers with an instant pot.
The Best Ways to Reheat Stuffed Peppers
The main ingredient in stuffed peppers is a large bell pepper, so it is impossible to make this dish in small quantities. In fact, most of the time you’ll have a pot filled to the brim with plenty of leftovers.
The good news is that you can freeze stuffed peppers for later, and if frozen well they can last up to 3 months. Instead, if you plan to reheat the stuffed peppers the next day, you can let them rest in the fridge.
Whether you want to reheat stuffed green bell peppers, red bell peppers, or another type of stuffed bell pepper, know that your options extend beyond the microwave, although the latter is still the fastest way to reheat food.
In fact, you can also use the oven, toaster oven, or Instant Pot to reheat frozen bell peppers. There is a trick for each method, and here we tell you everything.
Read below for the best tricks for reheating stuffed peppers!
How to Reheat Frozen Stuffed Peppers in the Instant Pot
The Instant Pot has many functions, but did you know that it is also very useful for reheating food?
You have several options when you want to reheat something with your Instant Pot, but the best ones are Steam, Keep Warm, and Simmer.
We are going to show you how to reheat frozen stuffed peppers step by step with each of the options, so you can try them out with your Instant Pot and choose the one you like best.
Although we’ve made this guide for frozen stuffed peppers, it goes without saying that all of the following procedures work best if your stuffed peppers aren’t completely frozen, because the Instant Pot is not a defrost machine.
If you can, take your stuffed peppers out frozen a few hours before using the Instant Pot to reheat them. This rule applies to all frozen foods that need to be reheated, especially fried foods.
Here are the steps to reheat refrigerated stuffed peppers with the Steam Function:
- The steam function turns the water inside the pot into hot air that surrounds and heats the food. So while frozen peppers retain a small amount of ice that will turn into hot steam, it’s best to pour some liquid into the pot, or even better to have other small water-filled containers around the stuffed peppers.
- Make sure the pot is not completely full, ideally there should be some space around the peppers and between the peppers and the lid, as the steam has to envelop them.
- If you need to reheat a lot of stuffed peppers at once, it’s best to use stackable containers.
- Once the food is ready to be reheated, put the lid on and set the vent button to the sealing position.
- Press the steam button.
- Cooking time for non-frozen items is about 5 minutes, so add a few minutes depending on the size and quantity of your frozen stuffed peppers.
- Once reheating is complete, release the pressure quickly.
The steam function is the best way to reheat food with your Instant Pot, but if you like slower cooking that you have more control over, then you should try the slow cook function.
Here are the steps to reheat frozen stuffed peppers using the slow cooker feature:
- The slow cook function is perfect for stuffed peppers and all those foods that require cooking, because it simulates cooking in the oven. Arrange the stuffed peppers in a bowl and place them in your Instant Pot.
- Seal the pot with a glass lid (you can also use your usual lid, but with the glass one you can control cooking).
- Press the slow cook button.
- Cooking time is usually the same as in the oven or slow cooker, should take about 20 minutes, but can vary.
Like the slow cook function, the keep warm function can be an alternative to the oven. Note that both methods work best with non-frozen foods, but are perfect if you need to reheat stuffed peppers from the fridge.
Here are the steps to reheat stuffed peppers from the fridge using the Keep Warm feature:
- Place the stuffed peppers in the pot or in a separate bowl.
- Place the container in the pot.
- Close with the lid of your choice (a glass lid is recommended).
- Press the Keep Warm button.
- This method is really slow, probably slower than the slow cook function. Depending on how frozen your stuffed peppers are, it can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to slowly reheat.
How to reheat stuffed peppers in the oven
Either with your toaster or with the more traditional model, the oven is the best way to reheat stuffed peppers, both frozen and unfrozen.
It is true that it takes a little longer than heating them in the microwave, but the results are great. The best thing about reheating stuffed peppers in the oven is that you don’t need to take them out of the freezer ahead of time or defrost them in any way, because you can simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Here are the steps to reheat stuffed peppers in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Arrange the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet, arranging them so that there is enough space between them and that they are all facing up, otherwise they may lose some liquid when heated.
- Cover the stuffed peppers with aluminum foil. If you have a container with a lid (for example, the one you use for stews), you can use it instead of aluminum.
- Put the container in the oven and set the cooking time for 15 minutes. If you want, you can also choose the appropriate cooking preset. The most common Preheat Preset will do just fine, but you can choose a different one based on experience or by referring to your oven guide.
- After 15 minutes, remove the foil (or lid) and allow the stuffed peppers to reheat for another 5 minutes. This should give them a nice and tasty finishing touch.
- Take them out of the oven and serve them.
How to reheat stuffed peppers in the microwave
The first thing to know about reheating frozen stuffed peppers in the microwave is that it’s not the best method for making flavorful stuffed peppers.
When you reheat food in the microwave, there is always a risk that it will end up too dry, mushy, or just generally unpalatable. Some foods hold up quite well in the microwave, but vegetables are not among them.
The texture of the peppers, in particular, may not be the best for this type of reheating. However, let’s say you’re in a pinch and just need to heat up your non-frozen stuffed peppers a bit. In that case, the microwave can be a solution.
The type of microwave we are referring to is the medium microwave which is primarily used for reheating. If you have an inverter microwave or a microwave with a convection oven, you can be sure you’ll get great results anyway.
The best thing about this method is that it’s really convenient and saves time, and you still get delicious, steamy stuffed peppers.
Follow our step-by-step guide if you want to avoid the most common mistakes, but remember to use the oven or Instant Pot for best results.
Here are the steps to reheat stuffed peppers in the microwave:
- Arrange the stuffed peppers on a microwave-safe plate, making sure they are facing up and have plenty of space between them. Do not put the peppers one on top of the other or too close, as you risk not heating them well.
- Place the dish inside the microwave and use your preferred preset to reheat them for about 2 minutes on high heat.
- If the stuffed peppers don’t get hot enough, you can try reheating them for another 5-10 seconds. Do not reheat for more than 15 seconds at a time, and always check the peppers in between.
- Take them out of the microwave and serve them.
Can stuffed peppers be reheated?
Yes of course. And can you believe that you can make them as delicious as fresh? As? You just have to reheat the stuffed peppers in the oven!
The oven (or toaster oven) is still the best way to reheat stuffed peppers, whether they’re frozen or not. It is true that it takes longer than in the microwave, but better results are guaranteed.
Microwaves can replace basically anything in the kitchen these days, including us, so you might have an inverted microwave or a convection microwave. In that case, you can safely reheat stuffed peppers with your unit for a deliciously hot meal.
The same can’t be said for the average microwave, which could turn your stuffed peppers into a mushy, not-so-palatable meal. That’s why we recommend the oven or Instant Pot.
That’s right, you can use your Instant Pot to reheat stuffed peppers, as well as many other foods. The three main functions for reheating stuffed peppers in the Instant Pot are Steam, Slow Cook, and Keep Warm. Among them, the steam function is by far the best.
Follow our guide to reheating stuffed peppers and you’ll be sure to enjoy a delicious, fresh and appetizing peppery meal.