Cooktop Cove

Cut a bell pepper in half & stuff with filling for the easiest, tasty lunch around

When a craving hits, it can be hard to stick to your low-carb diet, but it doesn’t have to be. Eating low carb doesn’t have to mean skipping your favorite foods altogether. These Low-Carb Bell Pepper Meatball Subs are filled with meaty, flavorful meatballs nested in rich tomato sauce and topped with melted and bubbly cheese. They are everything you want in a meatball sub, without the carbs!

Using bell peppers in place of sub rolls is brilliant. You get all the flavors of a meatball sub AND a stuffed bell pepper in one. If you’re really short on time, you could make these with store-bought frozen meatballs (just be sure they are low carb). Better yet, make a big batch of these meatballs and freeze them yourself so you can have this sandwich any time the craving hits.
Bell pepper meatball subs
8
15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
4 small bell peppers (any color), halved and seeded
1 pound ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup low-carb pasta sauce
4 slices provolone cheese, cut in half
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Place the bell pepper halves, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the peppers over and bake for 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Form the meat mixture into 16 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes more, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Distribute the meatballs among the bell pepper halves, tucking them inside. Top with the sauce and the provolone cheese and arrange them, filled side up, on the baking sheet. Heat under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Serve immediately, garnished with the Parmesan cheese.