I tried stuffed-pepper recipes from Ree Drummond, Giada De Laurentiis, and Alex Guarnaschelli, and the best one gave me so many leftovers

The ingredient list for Drummond's stuffed-pepper recipe included zucchini, onion, garlic, Roma tomatoes, and bell peppers.

She noted that any color of bell peppers could be used, so I went with red, orange, and yellow for variety.

To prepare the outside of the stuffed peppers, I cut off the tops of my bell peppers and used a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.

Then I chopped any leftover pepper scraps and other vegetables ahead of time to help streamline the cooking process.

I cooked the ground beef in a skillet, and placed it on a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up the excess fat.

I sautéed the chopped onions, peppers, garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes.

After adding salt, I skipped the recommended red-pepper flakes and opted for Tony Chachere's creole seasoning because I prefer the flavor.

Then I mixed in the ground beef, cooked rice, and pepper-jack cheese.

I stuffed and placed the peppers in a baking dish, poured water around them, and drizzled olive oil on top.

Drummond called for covering the stuffed peppers with foil for the first 30 minutes of the bake and removing it for the last 20. This step allowed the cheese I sprinkled on top to brown and melt.

The cheese helped hold the stuffed pepper together and gave it a creamy texture, which I enjoyed. But I unfortunately lost the creaminess when reheating the peppers for leftovers.

Stuffing a vegetable with way more vegetables seemed a bit overwhelming. If I were to make this recipe again, I'd add more meat to the mixture for a better balance.

De Laurentiis' stuffed-pepper recipe stood out from the others because it didn't contain ground beef.

The filling consisted of orzo pasta, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, zucchini, mint leaves, and Pecorino Romano.

She also called for red or yellow bell peppers, so I used both.

I combined the canned tomatoes, zucchini, mint leaves, grated Pecorino Romano, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

I cooked the orzo in chicken broth for a few minutes, drained it, and added it to the tomato mixture.

If you want to make the recipe fully meat-free, you can sub for veggie stock.

De Laurentiis recommended slicing the bottom of the peppers to help them stand up.

I filled the peppers with the orzo mixture, placed them in a baking dish, and poured the remaining chicken broth around them.

She said to cover the peppers with foil for the first 45 minutes of the bake. Then I removed the foil, added more cheese, and baked them for 15 more minutes.

I thought these stuffed peppers would lack flavor without ground meat, but I was wrong.

Since the pasta added a contrasting texture and the cheese had a nice flavor, I liked this recipe more than Drummond's.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the added mint, so I'd probably opt for basil if I were to make the recipe again.

Guarnaschelli's take on stuffed peppers mostly included pantry staples like canned tomatoes, black beans, apple-cider vinegar, chili powder, and cumin.

Cooked couscous or rice was recommended to make the dish more filling.

Guarnaschelli called for halving the red bell peppers instead of cutting the tops off.

I then seasoned the peppers with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and roasted them at 400 F until they were juicy and soft.

The recipe said to brown the ground beef and set it aside. Then I sautéed the vegetables and mixed the meat back into the pan.

I added canned black beans and apple-cider vinegar to the mixture before removing it from the heat.

After filling each pepper halfway with rice, I finished them off with the chili-like mixture.

The recipe provided tons of leftover filling, which I liked.

I sprinkled sharp cheddar cheese on top of the stuffed peppers and put them in the oven for about 25 minutes.

Cutting the peppers in half created a great balance with the stuffing.

Although I could taste the meat, I would've liked more of it in the dish.

The recipe also called for a specific amount of onions, but I'd recommend eyeballing it to get the flavor where you want it.

I thought Guarnaschelli's and Drummond's recipes could've benefited from more ground beef and fewer vegetables, but Guarnaschelli's stuffed-pepper recipe was my favorite.

Cutting the peppers in half made for a well-rounded dish with plenty of stuffing to balance the pepper. The spices leveled up the flavor, and the addition of black beans and rice made it such a filling meal.

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.