Costco offers a variety of stuffed peppers in their prepared foods section. The most common stuffed pepper options contain ground beef, Italian sausage, or a combination of the two. Let’s take a closer look at the specific meat products used in Costco’s stuffed pepper recipes.
Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
The classic ground beef stuffed pepper is a regular fixture in Costco’s prepared food offerings. These stuffed peppers feature a savory filling of lean ground beef, rice, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and seasonings. The ground beef provides a hearty meaty flavor and texture to complement the tender bell peppers.
Costco uses 85% lean ground beef for their stuffed pepper recipe. This means the ground beef contains 85% lean meat and 15% fat. Using a leaner ground beef helps reduce the overall fat content compared to versions made with regular 70-80% lean ground beef. It still retains plenty of beefy flavor.
The nutrition information for Costco’s ground beef stuffed peppers lists the following specifics:
| Serving Size | 1 stuffed pepper half (148g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 230 |
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Protein | 16g |
As you can see, a single 148g serving provides 16g of protein from the ground beef. There are 230 calories and 12g of fat per stuffed pepper half, which is reasonable for a beef-based entree. The leaner ground beef helps keep the fat content lower.
Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers
For a flavorful alternative to classic ground beef, Costco also offers Italian sausage stuffed peppers. These feature a zesty filling of Italian pork sausage, tomatoes, rice, spinach, and mozzarella cheese baked inside colorful bell peppers.
The Italian sausage provides a feast of Italian spices like fennel, oregano, basil, garlic, and black pepper. There is a pleasant kick from the addition of red pepper flakes too. The Italian sausage gives these stuffed peppers a distinctive bold and savory flavor profile.
Here are the nutrition facts for Costco’s Italian sausage stuffed peppers:
| Serving Size | 1 stuffed pepper half (141g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 190 |
| Total Fat | 8g |
| Protein | 15g |
A single half pepper contains 190 calories and 8g of fat, reflecting the leaner Italian sausage used in the filling. You get 15g of protein per serving from the sausage as well. The spicier flavor profile provides a nice change of pace from standard ground beef stuffed peppers.
Combination Stuffed Peppers
For an option that merges the two classic stuffed pepper fillings, Costco also offers their combination stuffed peppers. These feature a 50/50 mix of ground beef and Italian sausage in the filling.
This gives you the familiar beef flavor along with the zesty Italian sausage spices all in one pepper. The filling is rounded out with rice, onions, tomatoes, garlic, cheddar cheese, and seasonings.
Here is the nutrition data for the combination stuffed peppers at Costco:
| Serving Size | 1 stuffed pepper half (149g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 245 |
| Total Fat | 15g |
| Protein | 17g |
With both ground beef and Italian sausage, the combination option slightly higher fat and calories at 15g and 245 per serving respectively. You get 17g of protein from the two mixed meats. The diverse flavors make this filling more complex and satisfying.
Ingredients to Avoid
Costco emphasizes that their stuffed peppers contain no:
- Fillers
- Binders
- Artificial flavors
- Colors
- Preservatives
This keeps the ingredient list simple and focused on whole foods. The meat, vegetables, rice, spices, and cheese can all be recognized and pronounced.
Cooking Process
Costco stuffs their peppers in-house at their warehouse kitchens. The peppers are filled with the raw meat and vegetable mixtures then oven-baked. This allows the flavors to meld together during cooking.
Baking also reduces fat content compared to frying while still delivering a delicious finished product. According to the ingredients labels, Costco cooks their stuffed peppers in a conventional oven.
Packaging
You can find Costco’s stuffed peppers in the prepared foods refrigerated section packaged in clear plastic containers. They are separated into halves or quarters for individual servings.
The stuffed peppers are made fresh daily at each warehouse location. Packages are date labeled for quality control and transparency.
Nutrition Benefits
Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, providing 317% DV in a large red bell pepper. This key antioxidant vitamin supports immune function and collagen production.
The ground beef and Italian sausage offer a good protein boost to help with building muscle, satiety, and slow-burning energy. Lean beef is also rich in iron, zinc, and B vitamins.
Cost Analysis
A package of 4 quarters of Costco’s stuffed peppers costs around $9.99. This breaks down to approximately $2.50 per stuffed pepper half.
Given the high-quality ingredients including lean ground beef and Italian sausage, fresh bell peppers, rice, tomatoes, and spices, this is very reasonable pricing for a prepared meal.
Making stuffed peppers from scratch at home could cost $2-3 per pepper to make depending on recipes, so Costco’s pre-made version offers convenience at a competitive price point.
Conclusion
Costco’s stuffed pepper options provide a tasty meal solution featuring high-quality ground beef, Italian sausage, or a combination of both. You get excellent protein and nutrition at a fair price. Just pop them in the microwave and dinner is served.