Preheat your oven to 375°F. While it heats, finely chop the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and rinse the rice under cold water to remove excess starch—this prevents the filling from becoming gummy. Halve the bell peppers lengthwise and remove all seeds and membranes, creating a stable cup for the filling. Shred the Monterey Jack cheese fresh if possible, as it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they become translucent and begin to soften. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it's completely browned and any excess moisture has evaporated—this usually takes 5-7 minutes. I prefer 80/20 ground beef because the fat renders out during cooking and keeps the filling moist and flavorful.

Add the salt (1.5 tsp), garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the browned beef mixture, stirring well to distribute the spices evenly and bloom their flavors for about 30 seconds. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their liquid, the rinsed rice, and 1.25 cup beef broth. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to soften slightly and the mixture thickens—the rice will finish cooking in the oven with the peppers.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size), whisk together the tomato soup and 1 cup beef broth until smooth and well combined. Season lightly with 1 tsp salt. This creates your braising liquid that will keep the peppers moist and infuse them with savory tomato flavor as they bake. The soup base prevents the peppers from drying out while allowing the rice to fully cook.

Arrange the prepared pepper halves cut-side up in the tomato soup mixture in the baking dish. Fill each pepper cavity generously with the beef and rice mixture from Step 3, mounding it slightly if needed. The peppers should sit partially submerged in the soup base. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, which allows the peppers to soften and the rice to fully absorb the liquid and finish cooking.

Remove the foil from the baking dish and carefully top each stuffed pepper with a generous handful of the freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese from Step 1. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. I like to use fresh-shredded cheese because it melts more evenly than pre-packaged varieties and creates a better texture. Let the peppers rest for 2 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set slightly.