Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Loaded with delicious flavors from meat, veggies, and rice, this stuffed pepper casserole is the ultimate comfort food.

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There’s just something about this hearty stuffed pepper casserole that feels so homey and comforting. With all the classic, flavorful ingredients you love in traditional stuffed peppers, including crisp veggies, tender rice, and ground meat, this recipe means you don’t have to stuff each pepper individually.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole Ingredients

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Stuffed pepper casserole is a flavor explosion that will leave your taste buds begging for more.

Rich, savory meat mingled with ooey, gooey cheese and refreshingly crisp peppers, all baked together until golden and bubbly. Every bite packs a punch of flavor that will have you savoring every last morsel.

Even if you’re not a huge fan of peppers, this dish will change your mind. It’s a must-try for anyone who loves hearty, comforting meals that are sure to satisfy.

You’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ½ pound of ground beef
• ½ pound of ground mild Italian sausage
• ¾ yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups of bell peppers, diced (red, yellow, and green)
• 1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning blend
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 cups of low-sodium beef broth
• 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup of jasmine rice
• 2 cups of shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish 

PRO TIP:

When choosing the bell peppers at the grocery store, I like to buy the package of the trio of colored peppers. Any combination of bell peppers will be great in this recipe. Three small peppers will yield approximately 2 cups chopped.

Substitutions And Additions

GARLIC & TOMATO: I always keep a jar of pre-minced garlic and a tube of tomato paste in my refrigerator. These are staples in many dishes, and they keep well in the fridge for a long time and make great shortcut items. 

RICE: Jasmine rice is a 2:1 ratio rice, meaning you need 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice. In this recipe, you can substitute any long-grain rice that cooks with this ratio, such as Basmati rice or brown rice. Short-grain rice typically needs more liquids to cook and gives off more starches when cooked than jasmine rice.

CHEESE: You can use a Colby-jack cheese blend, white cheddar cheese, or even shredded mozzarella cheese in the easy meal recipe. 

SAUSAGE: You can substitute hot ground Italian sausage for the mild if you like a little heat with your stuffed pepper casserole. You can also swap out the Italian sausage for all (1 pound) ground beef and vice versa. 

How To Make This Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe

The beauty of this casserole is that it’s a great way to enjoy all of the flavors without having to spend extra time stuffing the individual peppers. It’s as easy as making any classic casserole and is loaded with flavor.

Follow our step-by-step instructions below to prepare this recipe.

STEP ONE: In an extra-large deep skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage. Brown the ground meat for 6 to 7 minutes or until no pink remains. Remove the cooked ground meat using a slotted spoon and place it on a large plate. Be sure to leave the fat in the hot skillet to cook the vegetables in.

STEP TWO: Add the diced onion, diced peppers, minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Saute the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

STEP THREE: Add the tomato paste to the sauteed vegetables, stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for an additional minute.

STEP FOUR: Add the low-sodium beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the reserved cooked ground meat to the skillet.

STEP FIVE: Stir all the ingredients together and allow the liquids to come up to a boil. Once the liquids are boiling, add the uncooked rice, and stir to distribute the rice evenly.

STEP SIX: Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook the rice for 20 to 22 minutes.

STEP SEVEN: Remove the lid, stir the stuffed pepper casserole and check to ensure that the rice is fully cooked. If not, then replace the lid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

STEP EIGHT: Top the stuffed pepper casserole with the shredded cheese. Place the lid back onto the skillet, remove the skillet from the heat, and let sit while the cheese melts.

STEP NINE: Top the melted cheese with a garnish of chopped fresh parsley.

How To Serve

On its own, this unstuffed pepper casserole makes a delicious complete meal for busy weeknights. Add a loaf of crusty beer bread or dinner rolls to mop up all the flavorful saucy goodness left behind on your plate.

Another classic pairing is a simple tomato cucumber salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. The freshness of the salad provides a nice contrast to the savory and cheesy stuffed pepper casserole. You could also try some roasted vegetables for a flavorful addition.

If you’d like to try your hand at the original, check out our stuffed peppers recipe. Our stuffed pepper soup is another great recipe that reimagines a classic.

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Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You will need to note that as this dish sits, the rice will continue to absorb the liquids. If you find that your leftover rice has absorbed too much of the liquid, you can add a splash of beef broth or water and stir before reheating single servings.

IN THE FREEZER/MAKE AHEAD: If you want to make this stuffed bell pepper casserole ahead of time or freeze, then you will follow all the steps up through step 4. You will not want to add the rice until you are ready to serve. Let the stuffed pepper sauce cool completely before transferring it to a lidded freezer-safe container.

If frozen, you will need to thaw the pepper sauce in the refrigerator, add the thawed sauce to the extra-large skillet and bring the liquids up to a boil. From there, you will add the rice (step 5) and follow the recipe from there. If you are not freezing but just making ahead, you will store the prepared pepper sauce in a lidded container for up to 2 days before cooking and serving.

As delicious as regular stuffed peppers but with much less prep work, this stuffed pepper casserole recipe serves up a yummy batch of classic comfort food that’s perfect for a family dinner. There is no better way than a hearty one-pan meal to keep warm when it’s cold out. 

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Stuffed Pepper Casserole

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Loaded with delicious flavors from meat, veggies, and rice, this stuffed pepper casserole is the ultimate comfort food.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound ground beef
• ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
• ¾ yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups bell peppers, diced (red, yellow, and green)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish

Instructions

 

• In an extra-large skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage. Brown the ground meat for 6 to 7 minutes or until no pink remains. Remove the cooked ground meat using a slotted spoon and place it on a large plate. Be sure to leave the fat in the hot skillet to cook the vegetables in.
• Add the diced onion, diced peppers, minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Saute the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the tomato paste to the sauteed vegetables, stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for an additional minute.
• Add the low-sodium beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the reserved cooked ground meat to the skillet.
• Stir all the ingredients together and allow the liquids to come up to a boil. Once the liquids are boiling, add the jasmine rice, and stir to evenly distribute the rice.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook the rice for 20 to 22 minutes.
• Remove the lid, stir the stuffed pepper casserole and check to ensure that the rice is fully cooked. If not, then replace the lid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Top the stuffed pepper casserole with the shredded Monterey jack cheese. Place the lid back onto the skillet, remove the skillet from the heat, and allow the cheese to melt.
• Top the melted cheese with a garnish of chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

• When choosing the bell peppers at the grocery store, I like to buy the package of the trio of colored peppers. Any combination of bell peppers will be great in this recipe. Three small peppers will yield approximately 2 cups chopped.
• If quick and easy skillet meals are a staple in your house, I highly recommend a good quality heavy-duty lidded skillet. I love my Le Creuset Deep Saute Pan with lid. It holds a capacity of 4 to 4¼ quarts, which is perfect for a family of 4 to 6. For this recipe, your skillet should be at least 3½ inches deep and 12 inches wide.
• I like to dice my peppers and onions into approximately ½-inch pieces. I find that if you dice your peppers too small, they get lost in the dish.
• This stovetop stuffed pepper casserole is best served while warm.

  

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2628IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 3mg

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