Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Table of Contents

1. Stuffed Pepper Casserole Ingredients
2. Substitutions And Additions
3. How To Make This Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe
4. How To Serve
5. Storage
6. More Recipes You’ll Love
7. JUMP TO RECIPE

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

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 six to seven 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 five to six 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 two to three 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.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three 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 four.

Don’t 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 five) 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 two 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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