One pot stuffed pepper casserole has all the flavor with zero stuffing required!
Seasoned ground beef, rice, and bell peppers are simmered in a rich tomato broth and topped with loads of melty mozzarella cheese for the ultimate stuffed pepper casserole.
You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Casserole Because…
- This stuffed bell pepper casserole is actually “unstuffed” and super easy to make.
- This crowd-pleaser is budget-friendly and can be kept warm in a crock pot to feed a crowd.
- Prep ahead on the weekend to enjoy hearty dinners and easy workday lunches all week long. The flavors will continue to improve.
Ingredient Tips For Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Meat: The recipe calls for ground beef but ground turkey, chicken, or sausage can be used in this recipe.
- Bell Peppers: Bell peppers add a sweet crunch to this stuffed pepper casserole. Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers are sweeter while green peppers are a bit more earthy or bitter. I like to use a combination.
- Rice: Basmati white rice is used in this recipe, if changing the rice for another type, the amount of liquid may need to be adjusted.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes add flavor, you can swap in Rotel for a little kick if you’d like.
- Broth: Adds flavor, use any kind you have on hand.
Variations
- Use up leftover vegetables from the fridge to bulk up this hearty dish. Mushrooms, diced potatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, kale, and spinach are great options.
- This is also a great recipe for using up leftover brown rice or other varieties. Reduce the liquid.
- Sprinkle some cheddar cheese or Parmesan in with the mozzarella for extra flavor.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Brown beef with onion and garlic.
- Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook (recipe below) until rice is tender.
- Top with cheese before serving.
Storing and Reheating
- Keep leftover stuffed bell pepper casserole in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to two months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Leftovers can be tucked into a wrap, a pita pocket, or added to a hearty soup.
Italian-Inspired Casseroles
Did your family like this Stuffed Pepper Casserole? Leave a comment and a rating below!
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Enjoy all the delicious flavors of stuffed peppers in this easy, flavorful casserole!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven 3.5 QT
- Saucepan (If no Dutch Oven is available)
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 to 2 ¼ cups diced bell pepper red, green and/or yellow
- 2 cups beef broth more as needed
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup basmati rice uncooked
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a 3.5QT Dutch oven or saucepan, brown beef with onion and garlic until no pink remains over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.
- Add peppers, beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, rice, Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender. (Add more beef broth if needed).
- Once rice is tender, top with cheese and cover with a lid until melted. Optionally, broil in the oven to brown the cheese for 2-3 minutes.
Notes
Store leftover stuffed bell pepper casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze individual portions in zippered bags for up to two months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 434 | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2422IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This recipe was a huge hit with my whole family!
We did already have leftover rice, so we added it at the end, and used less beef broth, maybe 1 cup.
Thanks for another quick, easy and affordable recipe!
This was delicious! I made two changes. I used an entire 6 oz. can of tomato paste and two cans of water because I didn’t have tomato sauce. I also reduced the rice to three quarters of a cup. It was rich and deeply flavored. I will definitely make this again! Thanks,