
Craving stuffed peppers with a fraction of the effort? Enter: stuffed pepper casserole. This one-pot wonder packs all the great flavor of a stuffed pepper while requiring way less effort. We took inspiration from our classic stuffed peppers for this casserole, creating a mixture of ground beef, tomato-flavored rice, and melty cheese. That being said, just like our other stuffed pepper recipes, you can really experiment with this recipe to make it your own. Here’s how to make it the best it can be:
How to make stuffed pepper casserole:
This stuffed pepper casserole recipe begins with the ingredients you love from classic stuffed peppers: ground beef, large chunks of peppers and onion, a fair amount of seasonings, and a tomato-heavy broth. A cup of rice dives into that pool of liquid gold, the whole thing slides in the oven, and within minutes, you have a warm and hearty meal ready to feed a crowd. But one last step! A stack of pepper Jack gets baked on top until it’s brown, bubbly, and totally irresistible.
What's best about this casserole is that—just like regular stuffed peppers—there's no need to cook the peppers before they go into the oven. Thanks to the long bake alongside the broth and other elements that steam as they cook, the chunks of pepper come out perfectly tender.
Stuffed pepper variations.
We love the rich flavors of ground meat and beef broth, but feel free to mix and match with turkey, chicken, or plant-based options like vegan ground beef or chickpeas. Sensitive to heat? Swap out the cheese for Monterey Jack instead. Take inspiration from our many stuffed pepper recipes, then incorporate your favorites into this casserole version.
Storage and freezing.
If you have any leftovers of this casserole, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3-4 days. If you’d prefer to freeze them, store in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb.
(80%) lean ground beef
- 2
bell peppers, any color, chopped into 1" pieces
- 1
large yellow onion, chopped into 1" pieces
- 3
cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp.
ground cumin
- 1 tsp.
smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp.
dried oregano
- 1
(6-oz.) can tomato paste
- 1
(14.5-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups
beef broth
- 1 cup
basmati rice
- 2 cups
shredded pepper Jack cheese (about 8 oz.)
- 1 Tbsp.
finely chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. When oil is shimmering, add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Step 2Stir in peppers, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3Add tomatoes, broth, and rice. Stir until incorporated, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately cover and transfer to oven. Bake until rice is tender, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove from oven and set broiler to high.
- Step 4Stir once more, then top with cheese. Return to oven, uncovered, and broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with cilantro.

60 Summer Potluck Recipes

How To Cook Pasta Perfectly Al Dente

Weeknight Dinners For July

Braised Chicken Thighs