Stuffed Pepper Casserole: A Cozy One-Dish Dinner Everyone Will Love

If you love the classic combination of stuffed peppers but don’t always have the time—or patience—to fill individual peppers, Stuffed Pepper Casserole is the perfect solution. It takes all the familiar flavors of traditional stuffed peppers and turns them into an easy, hearty, one-dish meal.

Tender bell peppers, savory ground beef, fluffy rice, tomatoes, aromatic onions, and melted cheese come together in a comforting casserole that’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner but satisfying enough for a family gathering.

The best part? You get the delicious flavor of stuffed peppers without having to carefully stuff each pepper.

Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This recipe is designed to be practical, flavorful, and flexible.

• Easy preparation: Everything comes together in one skillet before baking.
• Comforting and filling: Rice and ground beef make it a satisfying complete meal.
• Family-friendly: The flavors are familiar without being overly spicy.
• Great for leftovers: The casserole reheats beautifully the next day.
• Easy to customize: You can swap the meat, rice, vegetables, or cheese according to what you have available.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For about 6 servings, gather:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

Choosing Your Peppers

A mixture of colors makes the casserole especially attractive. Green peppers provide a slightly earthy flavor, while red, yellow, and orange peppers tend to be sweeter.

You can use any combination you enjoy. For a sweeter casserole, use mostly red, yellow, or orange peppers. For a more traditional stuffed-pepper flavor, include green bell peppers.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Before turning on the stove, dice the onion and bell peppers into relatively small, even pieces. Mince the garlic and measure the seasonings.

Having everything prepared beforehand makes the cooking process much easier, especially because several ingredients are added in quick succession.

If you’re using pre-shredded cheese, you can simply set it aside until the casserole is ready for its final topping.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef

Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, followed by the ground beef.

Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Continue until the beef is browned and no longer pink. If there is a large amount of excess fat in the skillet, carefully drain it before continuing.

Step 3: Sauté the Onion and Peppers

Add the diced onion and bell peppers to the browned beef.

Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should begin to soften while still retaining a little texture.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.

Avoid cooking the garlic for too long, since it can become bitter.

Step 4: Season the Mixture

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper.

Stir thoroughly so the seasonings coat the beef and vegetables.

This short cooking step allows the spices to bloom and gives the entire casserole a deeper flavor.

Please Head On keep  on Reading  (>)