Stuffed Pepper Casserole
This comforting stuffed pepper casserole brings all the flavors you love from traditional stuffed peppers without all the fussy work! Families absolutely adore this hearty dish because it delivers that perfect combination of tender bell peppers, savory ground beef, and melted cheese in every single bite. Plus, it’s so much easier than stuffing individual peppers – just mix, bake, and enjoy!
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Active Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 55 minutes, Serves: 6 people.
Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 344 Calories, 17g Fat, 24g Carbs, 23g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons to get everything started. This helps brown the beef beautifully and adds such great flavor to the base.
Ground beef: 1 pound of 90%-lean ground beef works perfectly here. The leaner meat keeps your casserole from getting too greasy while still giving you tons of protein.
Red onion: One large red onion, thinly sliced, adds the most amazing sweet flavor. You can totally use yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand!
Bell peppers: 3 medium multicolored bell peppers, thinly sliced, are the stars of this dish. The mix of colors makes it so pretty and each color brings its own sweet flavor.
Garlic: 6 cloves chopped up will make your kitchen smell incredible. Don’t skip this – it adds so much depth to the flavor.
Smoked paprika: 2 teaspoons of this magical spice gives the whole dish that amazing smoky taste. It’s what makes this casserole extra special!
Dried oregano: 2 teaspoons brings that classic Italian herb flavor. It pairs so perfectly with the tomatoes and peppers.
Salt and pepper: 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon ground pepper season everything just right. You can always adjust to your taste!
Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons of this concentrated goodness adds rich, deep tomato flavor. Make sure to cook it until it darkens for the best taste.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: One 14.5-ounce can, drained, brings smoky tomato flavor. The fire-roasted kind really makes a difference here!
Cooked brown rice: One 8.8-ounce package makes this filling and hearty. You can also use about 1½ cups of leftover brown rice if you have it.
Beef broth: ½ cup of unsalted beef broth keeps everything moist and adds extra beefy flavor. Low-sodium works great too!
Mozzarella cheese: 1 cup of shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella melts beautifully on top. This is what makes it irresistibly cheesy!
Fresh parsley: Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish is totally optional, but it adds such a nice fresh pop of color and flavor.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often and breaking it up with the back of a spoon until it’s cooked through and no longer pink.
Step 2: Add the sliced onion, bell peppers, chopped garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook everything together for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables get nice and tender.
Step 3: Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir in the tomato paste. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens in color – this really deepens the flavor! Then remove from heat.
Step 4: Stir in the drained tomatoes, cooked rice, and beef broth until everything is well combined. The mixture should look colorful and smell amazing!
Step 5: Transfer the whole mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and all the flavors meld together beautifully.
Step 6: Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble. Garnish with fresh parsley if you’re using it, and serve hot!
Easy and Quick Stuffed Pepper Casserole Version
Want to make this even faster? You can use pre-cooked ground beef from the freezer or leftover taco meat! Just thaw 1 pound of cooked ground beef and skip the first browning step. Start by sautéing the vegetables in oil for 8 minutes, then add your cooked beef along with all the seasonings. This cuts about 10 minutes off your prep time and tastes just as delicious!
Serving Ideas
This stuffed pepper casserole is honestly a complete meal all by itself – it’s got protein, veggies, and carbs all in one dish! But if you want to add some sides, try serving it with a crisp green salad, some crusty garlic bread, or roasted broccoli. The flavors are so rich and satisfying that simple sides work best.
Storage
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a covered container. To reheat, just pop individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or warm the whole dish in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes until heated through. The flavors actually get even better the next day!
Substitutions
No ground beef? Ground turkey or chicken work great too! You can swap the brown rice for white rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice if you want to keep it lower carb. Regular paprika works fine if you don’t have smoked paprika, though you’ll miss that amazing smoky flavor. Any color bell peppers work perfectly – use whatever looks good at the store!
Pro Tips
• Don’t skip draining the tomatoes: This keeps your casserole from getting watery and soggy.
• Let the tomato paste darken: That extra minute of cooking really deepens the flavor and makes such a difference.
• Use a mix of pepper colors: Red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter than green ones and make the dish more colorful.
• Cover tightly with foil: This helps the rice get perfectly tender and keeps everything moist.
• Let it rest for 5 minutes: After baking, let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving so it sets up nicely.
FAQs
What does 90%-lean ground beef mean?
When you see the percentage of leanness on ground beef packages, it’s referring to the ratio of meat to fat. In this case, 90%-lean ground beef is 90% meat and 10% fat. For casseroles, leaner ground beef works better so that your dish isn’t swimming in extra fat, which is why this percentage is perfect here!
Can I use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika?
You bet! You can use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika, but it won’t have that distinct smoky flavor that makes this dish so special. Smoked paprika is made from peppers that are smoked over wood during drying, which gives it that amazing depth. But regular paprika will still taste great!
Do I have to use multicolored bell peppers?
Not at all! If you want to stick with one or two colors, go for it. Just keep in mind that orange, yellow, and red peppers tend to be sweeter than green bell peppers, so choose based on what flavor you prefer. Green peppers work fine too – they’re just a bit more sharp in taste.
Is this casserole really gluten-free?
Yes! Just double-check your canned ingredients and broth to make sure they’re labeled “gluten-free.” Most plain tomatoes and beef broth are naturally gluten-free, but it’s always smart to check the labels to be absolutely sure.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Sure! You can assemble the whole casserole (except for the cheese) up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, add about 5-10 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it’ll be cold. Then add the cheese and finish as directed!
I’d love to hear how your stuffed pepper casserole turns out! Did you try any fun variations or substitutions? Drop a comment and let me know – there’s nothing I love more than hearing about your kitchen successes!
