One Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole
If you love stuffed peppers but don’t love the work, this Stuffed Pepper Casserole is the shortcut you’ve been waiting for! It’s hearty and cheesy with ground beef and brown rice, and has all the flavors of the classic dish minus the fuss!
One of my favorite meals is my Italian stuffed peppers recipe, but it’s not always convenient to make as it requires leftover rice and prepping separate components.
This Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe gives me all the flavors of my stuffed peppers in a much easier way.
It’s complete with ground beef, brown rice, colorful bell peppers, herbs and spice and plenty of cheese, and it all cooks up in one pot.
It’s a high protein, family-friendly meal that can be customized very easily with your favorite ground meat, rice and pantry staples.
This is a comforting fall dinner that I never get tired of. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s everything you love about stuffed peppers in an easy, one pot meal.
- It’s a high in protein dinner that’s family-friendly and gluten-free.
- This casserole can be customized with your favorite ground meat, rice and pantry staples.
Recipe ingredients
This stuffed pepper casserole recipe includes pantry staples and herbs and spices that are easily customized with what you have on hand.
- Ground beef. I’ve used 1.5 lbs. of lean ground beef to make this meal high in protein. You can use just 1 lb. of ground meat if you prefer to use less. Sub the beef with your favorite ground meat as desired.
- Brown rice. Long grain brown rice is my rice of choice in this casserole for its nutty flavor and nutrition benefits. You can certainly swap it out with your favorite rice, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly depending on the type that you use.
- Bell peppers. Use (2) bell peppers in whatever color(s) you desire.
- Beef stock. Use low sodium to make this lower in salt. Sub with chicken or vegetable stock if that’s what you have on hand.
- Aromatics. Onion and garlic add a great foundation of flavor here.
- Diced tomatoes. Use low sodium fire roasted diced tomatoes to control the sodium and add additional flavor.
- Tomato paste. Helps thicken the casserole and adds rich tomato flavor that tomato sauce just can’t do.
- Herbs and spices. Italian seasoning, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper add smoky, herbaceous flavor with a slight kick of heat. These can be swapped out with whatever spices that you have on hand.
- Balsamic vinegar. Completely optional, but it provides acid and umami flavor to the dish.
- Cheese. Sub the colby jack cheese with your favorite grated cheese or parmesan. Omit the cheese to make this meal dairy-free.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make stuffed bell pepper casserole
This casserole has all the flavors of stuffed peppers in an easy, comforting one pan dinner. You can prep some of your ingredients 1-2 days ahead to make this meal go even more quickly.
Pro tip: If you wish to swap the brown rice with white rice, jasmine, or basmati, be sure to adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly as these varieties cook faster and require less liquid. Check for doneness as you go to avoid mushy rice or excess liquid.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
Recipe FAQs
You can certainly swap the brown rice with your favorite variety, and you can even add more than 1/2 cup of rice if you prefer more. Be sure to adjust the amount of liquid and cooking time based on the type and amount of rice that you’re using.
Absolutely! Omit the rice and beef stock entirely and use about a cup of cauliflower rice. Simply cook the cauliflower rice along with the bell peppers before adding the tomato paste. From there, add the diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower rice is cooked through.
You can also prepare this recipe as directed without cauliflower rice. Just omit the brown rice and beef stock entirely.
Simply omit the cheese and this casserole will be dairy-free.
Serving suggestions
There are so many delicious ways to serve up this ground beef and rice casserole. Below are some of my favorites!
- Pair the casserole with a crisp insalata mista salad or Italian tricolore salad.
- Serve with one hour rosemary focaccia bread or your favorite crusty bread.
- Serve it with a side of veggies like air fryer roasted vegetables or air fryer broccoli.
- Set up a toppings bar so everyone can top the casserole with their favorite toppings. Extra cheese, diced tomatoes, avocado or sour cream and Greek yogurt are great options.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: If you wish to swap the brown rice with white rice, jasmine, or basmati, be sure to adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly as these varieties cook faster and require less liquid. Check for doneness as you go to avoid mushy rice or excess liquid.
- Long grain brown rice holds its shape well, adds a nutty flavor, and has more health benefits than white rice.
- Swap out the ground beef for your favorite ground meat.
- Omit the cheese to make this stuffed bell pepper casserole dairy-free.
More recipes you’ll love
- Cabbage and ground beef casserole
- Crock pot chicken and wild rice
- Ground beef enchilada casserole
- Sheet pan sausage, peppers and sweet potatoes
- Stuffed poblano peppers
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
One Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef sub with your favorite ground meat
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbl. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper sub with 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 large red bell pepper cored and chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper cored and chopped
- 4 Tbl. tomato paste
- 1.5 cups beef stock reduced sodium
- 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes low sodium
- 1/2 cup long grain brown rice rinsed and drained; see note 1
- 1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar see note
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups grated colby jack cheese sub with your favorite cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes or until softened. Add the ground beef and break up into small chunks. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook 30 seconds longer.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbl. Italian seasoning, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Add the bell pepper and cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook 30 seconds more.1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper, 4 Tbl. tomato paste
- Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, rice and balsamic vinegar and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20-40 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Cooking time will depend on the type of brown rice that you use (see note 1). Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.1.5 cups beef stock, 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup long grain brown rice, 1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
- Remove from heat and top with the grated cheese. Place the lid back on until the cheese melts. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!2 cups grated colby jack cheese
Notes
- Pro tip: If you wish to swap the brown rice with white rice, jasmine, or basmati, be sure to adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly as these varieties cook faster and require less liquid. Check for doneness as you go to avoid mushy rice or excess liquid.
- Long grain brown rice holds its shape well, adds a nutty flavor, and has more health benefits than white rice.
- Omit the cheese to make this stuffed bell pepper casserole dairy-free.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
