Easy One-Skillet Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole has all the rich, hearty flavors of classic stuffed peppers—juicy beef, tender rice, sweet bell peppers, and a bold, zesty tomato sauce—but without all the hassle. It’s a delicious one-pot meal that your going to want to make again and again!

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

I love stuffed bell peppers. I mean, I absolutely love them. What I don’t love, however, is all of the work involved!

Stuffing each individual pepper can be time consuming and let’s be honest—who’s got extra time for all that?

That’s why I love this stuffed bell pepper casserole. It tastes just like traditional stuffed bell peppers, but it is so much simpler to prepare.

Now, I’m definitely no stranger to the work of stuffing peppers! I have a 2800 square foot garden and nearly half of that space is dedicated to peppers of various sorts— and I grow a lot!

In turn, I stuff and put back in the freezer tons and tons of stuffed peppers, with one filling or another (like my sausage stuffed banana peppers). Once I learned how to roast peppers for the freezer, I started doing that too!

So, I definitely appreciate a good recipe where no stuffing is involved! This casserole is so super easy to make, bursting with stuffed pepper flavors, and it freezes well too.

Why You’ll Love My Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

• Easy Recipe: This is an easy casserole to whip up, even on busy weeknights. No need to fuss with stuffing individual peppers, this recipe simplifies things while keeping the same flavors!
• One-Pot Meal: I love one-pot meals! If you use a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, you can just go from the stove to the oven.
• Classic Flavors: This dish has all the classic flavors of a traditional stuffed peppers recipe.
• Comfort Food: This is hearty comfort food at its best. The cheddar cheese topping adds a rich and gooey finish that everyone will love.
• Versatile: You can easily swap out ingredients, such as protein, or add extra veggies.

Ingredients for Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

• Ground Chuck: Ground chuck has a rich flavor which makes it a great choice for a stuffed bell pepper casserole recipe.
• Bell Peppers: The peppers add delicious flavors and color to the casserole. You’ll want to remove the seeds and dice them up. Green bell peppers are classic for this dish, but using a mix with red bell peppers adds a little bit of sweetness.
• Onion: This adds some savory goodness to the meat mixture.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a burst of flavor. If you don’t have fresh garlic cloves, you can use garlic powder instead.
• Salt and Black Pepper: These basic seasonings enhance all the other flavors. Adjust the amount to your taste.
• Italian Seasoning: This is a blend of herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme. It gives the casserole classic flavors of a stuffed bell pepper.
• Tomato Paste: Adds depth to the tomato base of the casserole and helps create a hearty texture.
• Diced Tomatoes: These add a juicy, fresh flavor to the dish. You can use regular diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes if you like a smokier taste.
• Beef Broth: The liquid helps the rice cook and adds savory flavor to the casserole. You can swap it for chicken broth or vegetable broth if needed.
• White Long Grain Rice (Uncooked): The rice soaks up all the flavors of the dish.
• Cheddar Cheese (Shredded): This is sprinkled on top for a melty, cheesy finish.

How to Make Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″x 13″ casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the Meat Mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add your ground chuck, diced green peppers, and diced onion. Cook and brown meat, breaking it up until it’s no longer pink and the peppers and onions are soft.

Drain Excess Grease: Once the ground meat is cooked, turn off the heat and drain excess grease from the skillet.

Add Seasonings and Tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then add the tomato paste, regular diced tomatoes, and beef broth.

Mix in Uncooked Rice: Add the uncooked white rice into the meat mixture. Stir everything together until it’s well combined.

Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Cover and Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place it in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. Stir the casserole halfway through cooking time to make sure the rice cooks evenly.

Add Cheese and Melt: Once the rice cooks and is tender, remove the casserole and top with shredded cheese. Place the dish back into the oven for about 5 or so minutes until the cheese has melted.

Recipe Variations

• Add More Veggies: You can sneak in all the veggies with this casserole! It’s really good when you add corn.
• Add Beans: You can make it Mexican style by adding some black beans.
• Switch out the Broth: Vegetable broth or chicken broth are great substitutes.
• Different Proteins: Italian sausage or ground turkey are great options.

Ways to Serve Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

This recipe is pretty hearty on it’s own, and I definitely consider it to be a one pot meal. It’s super filling!

I like to serve it with guacamole and homemade sour cream. It’s even good the next day wrapped in a tortilla with some beans.

When I make this I often and serve Mexican corn dip or my black bean balls as an appetizer.

More Amazing Recipes

• Jalapeno Popper Dip
• Chiles Rellenos
• Burrito Casserole
• Crockpot Taco Dip

How to Store Leftovers

Cover the stuffed pepper casserole and put it into the refrigerator. It will keep for up to three days. To reheat, sprinkle a little water on the rice mixture and cover with a paper towel and reheat in the microwave.

To freeze, store in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat using microwave directions above or bake in the oven at 325 degrees until hot all the way through.