Cheesy Unstuffed Bell Pepper Skillet

I love stuffed peppers, but sometimes I don't feel like dealing with stuffing individual peppers and waiting for everything to bake. That's exactly why I like this Unstuffed Bell Pepper Skillet.

I'm taking all those familiar stuffed pepper flavors, seasoned ground beef, colorful bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, rice and cheese, and cooking everything together in one skillet. The rice cooks right in the tomato and beef broth mixture, so it absorbs all that flavor instead of being cooked separately.

Once the rice is tender, I finish everything with melted cheddar cheese and a little fresh parsley. You get beef, peppers, rice, tomato and gooey cheese in practically every spoonful. It's hearty, filling and gives you that classic stuffed pepper flavor without all the extra work.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You get everything you love about stuffed peppers without having to actually stuff a single pepper. It's made in one skillet, which means less prep and fewer dishes, and the rice cooks directly in the seasoned tomato and beef mixture.

It's also loaded with ground beef, three colors of bell peppers and melted cheddar, making it filling enough to serve as a complete dinner. Best of all, it's easy to customize depending on what you already have in the refrigerator.

Variations

Spicy Version: Add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, diced jalapeño or cayenne pepper.

Mexican Style: Swap the Italian seasoning for taco seasoning, add corn and black beans, then top with Mexican-blend cheese.

Italian Style: Add ½ teaspoon dried basil and oregano, then replace cheddar with mozzarella.

Turkey Version: Substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.

Sausage Version: Replace half the ground beef with Italian sausage for a richer flavor.

Extra Cheesy: Increase the cheddar to 1 cup and mix half into the skillet before adding the remaining cheese on top.

Low-Carb Version: Leave out the rice and reduce the broth. Serve the beef and pepper mixture over cauliflower rice.Mushroom Version: Add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms along with the peppers.

Cheesy Unstuffed Bell Pepper Skillet

This Cheesy Unstuffed Bell Pepper Skillet combines seasoned ground beef,colorful bell peppers, rice, tomatoes and melted cheddar cheese in one pan. It's an easy, hearty dinner with all the flavor of traditional stuffed peppers without actually stuffing anything.

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Course main dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion diced, about ½ cup
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 cup beef broth plus more if needed
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking until fragrant and the onion begins to soften, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1 pound of ground beef. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon or meat masher and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess grease if necessary. Add the diced red, yellow and green bell peppers. Stir everything together and cook for about 3 minutes. You want the peppers to begin softening while still retaining some texture.
• Add the Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Stir well so the beef and vegetables are evenly coated with the seasonings.
• Add ½ cup of uncooked long-grain white rice directly to the skillet. Stir the rice into the beef and vegetable mixture and cook for approximately 2 minutes.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of beef broth. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
• Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Allow everything to simmer for approximately 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender. If the mixture becomes too thick before the rice is fully cooked, add additional beef broth, about ¼ cup at a time.
• Once the rice is tender, turn off the heat and give everything a good stir. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the residual heat to melt the cheese.
• Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!

Video

Recipe Tips

Keep an eye on the liquid while the rice cooks. Different brands of rice can absorb slightly different amounts of liquid. If the rice is still firm but most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ¼ cup of beef broth, cover and continue cooking until tender.

Also, don't skip toasting the uncooked rice for about 2 minutes before adding the liquid. That extra step gives the rice a slightly nuttier flavor and lets it pick up some of the seasoned beef flavor from the skillet.

Keyword ground beef and rice, ground beef and rice casserole, ground beef and rice skillet, ground beef recipes, rice recipes

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