Stuffed Pepper Casserole is a twist on the classic stuffed peppers that brings all the comforting flavors to your table with a fraction of the effort.
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Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe
Stuffed bell peppers have long been a cherished dish, but today we’re taking the simplicity up a notch with this one-dish wonder. Imagine the savory blend of ground beef, aromatic vegetables, and the gooey goodness of melted cheese, all baked to perfection.
Don’t tell anyone but I think I actually prefer this casserole to the actual stuffed peppers… and so does my entire family. This one was super popular with the kids, they even went in for seconds.
I also think that this is a great meal because depending on how much your family eats for dinner this reheats for lunch the next day really nicely!
You can also feel fee to put your spin on the dish use different colored bell peppers, adjust the seasoning to your taste, and use what cheese sounds good to you!
If you are looking for the traditional version of this dish and not a casserole version try this Stuffed Peppers recipe.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef – Feel free to use any fat content here. I used 85/15% lean ground beef. Ince you are done getting things softened in the skillet you will most likely want to drain the skillet before proceeding to the next step.
- Green and Red Bell Pepper – While I like using the two different colored bell peppers you can really use whatever colored bell peppers you wish as long as you use two!
- Yellow Onion – A yellow onion here for that sweeter and more milk flavor, you can of course use a different colored onion if that is what you have.
- Garlic – A casserole dish like this wouldn’t be complete without some mince garlic.
- Cajun Seasoning – This is probably going to be the biggest variance in your dish, different brands of cajun seasoning are likely to have a different sweet/spice/smokiness level so make sure you taste test your seasoning and adjust accordingly before you add it to the dish. Some Cajun seasoning will be spicy and some cajun seasonings won’t be as spicy. If you don’t want to use cajun seasoning try using Italian Seasoning instead.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Just a little bit of Worcestershire to bring a bit more flavor to the dish.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes – I like this dish with the smaller petite diced tomatoes but you can use traditional diced tomatoes instead of petite if that is what you prefer.
- Beef Broth – Because we are using beef in the recipe I call for beef broth but if you are like me and tend to have chicken broth at your house instead feel free to substitute the chicken broth for the beef broth. This is a good recipe where Better Than Bouillon also can really help out opposed to buying a container of beef broth.
- Long-Grain White Rice – I use jasmine or basmati rice.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – I will note this at the bottom again but you are really free to use whatever shredded cheese you like here, I personally liked a sharp cheddar here the most but use what you like!
For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.
Instructions:
Preheat Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to a toasty 375°F.
Sauté Ground Beef and Vegetables:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef, crumble it, and cook for 3 minutes until it starts to brown.
Toss in the diced peppers and onions, cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes until they soften.
Add in the minced garlic and Cajun seasoning, letting it cook for a minute.
Transfer to Casserole Dish:
If needed, drain any excess liquid from the skillet.
Transfer the ground beef mixture into a 3-quart/9×13 casserole dish.
Combine Ingredients in Casserole Dish:
Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, add diced tomatoes with their juices, broth, and rice.
Mix everything thoroughly to ensure every bite is bursting with flavor.
Bake Covered:
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and gently place it in the preheated oven.
Let it bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
Uncover and Add Cheese:
Carefully remove the foil, giving the casserole a stir. Sometimes when cooking a dish with rice like this you’ll find all of the add-ins get pushed to the top, give everything a good stir before adding the cheese so the dish is more uniform.
Sprinkle the shredded sharp cheddar cheese generously over the top.
Bake Until Done:
Return the dish to the oven, baking uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes until the rice is tender, and the cheese has achieved that golden, melty perfection.
tips, tricks and questions
Cheese Variations
I was a big fan of using sharp cheddar for the topping but you can really use almost any kind of shredded cheese to fit your tastes. A few other could options would be Pepper jack, Colby Jack, Mozzarella, or a Mexican cheese blend.
Customize Spice Level
Cajun spice on its own isn’t typically spicy, it is more of a sweet/smoky spice blend BUT this can vary greatly brand to brand. So taste test your cajun blend and tailor the Cajun seasoning to your taste buds. Feel free to dial it up or down based on your spice preference.
Can I substitute ground beef with another protein?
Certainly! Ground turkey or ground chicken work beautifully, offering a leaner alternative without compromising on taste.
Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?
Absolutely! Brown rice can be substituted, but be mindful of the longer cooking time. Adjust accordingly to prevent overcooking.
Make-Ahead
Prep this dish in advance, pop it in the refrigerator, and bake it when you’re ready to serve. Perfect for busy days or entertaining guests.
How can I make it vegetarian?
Easily transform this into a vegetarian delight by replacing the ground beef with plant-based alternatives or using 2 cans of white beans and opting for vegetable broth.
What to Serve with Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Some great side dishes would include a salad my Simple Spinach Salad or AntiPasto Salad would go great with this meal. If you are looking to serve with more veggies try serving with Air Fryer Broccoli.
If you like this Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe you might also like:
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
This Stuffed Pepper Casserole make it easy to enjoy all of the flavors of stuffed bell peppers but made so much easy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the ground beef and crumble, cook 3 minutes.
- Add the diced peppers and onion to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and Cajun seasoning to the skillet and cook another 1 minute.
- Drain the skillet if needed. Transfer the contents of the skillet into a 3quart/9x13 casserole dish.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes (with the juices), broth, and rice to the casserole dish. Mix everything together well.
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and stir the dish carefully. Add the cheese to the top. Transfer back to the oven and cook another 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender and cheese has melted.
Notes
Test the spiciness of your cajun seasoning before adding it to the dish and adjust the amount for your preferred spiciness level.
If you don't want to use cajun seasoning because of the spice level try using Italian Seasoning instead.
Feel free to swap out the sharp cheddar cheese for a different shredded cheese variety colby jack, pepper jack, mozzarella, or a Mexican blend would all be good.
For the rice I like to use jasmine or basmati.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1/8th the dishAmount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 812mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 24g
Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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