Skip all the fussy prep work and make this Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole - a complete meal that's easy to make! Cheesy, beefy and stuffed with vegetables that don't have to be stuffed!
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
I've always said something special happens to bell peppers when they are cooked! Whether it's in a soup or even a jam they become magical! This dish is no different! It's one of my favorite recipes!
This Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole Recipe is much easier to make and just as good, (maybe even better!) than stuffed peppers!
🗒️ Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- ground beef - though you can certainly substitute ground chicken or ground turkey and ground pork as well.
- red yellow or green bell peppers, onion, garlic - there are loads of fresh vegetables in this meal.
- beef broth and canned diced tomatoes
- white rice - if using brown rice, this will increase the cooking time.
- shredded cheese - I used a medium cheddar cheese but you can certainly use, sharp, Monterrey jack or provolone - use your favorite cheese.
- Worcestershire sauce, grill seasoning and black pepper - the perfect balance of big flavors with minimal effort! If you'd prefer an Italian flavor, feel free to substitute Italian Seasoning, that would be delicious as well.
- smoked paprika - no smoked paprika? Substitute regular, but smoked paprika gives it a slightly smoky flavor - yum!
Easy Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 large bell peppers seeded and diced
- 1 onion peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes I used fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup long grain white rice uncooked
- 2 cups cheese
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Montreal Grill Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray the 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- Using a large, deep pan over medium heat. Brown ground meat.
- Dice the bell peppers and onions. Add to the meat as it cooks, along with the diced onions.
- Mince the garlic and add to the pan. Next add Worcestershire, salt, pepper, paprika and grill seasoning. Mix to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients, reserving ½ cup shredded cheese - stir until well combined.
- Pour the entire mixture into the baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake until all the liquid is absorbed, the cheese melts and the casserole is hot and bubbly. About 45 minutes.
- If desired remove the foil set under the broiler to brown the cheese. This only takes 3-5 minutes.
- Allow the Stuffed Pepper Casserole to sit 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Love this recipe? Join the free membership group!
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven.
- Using a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sauté.
- Dice the bell peppers and onions. Add to the meat along with the diced onions.
- Mince the garlic and add to the pan. Next add Worcestershire, pepper, paprika and grill seasoning. Mix to combine.
- Add the rest of the ingredients including uncooked rice, reserve ½ cup shredded cheese - stir until well combined.
- Pour the entire mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover and bake.
- If desired remove the foil set under the broiler to brown the cheese.
- Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.
🙋♀️ FAQ's
I have several great bell pepper recipes on the blog, they are so versatile! If you have a stash in the fridge that need to be cooked up you have several options.
Pepper and Potato Soup is AMAZING, of course you can make pepper jam, but I also use bell peppers in kabobs. Roasting your own is much more affordable than store-bought and better too! I love that they are so versatile!
Yes! If you've got extra bell peppers, freezing is a great option. Just wash them, remove the stems, seeds, and membranes, then slice or dice. Spread the pieces out on a baking sheet in a single layer (so they don't stick together) and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to freezer bags or containers for easy grab-and-go storage.
Yes, wrinkled are ok to eat! If they have soft spots, they are spoiled and should be discarded.
The red bell pepper has more antioxidants than green because it is ripened longer. All are delicious!
Stuffed bell peppers are a classic comfort food-sweet red, yellow, or green peppers packed with a flavorful mix of ground beef (or Italian sausage!), rice, and seasonings, all topped with tomato sauce and melty cheese. This casserole version brings all those cozy flavors together in one easy-to-make dish-no pepper stuffing required!
Deb's top tip
Allow the casserole to sit or "rest" for 10 minutes before serving. It allows the flavors to come together and makes all the difference!
- Grab this free Stuffed Bell Pepper Cheat Sheet for additional tips, notes and freezer tips.
Serving suggestions
This is such a great recipe! It's pretty much a meal in one, but if you'd like to serve a salad a nice garden salad or Caesar salad would be perfect with this meal!
Related recipes
If you're looking for more easy casserole and dinner recipes, here are some of the most popular on the blog -
- Skillet Chicken and Potatoes - I love when chicken and potatoes are roasted together, yum!
- This family favorite Frito Pie Casserole is a great choice for your weeknight meal!
- And one of the biggest family favorites on the blog is Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole. SO GOOD and so easy to make!
Wrapping things up
This Bell Pepper Casserole is everything you love about stuffed peppers-just way easier! It's hearty, cheesy, and always a hit around the dinner table. If your family's anything like mine, there won't be leftovers!
If you give it a try, I'd love to hear what you think-leave a comment below or snap a photo and tag me on Facebook or Instagram. Happy cooking!
Lori Dolde says
This is far easier and way less labor intensive than stuffed peppers. It's just so delicious! Third time making it tonight.
Debra Clark says
Oh my gosh, that makes my day. Third time?! That officially puts this recipe on repeat status in your kitchen! I love hearing that it gives you all the stuffed-pepper flavor without the extra work. That’s exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks so much for coming back to share this, and enjoy round three tonight!
Kellie says
This was awesome! Will make again. Thank you !
Debra Clark says
Wonderful, glad you enjoyed the recipe Kellie! I appreciate your support!
Mary says
Too much Worcester sauce, it overwhelmed the dish.
Debra Clark says
Thanks for trying the recipe! Next time you make it, be sure to dial it back to your taste. Best wishes! Deb
Tacey says
Easy delicious weekday meal. love it!
Debra Clark says
Awesome Tacey! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
Linda Ray says
I cooked for 1 1/2 hours and the rice was still a little "crunchy". Next time I'll either use Minute Ruce or use cooked rice. it was tasty
Debra Clark says
Thanks so much for the feedback! This casserole does rely on being tightly covered so the rice can fully steam—heavy-duty foil makes a big difference. Rice brands and ovens can vary too, which can affect how quickly it softens. If you use Minute Rice or pre-cooked rice, be sure to adjust the baking time since it cooks much faster and will completely change the overall cook time. I’m glad you still enjoyed the flavor!
Tiffany Follweiler says
Very flavorful and super easy. This will be a routine meal for me
Debra Clark says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Tiffany, thanks for coming back and sharing!!
Jessixa says
Love this every single time I make it. Load it up with cayenne to add some spice! I will say, I’ve made it three times with brown rice and every time I make it, cook time is at least two hours. Someone else mentioned using less broth, so I might try that next time to speed up the process. 10/10 dish!
Debra Clark says
Oooh, great tips Jessixa!Thanks for the heads up and info. Glad that you made the recipe yours with a few easy tweaks. Good to hear from you!! Thanks, Deb
Sam says
I’ve used this recipe as a template several times now to make stuffed pepper casserole and oh my goodness it’s just so darn good EVERY time! I’m a pretty experienced cook so I don’t really measure things, but my substitutions are as follows: I usually season with dried sage, basil, and paprika, and instead of canned tomatoes I just use a little tomato paste instead. I use cooked rice and add about 2 C of chicken stock, and because of the cooked rice I leave the dish uncovered while cooking. I do everything in my cast iron and then stick it in the oven about 30 minutes to let the cheese get crusty and everything get hot. I love the TASTE of stuffed peppers but hate everything else, from the prep work to the finicky eating with a knife and fork, so this casserole is a dream come true!
A tip to those struggling with uncooked rice: acid inhibits the proper cooking of many things including starches. The canned tomatoes you are using could be the culprit. Experiment with maybe draining the tomatoes and adding in a bit of water instead, or using tomato paste, less tomato, a different brand, etc, and that may help!
Debra Clark says
Thanks for sharing how you make this your own Sam, I appreciate it!! And your tips regarding the rice are so helpful! I know others will find it helpful as well. I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe. It's one of my very favorites! Thanks for your support of the site - much appreciated! Deb
Tramamama says
Better than a stuffed pepper!
Debra Clark says
Glad you loved the recipe, thank you so much!!
Margie says
This recipe turned out even better than expected. I subbed brown rice but partially precooked it due to brwn rices longer cooking time needs. It was slightly soupy, but that has mostly absorbed. I might use 1/3 less broth if using brown rice again.
I planned to make for two friends to drop off for their families but I love it so much that I can't wait to make it again for myself! Absolutely delicious and the flavors from all of the spices are perfect! I even made my own Montreal Steak seasoning per this recipe. Thanks for such a great one to add to my repertoire!
Debra Clark says
That’s wonderful Margie! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the casserole! AND you made your own seasoning, very impressive!! Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your thoughts. I appreciate it!!
Marisa says
Wow this recipe is great! It's super flavorful, and it doesn't take long to prep. I would top it with sour cream or maybe a guacamole salsa.
Debra Clark says
Awesome Marisa, glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for sharing and supporting the blog!!
Emily Boswell says
This was very tasty! I only had instant rice so I cooked it for around 30 minutes instead of 45. I also forgot to put tinfoil on until halfway through but thankfully casseroles are forgiving. I also used Montreal steak seasoning as that's what I had in my cupboard. Instead of cheddar cheese, I did a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan. Also what I easily had on hand. I did use fire roasted tomatoes, but I only had fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies. Surprised my husband with the accidental spice level. BUT it was very yummy! Next time I'll definitely use regular fire roasted tomatoes though and probably just mozzarella cheese. The instant rice worked great too.
Debra Clark says
Hey, that's great Emily, I'm glad you made it work for you! I've never used instant rice, so that's great to know! That is such a yummy casserole - glad you and your hubby enjoyed it!