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!
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❤️ 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
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Nutrition
🔪 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!
Cindy says
This stuffed pepper casserole looks fantastic. What an easy dinner recipe I know my family will love. How would you make this low-carb?
Bowl Me Over says
To make this low carb, substitute cauliflower rice for the white rice and add the stock sparingly. I would make it right on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven. Cindy you're going to love this stuffed pepper casserole!
Sharon Greene says
I have made this recipe twice and it's become one of my husband's favorites. I used ground turkey and it didn't alter the taste.
Bowl Me Over says
Ground turkey's an excellent substitution Sharon, that's great! I'm glad you enjoyed the Stuffed Pepper Recipe, it's a winner!
Amy Robinson says
Loved it with onion,carrots and peppers I added some celery thank you
Bowl Me Over says
Fantastic! Glad all enjoyed this recipe!
Heanine says
I made this for dinner. It smelled great but the rice did not cook. So disappointed.
Bowl Me Over says
Sorry about that Heanine. I'm guessing the foil wasn't tightly sealed. Or sometimes if it's a thinner aluminum foil, you need to use two layers. Did you put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes?
Courtney says
This was a delicious casserole! I made it as written. My toddler even requested more and didn’t throw any on the floor… so it is a winner for our family!
Bowl Me Over says
Ha, that's high praise from a toddler Courtney! 🙂 I'm glad your family enjoyed the meal, it's one of our favorites as well!!!
Jean Morgan says
I made this for dinner a couple of nights ago. So delicious! I thought this is going to be so good heated up for lunch tomorrow. There was no leftovers. 7 people ended up eating while I had only cooked for 4.
About time for another one.
Sandi says
This was absolutely delicious. I used fire roasted tomatoes as suggested and mixed cheese in with everything and also put on top. I used red and green peppers.
Pamela says
I have made this several times and it is a fantastic! I don’t use red, yellow and orange bell peppers. They just ad to the great flavors. But everything else I stick with. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Larine E Kwolek says
This was delicious. I didn't add any cheese to the casserole to cut down on calories, only put it on top. Used ground turkey, beef bouillon and water since I didn't have any beef broth. Used diced no salt tomatoes, didn't have fire roasted. Still delicious. A definite keeper.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful, glad you enjoyed it Larine!
Brenda W says
I would serve this with long grain black, brown rice for variety in texture and color. This type of rice is supposed to be healthier!
Bowl Me Over says
So smart Brenda, great variation to the recipe!
Jeanne says
I tried this recipe because we had bell peppers and tomatoes we needed to use. I used a large red and yellow bell pepper and 4 fresh seeded tomatoes instead of canned. I also used brown rice because that was all we had and it came out delicious! I think a vegetarian version of this would be very good too. My husband and I loved it!
Debra Clark says
THAT sounds fantastic Jeanne! How long did you end up baking it with the brown rice? Great variations, thank you so much for sharing!!
Megan says
So delicious! Does anyone know if it freezes well?
Debra Clark says
Yes, it freezes great! Glad you enjoyed the casserole Megan!
Shelly Graham says
I used ground turkey as well. It's delicious!!! This will be made often in our home. Thank you for sharing!!
Nancy Amoroso says
This is a favorite of ours! Leftovers are great for breakfast topped with an over easy egg!
Debra Clark says
What a wonderful idea Nancy, I love that! All I would need is some breakfast potatoes, brilliant!
Gina says
This looks delicious!! Another must make recipe for the family.
Deb says
Can we use Instant rice (the quick cooking) or regular long grain rice? Thanks!
Bowl Me Over says
You can change the type of rice you use, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid. I haven't experimented with that myself so I can't advise how the recipe would change. Good luck and enjoy the recipe. Let me know which you try Deb!
Randy says
I am wanting to make this recipe sooner than later and just wanted to confirm that I use 3 tbs of Worcester sauce ..
Thanks
Randy
Bowl Me Over says
Yes that's correct Randy, you'll use 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Enjoy the casserole!
Chris says
I am not a cook but i do try to make recipes for my husband. How would you cook this casserole with cauliflower rice? Not sure how on the stovetop?
Debra Clark says
Hey Chris - I haven't made a low carb version using cauliflower rice. However, that's an excellent suggestion and I'll work on that recipe. I can't advise how that would change the time or liquid needed for the recipe, but I'll be working on it. Thanks for the suggestion!
LOIS CROSBY says
I used 16 ounces thick chopped Portobello mushrooms instead of any type of meat. It was absolutely amazing!
Debra Clark says
How wonderful! What a great variation Lois. I can't wait to give this a try. Thanks so much for sharing Lois!!
Angel says
O wow. This is so so yummy. The only change I made was I used a can of tomato sauce instead of dice tomato due to texture sensitivity. Let me say that it is so great and easy. We love it. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Brittany says
I love stuffed bell peppers but there always to be so much waste from the entire pepper bowl not being eaten. I love that this stuffed pepper casserole cuts down on that.. and the prep is so much easier too!
Bowl Me Over says
That's great, glad you enjoyed the recipe Brittany!
Chels says
Just want to clarify about the freezing method. If planing to freeze you don’t cook it first before freezing correct? Once you mix the ingredients together you put them in the dish and cover? So you stop after the first sentence in number 6?
Bowl Me Over says
Cook it before freezing Chels. Sorry for any confusion there. When it is done and cooled, package for freezing in an airtight container.
Lauri says
I didn’t have foil, so I covered with a foil pan turned upside down. Not a tight seal, so I had to cook an extra 15 minutes to fully cook the rice. It was yummy!
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Lauri, that is a great tip!
Sharon Greene says
This is a amazing casserole ! I have made it several times and it reminds me of the stuffed peppers my Mom made growing up.
Beatriz Chandler says
Excellent 👍
Theresa says
I make this all the time
Carolyn Wells says
Just made this and it's a wow. My and I loved it. This is definitely a keeper..
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Carolyn! I'm so glad you enjoyed The Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe. It's favorite!! Thanks for coming back and sharing, I appreciate it!
Jean Morgan says
I made this for dinner a couple of nights ago. So delicious! I thought this is going to be so good heated up for lunch tomorrow. There was no leftovers. 7 people ended up eating while I had only cooked for 4.
About time for another one.
Debra Clark says
Right? It's the BEST casserole - glad it was a hit with your family as well Jean!
Jean says
I'm making this tomorrow for lunch for an older couple who recently moved here from California. I think they will love it as much as we do. I've made this soooo many times. We really love it! To me it's more simpler than making it the old fashion way. I live in North Carolina but we're 6 hours from the mountains and the hurricane destruction. I still cry and pray for them too. Thank you for your prayers.
Debra Clark says
I'm so glad you love this recipe Jean. It warms my heart you've enjoyed it so many times! I hope your friends enjoy it as well!!
Allanah says
great! uses pepperjack cheese.
Jennifer says
I’ve made this multiple times since finding the recipe a year ago. Absolutely love it! Thank you for sharing.
Debra Clark says
You're so welcome Jennifer! It's one of our favorites on the blog. It's such a great meal!!
Jamiela Pennington says
Can you use minute rice
Debra Clark says
No, instant rice changes the cooking time and amount of liquid needed for the casserole. It isn't interchangeable. Great question Jamiela!
Laurie Turk says
Your stuffed bell peppers look so yummy! How can I make this vegan?
Bowl Me Over says
Hey Laurie you can absolutely make this pepper casserole vegan! Substitute the ground beef with diced zucchini, mushrooms and carrots. That would add amazing flavor. Omit the stock and cheese OR use a cheese substitute. Doesn't that sounds delicious? This is such an easy recipe!
April says
Outstanding! Family loved it and leftovers were even better. Will definitely be making this again. The only change I made was adding in some fresh banana peppers too because they came out of the garden and I needed to use them. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe April - it's a real winner in my book too! I bet the addition of the banana peppers was super tasty!!! Thanks for your support of the blog!
Lauri says
I added corn and will add tomato sauce next time - trying to recreate a dish my mom made when we were kids…
Darlene says
This was delicious. Hubby went back for seconds and there's barely any leftovers. Will make it again for sure. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Bowl Me Over says
You're so welcome Darlene, I'm glad you guys enjoyed this meal!!
Jacqueline Allie says
I have to use cauliflower rice do I use less liquid?
Bowl Me Over says
Yes, I would stir fry the dish instead if you're using cauliflower rice. You'd probably cut out the liquid almost entirely. Maybe add a tablespoon of butter, that would give it a little more rich flavor. So brown the ground beef, add butter, follow instructions 1-5 - Sauté until the vegetables (including the cauliflower rice) are tender, then top with remaining cheese and cover until the cheese is melted. Just monitor and see if you need the liquid at all. Oooh that sounds good! Enjoy Jacqueline!
Layla says
So delicious! Have made several times already and is in our rotation of meals now! Thanks for an easy, delicious, healthy meal!
Caw says
I'm hoping that I can bake this in my air fryer so I don't have to heat the house up with the oven. Any suggestions. I have the ninja foodie 6.5 qt pro Thank you
Bowl Me Over says
I'm sorry Caw, I haven't made this in the air fryer yet. I'm thinking 35 minutes, but give it your best shot and please let me know how it turns out for you!
MaryB says
I found this recipe when I was looking for new ideas to use my home canned tomatoes. It turned out great! I love having a new easy casserole recipe.
Anna says
Made tonight, easy and a super good.
JoAnn says
I am going to try this tonight. A question about the grill seasoning. I could only find flavored grill seasoning. Chicken, steak, brown maple. A another customer suggested the smoky montreal steak flavor. Would that work?
Bowl Me Over says
Great question, either will work JoAnn - given the choice, I'd go with the smoky Montreal steak flavor.
Sabrina says
Very tasty! Something different from the normal rotation. Thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe - it's always such a great meal. Thanks for letting me know!!
Amber says
If I am freezing, should it be baked first and cooled before freezing? Or not baked and frozen? I know you said to leave the cheese off the top. Thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
Great question Amber! If freezing, bake the casserole first (leaving off the cheese), allow it to cool completely, cover well and freeze. Add the cheese when you are ready to bake it the second time.
Danielle says
Can you do this in the crockpot?
Bowl Me Over says
I've never used the crockpot to make it Danielle. I'm sure it could be, I'd prepare the recipe and place in the crockpot. I'd anticipate it taking 4-6 hours on low. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Jacque says
If I replace the rice with cauliflower rice, do I use less liquid and less cooking time?
Bowl Me Over says
I'm sorry Jacque, I haven't used cauliflower rice in this casserole. I'm taking a guess, but I'd eliminate the liquid and cook the cauliflower with the beef. Add a beef bouillon cube (to drive that beef flavor home) and bake for 20 minutes. I love your sub here though and will give that a try soon. Thank you so much!
Bowl Me Over says
I'd add 2 cups of cauliflower rice.
Jacque Wesolek says
Thank you, I was thinking of similar changes using cauliflower. Looks yummy for sure!
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful, enjoy Jacque!
Marian says
I will try this recipe soon. In freezing this for later to clarify for myself, we prep the meal, put in baking container and wrap for freezing but don’t bake until ready to use. Is this correct?
Bowl Me Over says
That's a great question Marian - thank you for clarifying. I bake it first and then freeze. That gets the best results. Again, thank you for asking I'll be sure to update the recipe!
Marian says
Thank you!
I’m taking this to friends. It’s delicious! I’ll definitely make this again.
Ruvimbo Nyakudya says
I I absolutely love this recipe, so simple to make and so good to eat. Its part of my weekly meals now. Thank you so much. I'm gonna be doubling the recipe because its a hit.
Bowl Me Over says
That's wonderful! It's just the best pepper casserole. I'm so glad you're enjoying this meal!
Cheryl says
Can I omit the rice?
Bowl Me Over says
You'll need to adjust the liquid if you do. Is there another type of grain you'd prefer? Quinoa, wild rice or couscous would be delicious as well.
Mary Ann says
Would I use the same amount of liquid if I use quinoa?
Bowl Me Over says
I would adjust as per quinoa water ratio and start there, however I've never used quinoa in this recipe so that's a guess. Good luck, enjoy the Stuffed Pepper Casserole!
Melissa says
This was absolutely delicious!
Bowl Me Over says
Thank you Melissa! That makes my day, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Craig says
Outstanding, made with ground turkey, and chicken broth. The family loved it.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful, Craig! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Renee says
I decided to use this recipe based on the comments & I’m glad….it’s absolutely delicious!! I made a few changes only to suit my mind of & to use somethings I had on hand. For example I made it in heavy pot on stove (only took about 35 minutes almost total prep & cooking!!), I added a can on chili ready tomatoes, stirred in contents of 2 pouches of boil in bag basmati rice (uncooked). I was floored at how quick & delicious this dish was.
Bowl Me Over says
Those are wonderful substitutions for the Stuffed Pepper Casserole Renee. The edition of Rotel tomatoes is brilliant, talk about flavor! I'm so glad you loved this easy recipe!
Tracey says
This is so delicious! Tastes so much like actual stuffed peppers that my mom made when I was a kid. I will definitely make this again.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe Tracey!
Aly says
When you say regular rice would par boiled work?
Bowl Me Over says
I'm sure it would work, but I'm not sure how it would effect the time it takes to cook or the liquid, because I haven't tested it myself. Having said that, I would say reduce the amount of liquid to what the that rice calls for, combine and bake. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Kimberly Stewart says
This was delicious! I tweaked it just a little; I used 1/2 brown rice & 1/2 white. So, I increased the beef stock to 2 cups.
I also added a small can of tomato sauce & a couple squirts of ketchup. I didn’t drain the hamburger/onion/pepper mix & I should have at least a little. It was almost too greasy w/the cheese. I did increase baking time as suggested to an hour. My husband loved it & it filled him up. I’ll definitely make it again. 😋
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you and the hubby loved it - thanks Kimberly for taking the time to let me know, I really appreciate it!
Linda says
Delicious thank you for sharing. Hit with the fam. I had to make larger portion due to size of our family but adjusted accordingly to your measurements And it was awesome. Very flavorful.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful! We love this meal as well - I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks also for swinging back and letting me know Linda!!!
Ruth A says
It would be better if the rice was cooked first. My rice was only half cooked. Other than that, it was tasty
Bowl Me Over says
Ruth did you use white rice or brown and did you cover the casserole dish? I'm asking because I've never had an issue with the rice being cooked. I appreciate you letting me know your concerns and glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you!
Nikiya says
Was wondering if you use Instant rice?
Bowl Me Over says
No, I don't use instant rice, if you did, I'm sure you could cut the baking time considerably.
Mary says
I had this same issue and I used Mahatma brand brown rice! I baked it for an hour and noticed the rice wasn’t cooked so I decided to stir it, re-cover it and put it back in the oven for another 45 minutes and it came out perfectly! 🙂
Lois says
I’ve made this a couple of times and it is a wonderful meal. We just love it. It a very easy meal to make. So tasty.
Bowl Me Over says
That's fantastic, I'm glad you love it too. Thank you Lois!
Lois says
I’ve made this two time and it is just so very good. We love it I shared with my sister-in-law and she loved it to. It just the best.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful, that's great to hear - thank you!
Val says
I've made several batches of this jam and it's become a family & friends favorite! I love it so many ways, but one favorite is served over warm brie, on crackers or in phyllo cups for a simple, but delicious appetizer. Great recipe! I may add more jalapeno to one batch for a spicier version.
Bowl Me Over says
Hey Val - I know you meant this for my Pepper Jam recipe but posted it here, but I just couldn't delete the comment. I love that jam and I'm so glad you do too - just the BEST flavor and so versatile. I hope you're having a great summer and stay safe!!
Lisa says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I've been looking for an easier way to prepare stuffed bell peppers for a crowd and this is definitely the one. It is amazing!
Bowl Me Over says
YAY!! We love this as well! You're so welcome, thank you for letting me know!
Serena says
I want to substitute orzo. Would there be any changes needed?
Bowl Me Over says
I'm sure orzo would be delicious, however I've never used it in this recipe. You wouldn't need near as much liquid, but what that would be? I can't tell you until I've experimented myself. I guess if it's too soup, you could call it Stuffed Pepper Soup! Enjoy Serena!
linda says
This is a great easy meal!We loved flavors,so will make often,I did freeze half unbaked thanks.
Bowl Me Over says
Freezing half is smart Linda, I love freezer meals!!
Susan says
What size casserole dish, 9×13?
Bowl Me Over says
Yes a 9x13 dish Susan - thank you for asking, I'll update the recipe card.
Tami says
Hello. I found this recipe today and was wondering about the casserole dish size. I scrolled through a lot of comments to find the answer and it seems the recipe card was never updated after someone else asked about the casserole dish size.
Bowl Me Over says
The size of the casserole dish is in the first instruction for the recipe. It's in the recipe card Tami. Enjoy the Stuffed Pepper Casserole, it's such a great recipe!