The flavors you love in traditional stuffed peppers are all here in this easy Stuffed Pepper Skillet. You can have this satisfying meal on the table in 30 minutes!
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I’m a stuffed pepper lover from way back. My mom made them on a regular basis so the flavors hold so much nostalgia for me. I’ve cooked lots of yummy variations, like my Italian Stuffed Peppers and Mexican Stuffed Peppers. But honestly, they aren’t on regular rotation in my kitchen because they take a little more time than I typically have to give most weeknights. Enter these fabulous “unstuffed peppers”.
Why This Recipe Works
- This easy ground beef recipe is ready in about 30 minutes.
- Everything cooks in one skillet which means easy cleanup.
- It includes wholesome, easy to stock ingredients.
- It is hearty and satisfying.
- The flavors are family-friendly, even for little ones who don’t think they love bell peppers.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil
- Ground beef – I use 90% lean ground beef.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion is my favorite for this recipe.
- Minced garlic – Either fresh or the jarred variety will work just fine.
- Tomato paste
- Bell pepper – I like to use a combination of red and green peppers for that traditional stuffed pepper flavor. Keep in mind that if your kiddos are unsure of their feelings about bell peppers (or dead set against them), you might have more luck with red, yellow, and/or orange peppers which are sweeter and milder than green.
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Rice – Long grain white rice, like Jasmine rice.
- Low sodium beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- Fresh parsley – I’m a fan of old school curly parsley. It’s inexpensive and works well in this recipe.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cheese – A mixture of shredded pepper Jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Skillet
- Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet and add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until cooked through and crumbled. Drain the excess grease from the skillet and return it to the heat.
- Stir the tomato paste into the beef until well combined. Add the bell peppers, diced tomatoes, rice, beef broth, Worcestershire, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Remove the cover and stir the mixture to fluff the rice.
- Top with the cheese and cover the skillet, cooking just until the cheese melts. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve.
Storage
Refrigerator
Promptly refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use within 3 to 4 days for the best quality.
Freezer
For longer storage, transfer cooled leftovers to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw safely overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
More One Pot Wonders
- Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Skillet
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Chicken and Spinach Skillet Pasta
- Skillet Sausage and White Beans with Spinach
- Check out my entire collection of One Pot/One Pan Recipes!
Stuffed Pepper Skillet
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup long grain white rice, like Jasmine
- 2½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until cooked through and crumbled. Drain the excess grease from the skillet and return it to the heat. Stir the tomato paste into the beef until well combined. Add the bell peppers, diced tomatoes, rice, beef broth, Worcestershire, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Stir the mixture to fluff the rice. Top with the cheese, cover and continue to cook over LOW until the cheese melts. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!Adapted from An Affair from the Heart and I Wash You Dry
As a disclaimer, I used this recipe as a starting point. I did adjust little things along the way, according to what my family likes. I only added 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning instead of 2. I added more beef broth along the simmer process to allow the dish to be more soft overall. And I doubled the amount of smoked paprika than the recipe called for. I also added an extra teaspoon of Worcestershire. I loved this recipe and so did my family!
This was great! It was nice to make something different other than the same old stuffed peppers. Delicious!
This is tasty but I would recommend using cooked rice and decreasing the amount of beef broth. I’ve had to add more broth and cook it for another 15 minutes or more and the rice is still not quite done. Now it’s sticking to the bottom of parts of the pan. Very frustrating.
This recipe turned out great! I swapped the ground beef for ground turkey for a leaner meal. The hubby already asked when I am making this again!
I love using ground turkey too. Thanks, Lorina! So happy you loved it. 🙂
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s delicious!! My husband loves this dish and he is hard to impress! My daughter who is 5 also loves it, she mainly eats the meat and rice and some of the tomatoes, but I consider that a win 🙂
This recipe was easy to make, the only thing we didn’t have was tomato paste and we substituted taco sauce. I didn’t believe that the rice would be done as quickly as it was, but the recipe was accurate to perfection. I wouldn’t change a thing. I love traditional, stuffed peppers, and this recipe was so much easier with the exact same flavors. I would just give a heads up to whoever wants to make this to make sure you have all the ingredients before you start 😋
My husband gets very excited every time I make the recipe. It is SO easy and doesn’t take a ton of time to make. I love that I don’t have to baby sit it constantly on the stove. Very good flavor! Definitely in the rotation! I double the paprika and maybe add a dash of cayenne, but I usually don’t have the cheeses that are recommended.
So happy you’re enjoying the recipe! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
I love stuffed green peppers, but this skillet recipe is so easy it will probably be my go to from now on.
I made this exactly as written. My hubby and I loved it! Cooked about 20-25 min stirring a couple times to make sure rice cooks and doesn’t burn on bottom.
So happy it turned out so well for you! Thanks so much, Bernadine. 🙂