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unstuffed peppers skillet with melted yellow cheese on top close up with a scoopful about be be removed

Unstuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Enjoy the flavors of stuffed peppers in one pan! This quickUnstuffed Peppers Skillet with beef, rice, and cheese makes a comforting familymeal.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword deconstructed stuffed bell peppers, deconstructed stuffed peppers, unstuffed bell peppers, unstuffed peppers
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 509 kcal
Author Katie Webster

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbl olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 bell peppers large dice
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 3 cups reduced sodium beef broth or low sodium
  • 1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
  • 1 small can tomato sauce 8 ounces
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 6 ounces

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often until broken up and browning, 3 to 5 minutes. It is okay if it is still pink in spots.

  2. Add onion, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until the beef iscooked through and the onions and peppers are starting to soften, 3 to 5minutes.

  3. Add broth, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer while scraping up any browned bits from the skillet. Add rice, stir well, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to keep at a steady simmer.

  4. Remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce in the microwave in a glass measuring cup until steaming hot, about 1 minute on high power.

  5. When the rice has set for 5 minutes, remove the lid and pour the sauce over the rice mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover the skillet. Let it sit off heat for about 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  • Meal Prep and Make Ahead: You can chop your veggies, measure the spices and even brown the beef in advance. Then to make the recipe, add the cold browned beef, chopped veggies and spices to the skillet (you'll need extra oil) and sautee until the mixture is hot and the veggies are softening (about 10 minutes.) Then continue with step 3.
  • Storing Leftovers: The leftovers can be cooled and transferred to an air-tight storage container. Keep refrigerated up to four days.
  • To reheat in the microwave: place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate, cover with parchment and microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through and steaming hot.
  • To reheat in the oven: I also tested reheating this in the oven. To do so I transferred the leftovers to a casserole dish, covered with additional sauce and covered with a layer of parchment and then foil. Next bake the casserole for 25 minutes or until hot in the center, remove the foil and parchment, add on more cheese and bake until melted, about 5 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts
Unstuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 509 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 2g8%
Protein 34g68%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.