This Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe brings classic flavors without the hassle with ground beef, bell peppers, rice, and gooey cheese. One-pot comfort food!
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe
Are you ready for a no-fuss recipe that you can easily whip together for a simple, yet delicious, weeknight meal? Here it is! Stuffed Pepper Casserole!
Stuffed pepper casserole is the perfect one-pan dish that focuses on all the flavors of Classic Stuffed Peppers, but with quite a bit less work.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy to Make. It's mostly chopping, with everything cooked in single pan, then baked in the same pan.
- Easy to Customize. You can vary up the ground meats with this recipe, but also the cheeses and spices, and even the peppers. Make it your way!
- Mild or Wild! You can make a mild version for your family, or make a wonderfully spicy version for yourself and your spicy food loving friends!
This stuffed bell pepper casserole, loaded up with extra peppers and onions and so much goodness, will absolutely satisfy your biggest crave.
Let's talk about how to make stuffed pepper casserole, shall we?
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive Oil.
- Ground Meat. I'm using ground beef, though you can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or other similar.
- Vegetables. Onion, bell peppers (use any color – green bell peppers, yellow, red, orange), jalapeno pepper (optional, for spicy), garlic.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Canned is great. Or you can use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce.
- Seasonings. Paprika, dried oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. You can easily vary this up to your personal favorites, like Italian seasonings or Cajun seasonings.
- Cooked Rice. White rice, brown rice, or wild rice.
- Melty Cheese. Use cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or a blend – I LOVE pepperjack for myself.
- For Garnish. Fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes.
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole - the Recipe Method
Prep Oven. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Cook the Vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pan or Dutch oven to medium heat and add the onions, jalapeno (if using), and bell peppers. Cook for 10 minutes to soften, stirring often.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Ground Meat. Add the lean ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking apart as you go, until cooked through.
Prep for Baking. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and cooked rice. Stir together and remove from heat.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese until incorporated.
Transfer to a casserole dish or baking dish (or keep in the Dutch oven or other oven safe pan).
Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake the Casserole. Bake the casserole for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.
Cool slightly, garnish, and serve.
Boom! Done! Your stuffed pepper casserole is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? This is a great weeknight meal for the whole family. I hope they love it!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Using cooked rice is a big time saver. However, if you'd prefer to make this dish with uncooked rice, add it at the same time you add the tomatoes, but add 2 cups water, beef broth, or stock, then bake 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is tender and cooked to your preference.
- Let your imagination run wild with variations like Italian Stuffed Peppers, Mexican Stuffed Peppers, or Greek Stuffed Peppers. So many possibilities.
Storage & Leftovers
Stuffed pepper casserole will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can heat it up in a pan in the oven or stove top to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my stuffed pepper casserole recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
More Casserole Recipes
Try Some of My Other Stuffed Pepper Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef 450g - you can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, tofu, or other similar
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 bell peppers use any color – green, yellow, red, orange
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped (optional, for spicy)
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (or use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked rice white, brown, or wild rice
- 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend – I LOVE pepperjack for myself
- For Garnish. Fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Heat the oil in a large pan or Dutch oven to medium heat and add the onions, jalapeno (if using), and bell peppers. Cook for 10 minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking apart as you go, until cooked through.
- Add the fire roasted tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and cooked rice. Stir together and remove from heat.
- Stir in half of the shredded cheese until incorporated.
- Transfer to a casserole dish or baking dish (or keep in the Dutch oven or other oven safe pan).
- Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the casserole for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.
- Cool slightly, garnish, and serve.
Nutrition Information
Stephanie says
Can I make this for a freezer meal? If so, how should I cook after? Do I need to thaw? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can do that, Stephanie. It is best to freeze the dish without the cheese. When you want to cook it, thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator, then follow the recipe for baking it - stir in half the cheese in the casserole dish, top with the rest of the cheese, and bake. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy!
Megan says
Made this for dinner tonight. Very easy and so delicious!!
Mike H. says
Thank you for the review, Megan!
Megan says
Made this tonight! I followed the recipe exact, and it was delicious. Definitely will make again. Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!!! Thanks, Megan!!
Rachel Ferguson says
This was FANTASTIC! My husband said it’s definitely a “make again” dinner which is high praise from him. Even my 1 year old gobbled it up. I did add a can of black beans, and since our oven isn’t working I didn’t put it in the oven. I have a dairy allergy and my husband is on a diet so we added cheese and rice separately to our plates. I am adding this to our dinner rotations, and I think I’ll use the leftovers for some burritos for lunch tomorrow! Thanks!
Mike H. says
Oh, that's incredible, Rachel! So happy you were able to accomodate for the diets. Enjoy!
Lauren O says
Tried this because I always end up cutting up my stuffed bell peppers and mixing everything together anyways. It was a hit for the family. I could see leaving the rice out for an even lower carb option. I used cooked white rice and it tasted great. I also used ground elk for my protein. I mixed a cup of cheese in, left the cheese topping layer off, cooked it for a 10 minutes, and then added a heaping pile of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of my portion (easier for calorie tracking) and it was great. I thought it might be liquid-y, but it cooked out to not make a soupy mess. Definitely will make again!
Mike H. says
I am glad to hear that, Lauren. Thanks for sharing and enjoy!
Leah says
this was so amazing. I added can of chopped green Chile's and rotel roasted tomatoes with chopped green chili's. will be making some nachos tonight. thanks for a great dish.
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect update, Leah! Glad you enjoyed it! Enjoy the nachos, too!
Trish says
30-40 minutes to cook rice?? Unless it’s wild rice, my basmati rice take 15 minutes with 10 minutes of rest. So I believe it’s BEST to use left over rice are cook the rice a side to get the right texture. Your recipe is a most try! Thanks for sharing with us!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, I think it comes out better and more evenly with cooked rice. Thanks, Trish.
Bella says
Should I drain the diced tomatoes? I will be doubling this recipe and am worried it’ll be watery.
Mike H. says
Hi, Bella. This really depends on your personal preference and the consistency you desire, because draining the diced tomatoes will result in a thicker consistency. In addition, the juice from the diced tomatoes contains flavor, so draining them may slightly alter the taste of the casserole. You will also need to adjust cooking time a little and keep an eye on the casserole to ensure your desired consistency. Let me know how it goes though!
Linda says
Love this recipe! So fast and easy. Comfort food at its best. After having it couple of nights, I added some beef broth, a can of black beans and turned the rest into soup. This it a dish you can keep adding to and stretch that ground beef into so many meals. It was delicious. I am so glad I found your site. Next up is chili relleno casserole and the cowboy candy jalapeños (once they come into season).
Mike H. says
Sounds like a great plan, Linda. Enjoy!
Danielle says
This recipe was absolutely delicious and loved how easy and mess free it was to make! My husband gave it a 10/10 so it’s safe to say this is a new household favorite!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! Score! Glad you both enjoyed it, Danielle! I love to hear it.
Nina says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! My whole family loved it! My 2 year old had FIVE helpings haha!!
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, that's awesome to hear, Nina! 5 helpings! Boom! Thanks for sharing!
Leslie says
This recipe was great! It was easy, filling and delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Leslie! Glad you enjoyed it! =)
Diana Boyle says
This recipe was very good. I used ramen noodles, no seasoning packet, instead of rice. I cooked the noodles for about 2 mins in boiling water and finished in pan with peppers, onions, tomatoes and cooked ground beef. I used the same ingredients as the recipe. I used cheddar cheese but next time I’ll use pepper Jack. I will make this again.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Diana! Thanks!
Roxane says
Fabulous! This recipe is a family winner, every one asked for seconds.
Thanks for sharing.
Mike H. says
Super happy to hear that, Roxane. Thank you!
Linda Baku says
This looks great. I have a question. Do I cook a cup of dry rice and use that in the recipe or is it one cup of already cooked rice?
Mike H. says
Thank you, Linda. It is 1 cup cooked rice.
Linda Baku says
Thank you for the prompt reply. It is in the oven now. The filling is amazing. It was so fast and easy to make. I am trying your chili rellano casserole next.
Mike H. says
Thank you, Linda, and enjoy the casserole, too!
Cindy says
This is a winner! We are lucky enough to have homegrown tomatoes that we roasted and froze, so they were perfect for this recipe. I used 2 bells peppers, one jalapeno, Mexican oregano, cheddar cheese, and followed all measurements and instructions. We'll definitely move this to the "favorites" list!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Cindy! It's so nice to be able to cook with homegrown ingredients. I love my garden! Thanks for sharing.
Emilee says
Loved this! I used ground Turkey, tomatoes with green chiles, and yellow Mexican rice as those were what I had on hand. Topped with sour cream and some Taco Bell fire sauce. Definitely will make again! My husband said he is excited to eat it again for dinner tomorrow too!
Mike Hultquist says
Great, Emilee! Glad you both enjoyed it!
Donna says
This is the recipe that keeps on giving! After I ate a couple of days of just the casserole, then I tried leftovers with Susan's idea of nachos. I agree with her - the best nachos ever! But then I went one step further and used the remaining casserole to stuff sweet banana peppers covered with cheddar cheese and candied jalapenos. OMG - your recipes have changed my culinary life, Mike 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, BOOM! This is so awesome to hear, Donna! I love the creative ways you're enjoying this! Nice!
Fiona says
I tried this recipe and it was gorgeous and all the family loved it! I used a combination of mature white cheddar and mozzarella cheese. I also added a tin of chilli beans to the dish and some extra rice then to balance out the liquid. This will be a new favorite in my house for definite! Thanks Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Great! Glad you enjoyed it, Fiona. I love the addition of the beans.
Rock says
Kinda disappointed with this recipe,seemed to lack a lot of flavor.maybe drain ground beef?used a jalapeño ,and made the recipe as written.no heat and no flavor.
Mike Hultquist says
Rock, sorry it wasn't to your like. It's a good idea to taste and adjust as you go along with cooking. At the simmering stage, you would have probably realized you could use more spices, and could have added more paprika, maybe a touch of cayenne or some hot sauce. Also, some jalapenos can vary in heat. Next time, try a serrano (or 3) or your favorite hot pepper to achieve a heat/flavor level you prefer. Consider this a simple base recipe. Many ways to adjust it next time. Best.
Linda Gross says
Fantastic recipe. I did half the recipe. Thank you.
I used Basmatti rice cooked in vegetable broth, 96% lean fresh ground beef, portobello mushrooms, lots of Italian seasoning, bell and Aleppo peppers, used blend of Mexican Cheese with extra cheddar added to it. Plus all the other ingredients. If I had some fried bacon to crumble in it , that would have put it over the top. I loved that it is quick, easy, cooked in cast iron X-Large Skillet/ One pot!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds wonderful to me, Linda! Boom!
Cheryl says
I love your recipes Mike! We have an assortment of peppers from our garden I would like to use for this one. What would be the approximate amount of cups worth to use? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Cheryl. This is a really forgiving recipe, so you could use more or less, but I would say about 2 cups chopped. You can definitely use a bit more. Enjoy!
Cheryl says
Thank you Mike, this recipe was amazing! Talk about a flavor explosion! I used lipstick peppers (the reason for cup conversion), Anaheim's (what do you do with all of them) and jalapenos. Roasted up some of our garden tomatoes (again, an abundance), but otherwise followed the recipe. Once again a winning meal!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Glad you enjoyed it, Cheryl! I appreciate the comments! Thanks for sharing. =) =)
Donna says
The peppers are really producing in my garden, so I made this last night. I used three bell peppers and two hot Hungarian wax peppers, and the heat was perfect for me, although probably too spicy for many people. I used pepper-jack cheese, although it would have been really good with cheddar as well. This had all the flavor of my favorite stuffed green peppers but was easier to prepare. Yet another winner from Chili Pepper Madness. Thanks, Mike!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Donna! I love the pepper combination. Glad you enjoyed it!
Susan George says
I made this today and it was SO good! Tomorrow I’m going to make nachos with what’s leftover. I can hardly wait! Thank you for this recipe, it’s a keeper.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! I love the nachos idea! I appreciate it, Susan. =)
Susan George says
The nachos were our favorite we ever had! I also added some pickled jalapeños. You would love it!
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection! Thanks, Susan.
Joe D says
Looks fab Mike.....Will be making this soon. Wondering if you could format your recipes such as.....1X 2X 3X? So if we re cooking for a party etc its easier to follow. Love your work! Keep it up
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Joe. The recipe card does have a servings slider, if that helps.
Raye Cunningham says
I'm enjoying your recipes Mike . Looks like you like peppers the way I do . Hard to find good pepper recipes .THANK YOU
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Raye! Yes, I LOVE them. Can't get enough! I appreciate it.
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and soy sauce i never had stuffed pepper casserole before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Ramya.