Amazing 15-Minute Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Oh, tell me about it—those weeknight dinner scrambles! You know the drill: everyone’s tired, hungry, and you need something hearty on the table fast. That’s why I’m so thrilled to share my absolute favorite fix: the Stuffed Pepper Casserole. Forget rolling individual peppers; this recipe delivers all that satisfying, cheesy, beef-and-rice flavor without any of the fussy work. I still remember the first time I introduced my family to my keto version during a crazy week. The smell of the roasting peppers and melted cheddar pulled everyone right to the kitchen!

When their bowls came back clean, I knew I nailed it. It proved we didn’t have to sacrifice comfort food just because we were eating healthier. This version is packed with flavor but comes together so easily, making it perfect for busy families or anyone who loves a good, comforting meal. I promise, this casserole will become the solution to those ‘What’s for dinner?’ moments you dread.

You can check out some of my other meal prep dinner ideas, but this one sits right at the top of the list for pure, easy satisfaction.

Why This Stuffed Pepper Casserole Is Your New Weeknight Hero

Seriously, you’re going to love how this goes from zero to dinner hero so quickly. We all need reliable meals that taste amazing but don’t demand your entire evening, right? This Stuffed Pepper Casserole is designed for exactly that kind of chaos!

• It’s shockingly fast to pull together—we’re talking 15 minutes of hands-on time, maybe less if you chop while the oven heats up!
• The flavor profile is pure comfort: savory beef, sweet peppers, and that glorious blanket of melted cheese. It tastes like the original, only easier.
• Cleanup is a dream! Since everything bakes together in one ovenproof pan, you’re not juggling three different pots and pans by the sink.
• It’s an absolute champ for leftovers. I always make sure to double the batch because eating this the next day for lunch is such a treat. You can see some more meal prep friendly ideas over here if you’re into that!

Essential Ingredients for the Best Stuffed Pepper Casserole

If you want that deep, rich flavor that reminds you of grandma’s cooking, you can’t skimp on the basics, even in an Easy Casserole like this one! Since we are deconstructing the dish, the quality of what goes into that single pan really shines through. I’ve broken down what you need for this batch of Stuffed Pepper Casserole below. Trust me, taking an extra minute to chop things right makes a huge difference.

Here’s the lineup for the main bake. Remember, we’re using raw rice here, which cooks perfectly right in the sauce!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (Don’t skip the paprika!)
• 1 pinch cayenne (Just a tiny kick!)
• 2 green, 1 red, and 1 orange bell pepper, all seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup raw basmati or other long grain white rice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups tomato sauce or tomato puree
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 6 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Okay, let’s talk choices here. Always go for good quality tomato sauce—the kind with rich flavor, maybe even fire-roasted if you have it! That liquid is what cooks the Rice And Beef beautifully.

Now, about the rice. The recipe calls for white rice because it yields that classic, hearty stuffing texture. However, I know many of you are looking for low-carb options, so if you’re making a keto version of this Stuffed Pepper Casserole, swap that 1 cup of white rice for 3 cups of pre-riced cauliflower. You might need to add an extra splash of broth to keep things liquid enough!

Also, feel free to mix up your peppers! If you only have green ones, go for it, but adding red and orange really bumps up the sweetness when they roast, which is important since we aren’t stuffing them individually.

For more insight on how ingredient temperatures and quality affect the final meal, check out my guide on ultimate dinner ideas guide ingredients temps tips.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Alright, let’s get down to business! Making this Stuffed Pepper Casserole is incredibly straightforward because it’s an oven-to-table experience. First things first: get that oven warmed up to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). We want it nice and hot before anything goes in.

Next, we focus on building flavor in your ovenproof pan right on the stovetop. Drizzle in that olive oil. Get your ground beef and a pinch of salt cooking over high heat. You want to break that meat up and really let it brown—don’t rush this part! Once it starts looking golden, add your diced onion and keep cooking until they turn soft and see-through. That usually takes about five minutes.

Now, turn the heat down a bit. Melt in the butter and toss in your minced garlic. Stir that around for just one minute until you can really smell it. This is where you bloom your spices: the paprika, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. Another minute of stirring coats everything beautifully. Add the chopped peppers and cook them just until they start to look happy—maybe three minutes.

Time for the hearty stuff! Stir in the raw rice so it gets coated in all that delicious meat fat. Then, it’s the liquid stage: Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and beef broth go in. Bring this whole thing to a simmer on the stove, stirring it all up. Here’s a little trick from my own kitchen: sprinkle in about half of your shredded Cheddar cheese *before* you cover it. Stir it in so it melts right into the sauce!

Cover that pan tightly and slide it into the preheated oven for a good 45 minutes. The rice needs that time to soak up all that tomatoey goodness. When you pull it out, check a few spots for tender rice. If it’s still crunchy, just pop it back in, covered, until it’s perfect. Once it’s tender? Uncover it, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and switch your oven setting to broiler mode! Only 1 to 2 minutes under that heat until the cheese is bubbly and browned—watch it like a hawk! Let it relax and rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, just like I mentioned in my how to make dinner ideas foolproof guide.

Expert Tips for Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers Success

Honestly, the key to turning this into something truly remarkable, beyond just a standard bake, is really building those initial flavors. You’ve got to get your ground beef browned nicely. If you leave grey, steamed meat in there, the whole Stuffed Pepper Casserole tastes flat. Brown it hard!

Also, don’t be shy when blooming your spices with the melted butter and garlic. That quick sauté wakes them up and lets them infuse the fat, which distributes flavor everywhere. For these Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers, mixing about half the cheese right into the rice mixture before the big bake helps create a creamy binder. It’s a secret step that makes the whole thing cling together beautifully once it sets.

We also have an external link here for another great version of this type of recipe: one-pan stuffed pepper casserole recipe!

Equipment Needed for This Easy Casserole

Don’t you just love it when a recipe only requires two main pieces of equipment? That seriously cuts down on the dishwashing later! For this wonderfully simple Easy Casserole, you really only need two things.

• You absolutely must have an ovenproof pan. I usually use my big 10-inch cast iron skillet or maybe a deep oven-safe dish that holds everything nicely.
• And, naturally, your oven! We need that to get to 375 degrees F for the main bake phase.

That’s it—no standing mixer, no special food processor needed for this budget-friendly meal!

Storing and Reheating Your Stuffed Pepper Casserole Leftovers

The best part about making a big batch of Stuffed Pepper Casserole is having lunch ready for the next day! Once it cools down a bit, cover that pan tightly with foil or transfer any extras into an airtight container. It keeps beautifully in the fridge for about four days.

When you’re ready for round two, you have options! I usually toss a square back into the microwave for about 90 seconds to warm it up fast. If you want that cheesy top to get happy again, pop it on a baking sheet at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, uncovered. The texture might be a tiny bit softer than fresh from the oven because the rice has soaked up more sauce, but honestly, it’s still amazing comfort food! Check out my general weeknight dinner prep guide for more tips on make-ahead meals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rice And Beef Casseroles

Even with a simple recipe like this, questions always pop up, especially when we’re trying to make sure we get that perfect texture for our Stuffed Pepper Casserole. I’ve gathered a few of the ones I hear most often when people try this dish for the first time!

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef?

Oh, absolutely! This is such a great substitution if you want something leaner. Ground turkey or chicken will work just fine in this Rice And Beef casserole base. My biggest tip, though, is to make sure you add a little extra fat—maybe an extra half tablespoon of olive oil or butter—since poultry is much leaner than beef. That extra fat helps carry the flavor of the spices you add!

How do I turn this into a low-carb Stuffed Pepper Casserole?

That’s the million-dollar question for my low-carb friends! As I mentioned briefly before, the key is ditching the rice. Instead of 1 cup of white rice, use about 3 cups of riced cauliflower. Because cauliflower releases a bit more water than rice absorbs, you might need to slightly reduce your beef broth amount or just keep it uncovered during the last 10 minutes of baking to allow some liquid to evaporate.

Can I skip the broiling step at the end?

You certainly can skip the broiler if you don’t want it super golden brown—no judgment here! If you skip it, just make sure that cheese is fully melted after baking for 45 minutes, perhaps leaving the foil off for the last 5 minutes. However, I really encourage you to try the broiler for just a minute or two. That final blast of heat makes the cheese gooey and bubbly, which is half the fun of any good Easy Casserole!

Why do I need to rest the casserole for 10 minutes?

This is vital for any rice-based bake! When you pull the dish out of the oven, all those liquids are super hot and moving around. Resting lets the rice settle down, absorb any last bits of moisture, and firm up. If you cut into it right away, it can turn soupy! You can find a few more pointers on making meals foolproof in my guide on what makes perfect dinner ideas.

Serving Suggestions for Your Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This Stuffed Pepper Casserole is already such a complete meal—you’ve got your protein, your veggies, and your starch all baked together into one glorious dish. That’s why I usually keep sides super simple on canning night. Nobody wants complicated extras after making a big bake!

If you aren’t worried about keeping things low-carb, a slice of crusty, garlicky bread for scooping up that leftover cheesy sauce is non-negotiable. Honestly, it’s the best part! If greens are what you need, a simple, bright side salad with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness perfectly. You can browse some easy recipe inspirations on the site if you want to mix things up!

Estimated Nutritional Information Per Serving

You know, since we are often juggling dietary considerations in my house, I always make sure there’s a quick glance at what we’re eating! This is helpful if you’re tracking macros or just curious about how filling this casserole really is.

For one serving of this amazing Stuffed Pepper Casserole, based on the approximate recipe breakdown, you’re looking at:

• Calories: 351
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Protein: 23g

Now, a quick word of caution: these numbers are estimates, sweetie! They depend heavily on the fat content of your ground beef and exactly how much cheese you decide to sneak in when nobody’s looking. So, take these as a good guideline, not gospel truth!

Share Your Stuffed Pepper Casserole Creations

That’s it—you’ve made my favorite weeknight dinner! When you try this incredible Stuffed Pepper Casserole, please come back and tell me how it went. Did you go keto with cauliflower rice, or did you stick to the classic? Drop a rating in the comments below so other busy cooks can see how much you loved it!

I always love seeing your photos! Tag me when you share them online. Seeing your families enjoying these cozy meals makes all my recipe testing worth it. Happy cooking, from my kitchen to yours, Jenny Miller!

If you want to see more of my kitchen adventures, feel free to check out where I hang out: Jenny Miller’s collection of recipes.