Pioneer Woman Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Pioneer Woman Stuffed Pepper Casserole (often called “Unstuffed Peppers”) is made with savory ground beef, colorful diced bell peppers, onions, and fluffy rice, all simmered in a rich tomato and beef broth base. This recipe takes all the classic flavors of traditional stuffed peppers and deconstructs them into a one-pot skillet meal topped with gooey melted Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. It is the ultimate family-friendly comfort food that is easier to make and easier to eat than the original.

Try More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Texas Caviar
• Pioneer Woman Tex Mex Chicken Casserole
• Pioneer Woman Turkey Taco

🧡 Why You Will Love This Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe:

• Less Work: You don’t have to worry about par-boiling whole peppers or carefully stuffing them. Just chop everything up and throw it in the pan!
• Even Flavor: Because the peppers are chopped, you get a perfect bite of meat, rice, veggie, and cheese on every forkful.
• Kid-Friendly: Kids often find whole stuffed peppers difficult to cut and eat. This casserole version looks like a cheesy rice dish, which is always a hit.
• Great Leftovers: This dish reheats beautifully without becoming watery, making it perfect for meal prep.
• Budget Friendly: It stretches a pound of ground beef with rice and veggies to feed a whole family easily.

🍖 Stuffed Pepper Casserole Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 bell peppers (mix of red, green, and yellow), seeded and diced
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tbsp chili powder (optional, for a kick)
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups white long-grain rice (cooked) OR 1 cup uncooked instant rice (see tips)
• 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

🍲 How To Make Pioneer Woman Stuffed Pepper Casserole

1. Brown the meat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large oven-safe skillet or Pyrex (or a large pot if you plan to transfer to a baking dish later), brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain the excess fat.
2. Sauté vegetables: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and the chopped bell peppers to the beef. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften but still have some crunch.
3. Create the sauce: Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
4. Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
5. Add the rice: Stir in the cooked rice until it is fully incorporated into the meat and sauce mixture. (Note: If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish now).
6. Top with cheese: Sprinkle the grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese generously over the top of the mixture.
7. Bake: Place the skillet (or dish) into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and melted and the casserole is hot throughout.
8. Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.

✨ Recipe Tips

• Rice Texture: This recipe works best with cooked rice (leftover rice is perfect). If you use uncooked regular rice, it will take too long to cook in the sauce and might turn mushy or stay crunchy. If you want to cook the rice in the sauce, use instant rice and cover the pan on the stove for 5–7 minutes before baking.
• Add Some Heat: For a spicy kick, add a diced jalapeño along with the bell peppers or use Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack.
• Vegetable Variations: You can bulk this up by adding diced zucchini, corn, or black beans in step 2.
• Ground Meat: While beef is traditional, a 50/50 mix of ground beef and Italian sausage adds incredible flavor.

🥙 What To Serve With Stuffed Pepper Casserole?

This Stuffed Pepper Casserole is a complete meal with protein, carbs, and veggies in one bowl. However, it pairs well with a simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the cheese. A side of garlic bread or crusty rolls is also great for scooping up the tomato sauce. For a Tex-Mex vibe, serve with a dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips.

❄️ How To Store Leftovers Stuffed Pepper Casserole?

• Refrigerate: Let the casserole cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: This freezes well! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

♨️ How To Reheat Leftovers Stuffed Pepper Casserole?

Important Rule: If the rice seems dry after storing, sprinkle a tablespoon of water or broth over the top before reheating to steam it back to life.

• Oven (Best): Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, then remove foil for 5 minutes to remelt the cheese.
• Microwave: Heat individual portions on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating.

💭FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Salmon Patties
• Pioneer Woman Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• Pioneer Woman Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

📊 Stuffed Pepper Casserole Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 bowl (serves 8)

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 850mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 32g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 24g

Pioneer Woman Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Recipe by Imen DridiCourse: Main, Dinner, LunchCuisine: American, TurkishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

😋This hearty “unstuffed” pepper casserole brings together savory ground beef, fluffy rice, and colorful peppers in a rich tomato sauce, all topped with a generous layer of melted cheese for an easy, family-friendly meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 bell peppers (mix of red, green, and yellow), seeded and diced

• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes (undrained)

• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 tbsp chili powder (optional, for a kick)

• 1 tsp cumin

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups white long-grain rice (cooked) OR 1 cup uncooked instant rice (see tips)

• 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated

• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Directions

• Brown the meat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven (or a large pot if you plan to transfer to a baking dish later), brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain the excess fat.
• Sauté vegetables: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and the chopped bell peppers to the beef. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften but still have some crunch.
• Create the sauce: Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
• Add the rice: Stir in the cooked rice until it is fully incorporated into the meat and sauce mixture. (Note: If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish now).
• Top with cheese: Sprinkle the grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese generously over the top of the mixture.
• Bake: Place the skillet (or dish) into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and melted and the casserole is hot throughout.
• Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.

Notes

• Rice Texture: This recipe works best with cooked rice (leftover rice is perfect). If you use uncooked regular rice, it will take too long to cook in the sauce and might turn mushy or stay crunchy. If you want to cook the rice in the sauce, use instant rice and cover the pan on the stove for 5–7 minutes before baking.
  Add Some Heat: For a spicy kick, add a diced jalapeño along with the bell peppers or use Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack.
  Vegetable Variations: You can bulk this up by adding diced zucchini, corn, or black beans in step 2.
  Ground Meat: While beef is traditional, a 50/50 mix of ground beef and Italian sausage adds incredible flavor.