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Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Stuffed Pepper Casserole with Beef and Rice

Stuffed pepper casserole with seasoned ground beef, diced bell peppers, long grain rice cooked right in the pan, and a melted Colby Jack top.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 85/15
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 bell peppers diced into 1/2-inch pieces, any mix of colors
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  • Brown the beef: Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it apart, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain off the grease.
  • Soften the peppers and onion: Add the onion and diced bell peppers to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, until they start to soften at the edges but still have some body. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  • Season and add the liquids: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the tomato sauce and the beef broth, and bring everything to a simmer.
  • Stir in the raw rice: Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the uncooked rice, spreading it evenly through the mixture. Pour it all into the greased 9x13 and smooth the top.
  • Bake covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil, pressing it down onto the rim to seal, and bake for 45 minutes. The rice should be tender all the way through and most of the liquid absorbed.
  • Add the cheese: Uncover, scatter the Colby Jack evenly across the top, and bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges bubble.
  • Rest and serve: Let the casserole stand 10 minutes so the rice finishes steaming and the cheese sets enough to scoop cleanly. Scatter the parsley over the top.

Notes

Cook the ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F before the vegetables go in. The rice goes into the pan uncooked, so seal the foil against the rim of the dish; the trapped steam is what cooks it. If the rice still has bite after 45 minutes, re-cover with 1/4 cup of hot broth and bake another 10-15 minutes before adding the cheese. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.