Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Enjoy all the flavours of classic stuffed peppers in this hearty casserole recipe. This easy-to-make recipe for Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole is a comforting family dinner everyone will love.
My husband and I love stuffed bell peppers, but we also love a good casserole so he came up with the idea of deconstructing the stuffed peppers and keeping the same flavours that we both enjoy with the traditional recipe. This family-friendly casserole combines lean ground beef, sweet bell peppers, diced tomatoes, and rice, all topped with melted cheese.
Comfort Food Classics
Perfect for busy weeknights, these casseroles are hearty and delicious!
Key Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this hearty dinner.
- Ground Beef – we are lucky to have a local butcher shop whose lean ground beef is similar to most grocery store’s extra lean ground beef, aim for about a 10% fat content.
- Bell peppers – we prefer red, orange and yellow for their sweet, mild taste.
- Diced tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes work well, the juice keeps the ground beef and rice mixture moist.
- Cheese – I used aged cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheddar, mozzarella, or Colby also work well.
Helpful Tips for Making Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Deconstructed stuffed pepper casserole is a quick, family-friendly dinner that transforms classic stuffed peppers into an easy, cheesy meal.
- Cook the rice before hand, it can be done the day before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or the same day so it is ready for your preparation steps.
- Cut the bell peppers into eight sections and then each section into thirds for nice bite-sized pieces. Remove the seeds.
- Pour the diced tomatoes into a strainer with a bowl under to collect the juice. Add this reserved juice back into the ground beef and rice mixture as needed to keep the casserole moist and prevent it from being too dry.
Preparation
These step-by-step instructions make preparing this dish quick and easy.
In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and saute the chopped onions.
Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste.
Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
Stir in the tomatoes and seasoning mixture.
Mix the cooked rice and ground beef mixture together.
Add the juice from the diced tomatoes to moisten the mixture.
Stir in the chopped peppers.
Preheat oven to 400º F. Transfer ground beef- rice mixture into a 3-quart baking pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Top with grated cheese, place back in oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Serve with a simple green salad.
Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef
- 3 bell peppers chopped, I prefer red, yellow, and orange
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes 540 ml can
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups rice cooked
- 3 cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Using a large skillet sauté the onions until softened and translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the ground beef and mix with the onions, garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice. Stir into the ground beef mixture.
- Blend in the spices, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Mix in the cooked rice. Add the juice from the diced tomatoes to keep it moist. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chopped peppers and combine.
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Transfer ground beef- rice mixture into a 3 quart baking pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Top with grated cheese and place back in oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
