Name: Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ pound ground beef; ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage; ¾ yellow onion (diced); 2 cups bell peppers (diced (red, yellow, and green)); 1 tablespoon garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 15 ounces crushed tomatoes; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 cup jasmine rice; 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Wooden spoon lifting a cheesy serving of Stuffed Pepper Casserole from a cast iron skillet topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese and fresh parsley.

This stovetop stuffed pepper casserole takes all the classic flavors of stuffed peppers, ground beef and sausage, bell peppers, rice, and cheese, and turns them into an easy one-skillet meal.

Jump to Recipe

Table of Contents

What Makes This Recipe Work
Ingredients For Stuffed Pepper Casserole
How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Getting the Rice Right
How To Serve Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Storage, Reheating, and Make-Ahead
JUMP TO RECIPE

In This Post

If you love stuffed peppers, you'll go crazy for this stuffed pepper casserole. It feeds 6, cooks on the stovetop in one pan, clean up is a breeze, and it's ready in about 40 minutes.

My version uses jasmine rice at a specific ratio that is designed to work out perfectly. It's cooked low and covered on the stovetop so it steams evenly instead of guessing its way to doneness. Ground beef and mild Italian sausage brown together for flavor, bell peppers and onion soften into the sauce, and everything simmers into a rice that's tender all the way through. You don't have to stuff individual peppers, and you won't be crossing your fingers when you lift the lid.

Close-up of a wooden spoon lifting a cheesy scoop of Stuffed Pepper Casserole with ground beef, rice, diced bell peppers, and melted mozzarella from a cast iron skillet.

The first time I tried building a rice-and-beef skillet dinner from scratch, I pulled the lid off expecting a perfectly cooked pan and found rice that still had a bite to it, sitting right under a layer of gorgeously melted cheese. It looked done, but wasn't. That gap between how a dish looks and how it actually cooks is exactly what this stuffed pepper casserole is built to close.

What Makes This Recipe Work

(Don't skip these!)

Using Jasmine Rice In the Right Ratio
Jasmine rice cooks best at a 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio, and this recipe is built around that math from the start. Get the ratio right, and the rice will finish tender - not crunchy and not blown out to mush.

Browning to Build the Flavor Base
The ground beef and sausage brown first, and all that flavorful fat stays right in the skillet to cook the vegetables in. Every ingredient added after that - the tomato paste, the broth, the crushed tomatoes - builds on top of that browned flavor instead of diluting it.

A Tight Lid Does the Work
Once the rice goes in, a tight-fitting lid and low heat turn the skillet into a steady steamer. The rice cooks evenly on the stovetop in the same way rice usually cooks - so it's reliable.

Equipment Note: For this stovetop casserole to work well, you'll want an extra-large skillet, at least 3½ inches deep and 12 inches wide, with a lid that fits snugly. A cozy, well-sealed pan helps everything cook evenly and keeps the rice on track. No lid on hand? A sheet of foil pressed tightly over the top does the trick just as well.

Ingredients For Stuffed Pepper Casserole

To make stovetop stuffed pepper casserole, you'll need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground mild Italian sausage - swap the sausage for hot if you want some heat, or use all beef in a pinch.
¾ yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 cups bell peppers, diced (red, yellow, and green) - Dice the peppers small enough to distribute evenly, but not so small they disappear.
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
15 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium beef broth - this is the liquid that will cook and flavor the rice - measure carefully.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup jasmine rice - I haven't tested other varieties of rice. I like the predictability of Jasmine rice for this dish. Measure carefully for reliably tender results.
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish

How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole

FIRST STEP: In an extra-large skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage. Brown the meat for 6 to 7 minutes, or until no pink remains. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set it on a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet to cook the vegetables in.

Overhead view of browned ground beef and Italian sausage cooking in a cast iron skillet, the first step for making Stuffed Pepper Casserole.

SECOND STEP: Add the diced onion, diced peppers, minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Diced red, yellow, and green bell peppers, chopped onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper added to a cast iron skillet for Stuffed Pepper Casserole before cooking.

THIRD STEP: Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for an additional minute.

FOURTH STEP: Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the reserved cooked meat to the skillet.

Cooked ground beef and Italian sausage returned to the skillet with crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and sautéed peppers to make Stuffed Pepper Casserole.

FIFTH STEP: Stir everything together and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, add the jasmine rice and stir to distribute it evenly.

SIXTH STEP: Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 20 to 22 minutes.

For Jasmine rice to cook well, it needs both time and liquid. Find the lowest possible spot on your burner dial that allows the liquid to continue to simmer (small bubbles should continue to break the surface of the liquid).

SEVENTH STEP: Remove the lid, stir, and check that the rice is fully cooked. If it needs more time, replace the lid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Overhead shot of stuffed pepper casserole in a cast iron skillet, showing ground beef, jasmine rice, and diced red, yellow, and green bell peppers in a rich tomato sauce, garnished with a sprig of fresh parsley on the side. — I don't suggest you keep the lid off very long. Check your rice quickly, and replace the lid immediately if your casserole needs more time.

EIGHTH STEP: Top with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese, replace the lid, remove the skillet from the heat, and let the cheese melt.

NINTH STEP: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Overhead shot of finished stuffed pepper casserole in a cast iron skillet, topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese and chopped fresh parsley, with diced red, yellow, and green bell peppers visible around the edges, surrounded by fresh parsley, forks on a white plate, and whole red and yellow bell peppers.

Getting the Rice Right

Jasmine rice is what makes this stovetop version so consistent. It cooks at a 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio, and this recipe relies on exactly that. So as long as the broth and crushed tomatoes are measured as written, the rice has what it needs to cook through.

Resist the urge to stir while it cooks. Keep the lid on tight once the rice goes in. Every time it comes off, steam escapes, and that steam is what the rice is counting on to finish cooking. Leave it covered for the full 20 to 22 minutes before checking.

At that point, stir and taste a bit of rice. Still a little firm? Put the lid back on and give it another 2 to 3 minutes. That check is the reason this recipe holds up even if your stove runs hotter or cooler than mine.

How To Serve Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This casserole is a complete meal on its own. It's filling and hearty. But a few sides round it out nicely.

Crusty garlic bread or warm dinner rolls are great for mopping up the sauce. A simple tomato-cucumber salad or a house salad adds something fresh and light on the side. But you don't need to add to this meal to make it complete.

Serve a simple dessert that bakes in the oven while this casserole bubbles away. I highly recommend my lemon cobbler - it's in the oven in minutes, so it's a no-fuss option to go with your easy one-pan dinner.

More Casserole Recipes For Weeknights

Dinner

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

40 minutes mins

Dinner

Baked Chicken Spaghetti (Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole)

50 minutes mins

Dinner

Beef Noodle Casserole

35 minutes mins

Dinner

Chicken Cobbler

1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Overhead view of a plated serving of Stuffed Pepper Casserole topped with melted mozzarella, seasoned ground beef, rice, colorful bell peppers, and fresh parsley.

Storage, Reheating, and Make-Ahead

To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Since the rice keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, don't be surprised if it looks a little drier the next day. A splash of beef broth or water when reheating brings it right back.

To Reheat: Warm single servings in the microwave, or reheat larger portions in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

To Freeze Leftovers: Let leftovers cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To Make Ahead: The same sauce mixture can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge in a lidded container. Reheat on the stove before adding the rice and picking up the recipe from there.

To Freeze Before Cooking: Follow the recipe through the fourth step, adding the broth, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and cooked meat to the skillet, but stop before adding the rice. Let the mixture cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container for up to three months. When you're ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge, bring it back to a boil on the stove, then continue with the rice as written.