Classic flavors of a stuffed pepper in an easy and quick casserole form. Stuffed pepper casserole is full of bell peppers, Rotel, ground beef, sausage, tomato paste, and more. Unstuffed peppers casserole also freezes beautifully.
This is a freezer-friendly recipe so you can freeze it for an easy freezer meal down the line. Then toss in the oven to reheat for a quick dinner. We love bell peppers in our home. A gluten-free dinner idea.
Table of contents
This bell pepper casserole is loaded with flavor and such a great green pepper recipe to whip up. Or toss in red, orange or yellow bell peppers to add a sweetness to the casserole.
Why This Recipe Works
- Freezer Friendly, I serve up half the dinner and then freeze the other half for a meal down the line.
- Affordable to make
- Fresh and delicious flavors
- Kid-friendly
📌 Main Ingredients Used
Bell Peppers | You can use any color of bell peppers. We love green as it brings out a more savory. Whereas red, orange or yellow peppers will make it sweeter in flavor.
Rice | I used white rice, but feel free to swap with brown rice or another type of rice that is mellow in flavor.
Tomato-Based Sauce | Tomato paste, Worcestershire, Rotel, salt, and pepper are the base of the tomato sauce used to give flavor to the dish.
Ground beef and Sausage | I did a double meat to really help bring out tons of flavor in the dish. The pairing of breakfast sausage and ground beef is amazing.
Onions | The onion adds a bit more flavor to the dish. If you are not a fan of onions you are more than welcome to leave it out.
🍴 How To Make
Step 1: Start by browning your ground beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop.
Step 2: Once your meat is cooked you can drain off excess fat. Add in your bell peppers and onions and stir it into the meat, and allow it to cook for around 3-5 minutes.
Step 3: While your meat is cooking you will make your rice as directed on the package. We used a white long grain rice.
Step 4: Now in your skillet you will add your tomato paste, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, Rotel, and cook. Once rice is cooked, stir it into the mixture.
Step 5: Pour the rice dish into a 9×13 baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted down.
Or skip cheese and cover, and cook to blend flavors and prevent rice from drying out. Spoon up and serve this easy casserole for dinner.
Meal Prep
How to Meal Prep the Green Pepper Casserole – You will cook and prep the dish the same way in the recipe card. Then place in a casserole pan.
Instead of baking, you will cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then when you are ready to eat, toss in oven and heat up and let it finish cooking.
Storing Leftovers – The other way for meal prepping is to fully cook the stuffed pepper casserole recipe. Then with the leftovers place in single serve containers, and reheat in the microwave or oven.
Do you meal prep? Check out my Free Printable Weekly Meal Planner! Or my list of easy and tasty Instant Pot Freezer Meals.
How to Make as A Ground Beef Freezer Meal
So, this recipe makes a 9×13 pan of this rice casserole. What I do is tend to freeze half in an 8×8 pan and the other half I cook up for dinner. We are only 3 people so we can’t eat it all.
After I prep the dish, I pour part in a pan to bake the other part in a pan to freeze.
I top with cheese and then wrap twice in aluminum foil. Then I freeze it for up to three months.
When I go to reheat the frozen I reheat at 350 degrees with 1 layer of aluminum foil on the dish.
I cook for 40 minutes to an hour. You just want to make sure the rice is warmed all the way through. Then you have a tasty ground beef dinner that is a total comfort food.
🧀 Expert Tips
Here are a few tips and tricks for making this stuffed bell pepper casserole.
- Cheese is optional
- You can swap green peppers for red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
- Rice is your choice, I reach for a short or long grain white rice most of the time
- To prevent rice from drying in oven, cover with aluminum foil, or put cheese on top to cover the whole casserole
- Make sure to really mix around the dish once you get all the ingredients in to ensure it is evenly distributed on flavor
- Ramp up the heat and reach for a hot Rotel, or do mild for a kid-friendly dinner
- Instead of Rotel do a can of diced tomatoes and a 4 ounce can of green chiles.
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy ground beef and peppers casserole. This is a tasty weeknight meal your family can enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Stuffed peppers casserole is somewhat a meal in one. If you want to pair with sides reach for a green salad, corn, broccoli, or other vegetables. Another great side to consider would be cornbread or a type of dinner roll.
To make your casserole lighter on carbs, swap the rice with a cauliflower rice. This will help to reduce carb count.
If you don’t want to toss your casserole in the oven, you can turn the temperature to low and allow it to simmer for around 10 minutes or so on the stove. You need your tomato pasta and other ingredients to infuse. Otherwise the paste will be really strong in flavor.
More Dinner Ideas
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound sausage I used Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
- 2 cups cooked rice (cook as directed on the back of the box)
- 2 bell peppers diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 can Rotel
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese optional
Instructions
- In a skillet, you will want to cook your ground beef and sausage in a skillet until crumbled and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
- Now you will mix in your chopped peppers and onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes or until they soften just a bit.
- While meat is cooking cook up enough rice to make 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Once your peppers and onions cook down, add in your Rotel, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Turn heat to low and let it simmer for a bit until rice is cooked.
- Stir in your cooked rice. Pour into a 9×13 pan, or split into two 8×8 pans if you plan to freeze part.
- Top with cheese if you want, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Dish up the stuffed pepper casserole for an easy weeknight dinner for the whole family.
Notes
- You can do all ground beef or all sausage if you don't want to do both types of meat for this stuffed pepper casserole.
- Any rice can be used, if you want to do brown rice just follow cooking directions on the container.
- To freeze just double wrap in aluminum foil and freeze up to three months. Double wrap in aluminum foil.
- Mozzarella cheese is optional for topping.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for around 3 days.
- I used green peppers but any color of bell pepper will work.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Lynne says
Love the unstuffed pepper casserole. I use two pans and freeze one! Yummy! I use all recommended ingredients and cheese.
Kelsey says
I am so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to let me know you liked it!
Carol A Charvat says
How can a 6 oz tomatoe paste be equal to a 15 oz tomatoe sauce?
Miranda says
Can you freeze this in gallon ziplock bags instead of pans?
Kelsey says
Yes you sure can.