Stuffed Pepper Skillet

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Sesame-Free Nut-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free No Added Sugar

If you love stuffed peppers, you’re really going to love our twist: Stuffed Pepper Skillet! We’ve taken all the ingredients—and amazing flavors—from stuffed peppers and combined them into one convenient skillet recipe so you can skip the hassle of stuffing. This casserole dinner is easy to put together and easy to clean up—and comes together more quickly than traditional stuffed peppers. The combo of lean ground beef, peppers and brown rice packs a nutritional punch that will leave you full and satisfied. Check out our expert tips and tricks to make this meal-prep-friendly recipe this week.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

Be sure to let the ground beef brown and the tomato paste caramelize—these steps allow a deeper flavor to develop and will enhance the flavor of the vegetables.
To improve the browning of the meat, dab away extra moisture using paper towels before cooking it. If there is moisture on the surface of the meat when it’s cooking, the temperature of the meat won’t get high enough for the Maillard reaction to occur fast enough to help brown the meat. The meat will cook on the inside but never get that desired browning on the outside, and a lot of great flavor will be forfeited.
This is a great meal-prep dish. It can be made three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Although this recipe was tested with ground beef, you can substitute it with ground turkey, chicken or pork. Crumbled firm tofu would also work.

Nutrition Notes

Lean ground beef (93% lean, 7% fat) has about the same meat-to-fat ratio as ground turkey. Lean ground beef is an excellent source of protein and zinc and a good source of iron, choline, phosphorus and B vitamins. You’ll get 100% of your daily vitamin B12 in 4 ounces of lean ground beef, per the USDA.
Bell peppers are loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C—one medium red bell pepper provides almost 2 days’ worth of this vitamin. Bell peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A—which, together with the antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein, supports healthy vision. The fiber in bell peppers supports a healthy gut.
Brown rice is a whole grain that provides fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fiber combined with the plant-based protein in brown rice goes a long way toward keeping you full and satisfied.
Mozzarella cheese is a lower-sodium cheese that’s also lower in saturated fat than other types of cheese. Besides bringing the ooey-gooey goodness to this dish, mozzarella also provides protein and calcium.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1 (8.8-ounce) package precooked microwaveable brown rice
1/2 cup unsalted beef broth
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh oregano for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ground beef; cook, stirring often and using the back of a spoon to break up the beef, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens in color, about 1 minute. Add onion, bell peppers, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes, rice, broth and vinegar.

Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist Tucker Vines
Cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Bake until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble, about 8 minutes. Garnish with oregano, if desired.

Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist Tucker Vines

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups

Calories 494, Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol 92mg, Carbohydrates 41g, Total Sugars 10g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 35g, Fiber 7g, Sodium 758mg, Potassium 1,094mg

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I serve with Stuffed Pepper Skillet?

While you can enjoy it on its own, you can also pair this one-pan meal with a simple veggie side, like our Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette or Garlic-Butter Green Beans.
Can you freeze Stuffed Pepper Skillet?

Absolutely. If you store it properly in an airtight, freezer-safe container, it will be good in the freezer for up to four months. The simplest and safest way to defrost it is overnight in the refrigerator.

Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. and Linda Frahm

EatingWell.com, June 2024