Description
This Unstuffed Peppers recipe is an easy and flavorful one-skillet meal featuring ground beef, sausage, rice, and melted cheese. It’s a family-friendly dish perfect for weeknight dinners, combining the classic taste of stuffed peppers without the hassle of stuffing.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- ½ lb. ground beef
- ½ lb. ground sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 large bell peppers (any color), diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Sauces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
Rice and Cheese
- 1 ½ cups cooked white long grain rice
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Measure out all ingredients to streamline the cooking process.
- Cook Meats and Onions: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef, ground sausage, and diced onions. Cook and crumble the meat for 7-10 minutes until fully browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Cook Bell Peppers and Spices: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced bell peppers to the skillet and soften for 3 minutes. Then stir in tomato paste, minced garlic, dried basil, oregano, onion powder, and chili powder. Cook for 2 more minutes while stirring continuously to combine the flavors.
- Add Tomatoes and Sauces: Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in marinara sauce and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add Rice and Cheese: Mix in the cooked rice until evenly distributed. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet (or move contents to an oven-safe baking dish if your skillet is not oven-safe) into the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
- Use all ground beef instead of a mix with sausage if preferred, but additional salt might be needed as sausage adds savory depth.
- Sausage options include breakfast, hot, mild, or sweet Italian sausage depending on flavor preference.
- Use white long grain rice cooked in chicken broth for more flavor; cauliflower rice is a low-carb alternative.
- Shredding cheese from a block improves melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- High quality marinara sauce like Rao’s or Carbone enhances the dish’s flavor significantly.
- Chicken broth is preferred over beef broth to add contrasting depth of flavor.
- To make ahead, prepare the meat mixture and shred cheese, store separately up to 2 days, then bake with cheese topping as directed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat well before serving.
- Cooking rice: boil ½ cup uncooked rice in 1 cup chicken broth, simmer covered for 15 minutes, optionally add 1 tablespoon butter, then fluff.
