Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers Skillet

Name: Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 cup white rice; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 15 ounces tomato sauce; 2 large bell peppers (seeds removed and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)

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Deconstructed stuffed peppers with rice provide all the same flavors you love in a traditional stuffed pepper while cooking up in one skillet. All you need are a few basic ingredients like bell pepper, rice, lean ground beef and tomato sauce and you’ll have a delicious meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

A plateful of deconstructed stuffed peppers with a fork and napkin.

We love the classic flavors of traditional stuffed peppers. Heck, we make taco stuffed peppers, stuffed pepper soup in the Instant Pot...you get the idea.

Our family loves this healthy recipe because it cooks fast while keeping the great flavors you know and love with a little less work. Some people might even call these lazy stuffed peppers. But hey, we're not lazy, we're just working smart!

Why you'll love this recipe

It's fast - let's be honest here, we need quick, healthier meals for dinner. This version of a stuffed pepper casserole gets dinner on your table in under 30 minutes.

Simple ingredients - I always have ground beef in our freezer because hey – we raise them! But sometimes even I wonder what to make with ground beef. This recipe is one that is frequently in our dinner rotation.

Ingredients

Healthy and wholesome are the name of the game here!

bell peppers: I use a combination of red and green bell peppers. You can use any color of pepper that appeals to you.
white rice
ground beef
herbs and spices: Dried minced onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce: I can’t pronounce it, but we’re gonna use it. It gives a nice flavor to our recipe.
tomato sauce: because you can’t have stuffed peppers without tomatoes!

Substitutions

Rice - I use long grain white rice, but you can also use jasmine rice.
Meat - Use that type of ground meat you have on hand. Ground pork, ground bison or ground turkey both work well.
Tamari or soy sauce can be used in place of the Worcestershire sauce.

How to make deconstructed stuffed peppers

This recipe couldn’t be much easier.

First, get out your big skillet (this skillet is my very favorite, I use it all the time!) and heat it over medium heat. Cook the ground beef and break it up with a spoon as it cooks.

Then, drain the fat.

Tip: I like to drain the beef into a strainer set in a bowl. Once the fat solidifies it’s easy to wipe into the garbage.

Bell peppers, tomato sauce, cooked ground beef and rice in a pan.

Place the beef back inside the skillet, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Cooking ground beef mixture to make the deconstructed peppers.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer on low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender.

Then let it sit, covered for 5 minutes. How easy is that??

Deconstructed stuffed peppers in a pan with a portion removed.

Variations

Increase servings - Add drained and rinsed black beans to increase the fiber content and stretch the recipe, feeding more people for less money.
Veg out - Add an extra bell pepper to increase your veggie intake.
Get cheesy - add a cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the finished stuffed pepper skillet.
Italian unstuffed peppers - use bulk Italian sausage instead of the ground beef and marinara sauce in place of the spaghetti sauce. Use shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cajun version - use andouille sausage crumbles and pepper jack cheese.
kid-pleasing - add a cup of frozen corn kernels or drained, canned corn.
low carb - swap out the rice for cauliflower rice. Omit the water and reduce the cook time to 13-15 minutes.

You might also like my buffalo chicken stuffed peppers for a fun twist!

How to save time with this recipe

You can shave some precious minutes off your dinner time by doing some of the prep ahead. Things like:

Brown and drain the ground beef ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use.
Seed and chop the peppers in advance. Or, use pre-chopped veggies from the grocery store.

How to store leftovers

Leftovers keep well for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can refrigerate them for later or portion out into individual containers for your own easy meals.

How to freeze leftovers

Deconstructed stuffed peppers freeze great! I like these containers to store them. Be sure to label with the recipe name and date.

I hope you’ll give this healthy stuffed pepper skillet a try! If you do, be sure to leave a recipe rating below so I know what you think!

FAQS

Can I make this skillet meal with brown rice?

Because the rice cooks along with the peppers and beef, I don't recommend brown rice for this recipe. It takes too long to cook. You could, however, omit the rice. Then, serve the deconstructed peppers over cooked brown rice in a bowl.

Should bell peppers be stored at room temperature or refrigerated?

Keep these red, yellow, orange and green peppers in the produce compartment of your refrigerator. They'll typically last 1-2 weeks.

What to serve with stuffed peppers

This really is a meal in itself, but if you'd like to round out this main dish, here are a few ideas for you!

Air Fryer Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Simple green salad with healthy ranch dressing

More one pan dinners