Stuffed Pepper Skillet Bake

Name: Stuffed Pepper Skillet Bake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey; 1 medium yellow onion diced; 2 bell peppers diced, any color; 3 cloves garlic minced; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked; 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce for twist; 1 1/4 cups beef broth or chicken broth; 3/4 cup long grain white rice rinsed; 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese; Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 26 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Ground beef browned with onion until just shy of done, then bell peppers tossed in with garlic and Italian seasoning for a quick soften before adding tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and broth. Rice goes in, simmered low, lid on, steam doing the heavy lift till tender with occasional stirring. Cheese melts on top with residual heat. Parsley for freshness but not a must. Swap beef for ground turkey or chicken if fat’s a no-go. Use vegetable broth for a lighter touch or water when in a bind. Timing varies, watch softness of peppers and rice doneness instead. Aromas, bubbling edges, and sizzle guide your hand.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 45 min

Servings: 6 servings

#American #one pot meal #ground beef #weeknight dinner #easy recipes

Not your average stuffed pepper. This skillet bake nails the core idea without the fuss of hollowing peppers. Started off rough once—the meat overcooked, peppers turned to mush, rice clumped ugly. Learned fast: timing and texture matter more than following times blindly. Peppers need that quick soften but snap left intact. Rice soaking slow and steady, no frantic fiddling. The aromas build layer by layer—from seared beef and onion fragrance to garlic and Italian herbs scent hitting hard, then tomato plus broth bubbling all in harmony, you know the dinner’s close. Then cheese, the top carnival of gooeyness, melting slow steam style. Parsley’s just for those who want to pretend they’re fancy.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 bell peppers diced, any color
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce for twist
1 1/4 cups beef broth or chicken broth
3/4 cup long grain white rice rinsed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

About the ingredients

Ground beef is classic but try turkey or chicken for lighter eats, just watch cooking time as lean meats dry fast. Onion for sweetness, bell peppers for crunch and color—don’t skip either or you lose depth. Garlic—fresh—is non-negotiable; powder won’t cut it here. Italian seasoning adds subtle herb punch but fresh basil or oregano can switch it up. Worcestershire adds umami depth; soy sauce gives twist and salt bump. Broth boosts flavor complexity, water works but less vibrant. Rice type flexible: I went with long grain white for quick cooking and predictable fluff, brown rice needs longer, so adjust accordingly. Cheese—sharp cheddar for bite and melt, but Monterey Jack or mozzarella can mellow it out. Parsley optional but freshens final plate.

Method

Brown ground meat with diced onion in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Onion should turn translucent, meat just about cooked through but still a tad pink near edges. Drain fat if excessive but keep a bit for flavor.
Add diced bell peppers, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper right after onions soften. Toss and cook for 2-3 minutes till peppers start to release fragrance and soften but still have bite. Don’t let garlic brown too much or it’ll get bitter.
Pour in diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, Worcestershire (or soy for a deeper umami), and broth. Raise heat to a boil, sizzle, aroma will deepen. Scrape bottom to loosen any browned bits stuck—key flavor grab.
Dump in rinsed rice, stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Cover with tight lid, turn heat down to low simmer. Let rice soak in flavorful liquid. Resist stirring too much—risk mushiness—but give one gentle stir midway around 12 minutes mark.
Watch the edges bubbling gently, steam rising from lid edges. Rice grains should swell, soften, plumping to tender state around 22-25 minutes depending on stovetop variations. Bell peppers by now will be soft but not mush.
Remove from heat. Scatter shredded cheddar evenly over top. Cover loosely and let cheese melt in hot steam for 3-5 minutes. Don’t rush this step. Cheese should be gooey but not burnt or oily.
Garnish with bright fresh parsley if you want lift and color. Serve hot. Leftovers reheat well but add a splash of broth to refresh the rice if it’s dried during storage.

Cooking tips

Skip the rush. Browning beef and onions is your flavor base—don’t skimp on color or you get bland stew. Drain excess fat if you want lean but keep some fat for flavor reservoir. Adding peppers and garlic too early can burn garlic—throw them in once onions soften, quick toss only. Raising heat till boil after liquid in, helps incorporate flavors and release aromatics. Let rice absorb moisture low and slow, resist stirring too often or you’ll turn it gluey. Visual cues like gently bubbling edges, glutenous steam from lid edges tell you it’s close—not clock. Cheese melting with residual steam keeps gooey smooth without scorching or separating oils. Parsley or fresh herbs final lift—you decide. Use your nose and fingers to feel doneness rather than just times.

Chef's notes

💡 Brown meat just shy of done, pink edges okay. Retain some fat for flavor reserve. Onion translucent first before peppers or garlic. Don’t rush the soften on peppers keep some crispness; mush kills texture here.
💡 Raise heat to boil once liquids in. Sizzle sound and aroma changes mean flavors merging. Scrape browned bits from pan bottom or lose crucial taste. Liquid hits pan heat—lift those caramelized flavors fast.
💡 Rice rinsed white long grain cooks quicker; brown rice needs more time and more broth. Resist frequent stirring to avoid gluey sticky mess. Partial middle stir around 12 minutes breaks crust but prevents mush.
💡 If broth dips mid-cook add hot water little by little under lid. Cold water drops temp sharply ruins cook. If rice still too firm after 25 min, more liquid + low heat extension needed.
💡 Cheese melt last is gentle steam job, no direct heat or burnt goo. Loosely cover pan and watch cheese soften in residual warmth. No rush here; mix of melty and gooey texture key.
💡 Bell peppers usually need quick softening not collapse. Under-cook slightly then rely on residual heat inside covered pan post-cook. Over-soft peppers risk slimy texture that ruins bite.
💡 Swap meat easy—ground turkey or chicken lean dry faster, watch timing. Vegetable broth lightens dish if cutting fat or flavor weight. Soy sauce twists umami but monitor salt, it sneaks up.

Common questions

How to avoid mushy peppers?

Cook peppers 2-3 min max after onions soften. Keep bite intact. Bell peppers release moisture fast. Residual heat finishes softening. Overcooked peppers go slimy fast. Timing key not cook time alone.

Can I use brown rice?

Brown rice needs longer cook time and more liquid. 40-45 min total, maybe 1.5 cups broth, slow simmer completely covered. Watch texture close. Adjust liquid mid-cook if rice still firm—add hot water slowly.

What if cheese burns?

Cheese melts best off direct heat with lid loosely covering. Melt in residual steam 3-5 min max. If pan too hot or uncovered, cheese oils separate or scorched spots form. Low gentle heat is must here.

How to store leftovers?

Refrigerate cooled skillet bake in airtight container. To reheat, add splash broth or water avoid drying rice out. Warm gently stove or microwave. Can freeze but texture slightly tougher from rice starch shift. Reheat careful.