Description

Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers is a comforting one-pan dish that combines ground beef, rice, and bell peppers cooked in a flavorful tomato broth and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This simplified take on the traditional stuffed pepper recipe is easy to prepare, hearty, and perfect for a family meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground beef
½ cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups diced red bell pepper (orange or yellow work too!)
2 cup low sodium beef broth
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup dry white rice
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

Heat the oil: In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the beef and vegetables.
Cook the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula so it browns evenly and cooks through completely.
Sauté onion and garlic: Once the beef is cooked, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté together for 3 minutes until the onions soften and the garlic is fragrant.
Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the diced bell peppers, beef broth, tomato sauce, dry white rice, dried basil, oregano, parsley, and black pepper. Mix everything well to combine the flavors.
Simmer with lid on: Cover the pan and bring the mixture to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed.
Top with cheese and melt: After the rice is cooked, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the cheese melts and becomes gooey, about 3-5 minutes.

Notes

Use orange or yellow bell peppers as a colorful alternative to red peppers.
Stir the mixture occasionally during cooking to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan.
For a vegetarian option, substitute ground beef with plant-based meat or cooked lentils and use vegetable broth.
Adjust seasonings according to taste – adding a pinch of salt if needed since the broth is low sodium.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.