With the classic flavors of classic Stuffed Peppers, but much less work, this skillet version cooks up in just 20 minutes for a healthy family dinner option. And it has the added kid-friendly benefit of being served deconstructed to let the kids clearly see what’s in their bowls!
I love the flavors of classic stuffed peppers, but the whole having to cook the filling and then bake it inside the peppers always seems like far too much work when I’m making dinner for my family on a weeknight.
This skillet version uses similar ingredients so you wind up with the same flavor experience but serves them up in a deconstructed style for maximum flavor in a short amount of cooking time.
And this way also makes it easy for the kids to see what’s in the dinner, which can be helpful if they’re naturally skeptical of casserole-type foods like classic stuffed peppers.
The majority of the cooking time is also totally hands-off, which makes this recipe a nice thing to get going when you get home at the end of the day.
And it’s so versatile, so you can change the type of meat or the kind of rice as you like.
(You may also like Skillet Lasagna, homemade Hamburger Helper, Easy Sloppy Joe’s, Cheeseburger Pasta, and more recipes with Hamburger Meat.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this skillet dinner you need to have the following ingredients on hand from the store.
- Bell peppers: I usually slice up fresh ones, but you can use frozen pre-sliced if you prefer to cut down on the prep-work.
- Ground beef: You can use any type of ground beef, just drain off any excess fat if needed. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
- Crushed tomatoes: Use plain ones or those with basil and Italian spices for more flavor.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and salt to add classic Italian flavor to the mixture.
- Rice: Any kind of rice you like works here, whether white or brown, short or long grain.
- Shredded cheese: I use mozzarella, but you can use what you have or enjoy most.
Ingredient Swaps
Trade in lean ground turkey for beef.
Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes or even marinara sauce.
Sub in Italian seasoning for the mix of spices.
Use quinoa or pasta instead of the rice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
- Dice the peppers.
- Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, the peppers, and spices.
- Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook.
- Remove lid, stir, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice topped with cheese, if desired.
TIP: I make the rice ahead of time or use precooked rice from the store.
What kind of rice do you like to use?
I typically use jasmine rice or short grain brown rice since I like the flavor and it’s readily accessible at my grocery stores. But it’s easy to vary this based on what your family prefers.
Try it with another kind of rice or maybe quinoa or couscous. You could even serve the filling over pasta! And, if you prefer, you could use ground turkey or even ground bulk Italian sausage.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Totally! I often make the rice and cook the filling and then store them in the fridge until dinnertime. You can also make each component up to 3 days ahead and simply reheat when you’re ready to serve.
Kid-Friendly Stuffed Peppers
More and more, I find that making something “kid-friendly” is all about our perspectives. This is deconstructed, so the kids can clearly see what’s in their meal. And with multiple components, they can decide not to eat one of them and still eat their fill of the rest. It’s all good!
How to Store
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm to serve. You can also prep the peppers ahead of time by dicing and storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice can also be cooked up to 5 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Best Tips for Success
- Cut the peppers to be similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Cook with the lid on, as directed, to trap in steam and cook everything more quickly.
- Serve over your family’s favorite rice. Or use a different grain or pasta.
- Let everyone top with cheese if desired.
- Adults may like this with crushed red pepper on top.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe so please leave a rating or comment below!
Easy Stuffed Peppers Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rice (uncooked; or use fully cooked rice from the store)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 cups sliced bell peppers (cored discarded; about 4 peppers)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Shredded mozzarella and basil (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, the peppers, and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Remove lid, stir, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve over rice topped with cheese and basil, if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Cut the peppers to be similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Cook with the lid on, as directed, to trap in steam and cook everything more quickly.
- Serve over your family’s favorite rice.
- Top with cheese if desired.
- Adults may like this with crushed red pepper on top.
- You can make the rice and cook the filling, and store them in the fridge until dinnertime. You can also make each component up to 3 days ahead and simply reheat when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
This post was first published April 2018.
Excellent. Sub with any meat and vegetables and still a great meal
I want to try to make this tonight! Do you think it would freeze well?
Sure!
Another winner! My family loved it and it we’ll be making it again. Thanks, Amy!
I’m a new grandmother and when my one-year-old granddaughter visits I need to have good meals for her. I found your site and made this dish tonight. Your recipe was clear and I had the ingredients handy. It came together quickly. I am glad it can be reheated since I need it for tomorrow and wanted to make it ahead of time. I tasted a small sample over jasmine rice and topped with shredded cheese and it was delicious! I like that it is something she can eat and we adults can also enjoy. I will return for more recipes for sure!
I don’t have quite enough peppers to make this, so you think some zucchini would be okay?
Sure!
Delicious, my husband and I loved it. But most importantly our 12 month old really enjoyed it. She ate it all up!
So glad to hear it!
I cut the recipe in half-ish (2 bell peppers, half the spices, but I did use a whole can of diced tomatoes (not crushed.) I used meatballs I already had in the freezer. I used a 90 second microwave bag of brown rice. I served my 23 month old the components of meatball, pepper, tomato, rice, and mozzarella cheese stick in a deconstructed way….he ate the rice and the cheese stick. He ate some of the rice with the tomato mixture from my plate if I fed him off my fork. At least I offered him veggies. I enjoyed the meal with some Colby jack cheese (what I had shredded). I turned out a lot tastier than I thought it would as I stood agonizing what to make for dinner for us.
Easy to make and tasty for the whole family.
Love this easy yummy dinner! I’ve made it with chicken as well as beef. I prefer beef but the chicken was also good!
Thanks for all your recipes, your site is a life-saver!
Going to try this for dinner – realize I don’t have garlic powder, could I use minced garlic? If not, and I sub all the seasonings for Italian, how much Italian seasoning should I use?
Hi- yes, you can use minced garlic. I’d use 1-2 cloves depending on how much you like it. And I’d start with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. You could probably bump it to 2, but I like to start with less and then taste it at the end and add more as needed.
Thanks so much!
I’ve made this several times and we love it! I wondered if you have ever tried it in the slow cooker? With the nice weather now my son wants to stay outside and enjoy every minute of the day (but he’s not old enough yet to be outside alone). Thought this could be a great walk in the door and serve recipe too! Any suggestions on if/how to do this would be appreciated!
Hi- I haven’t done it that way, but I bet you could. I would try about 7 hours on low. It may wind up a little saucier since nothing will evaporate, but you can adjust once you see how it turns out that first time. I hope that helps (and I totally get wanting to be outside more!)
You don’t need to drain the meat grease?
You can if there is a lot of it!
Super easy and so stinking good! I only had 2 peppers left in my fridge and used 1/2 c of uncooked rice instead of the 1 1/2 c — same amount of seasoning. All still perfectly delicious!