Bell peppers lose 40% of their vitamin C when stuffed and baked—skillet cooking preserves nutrients in 8 minutes.
Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
Dive into a delightful one-pan wonder with our Unstuffed Pepper Skillet! This vibrant dish combines tender bell peppers, hearty ground beef, and fluffy rice, all simmered in a savory tomato sauce for an explosion of flavor. Perfect for those hectic weeknights, it’s a simple yet satisfying meal that brings the family together around the table!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This deconstructed masterpiece emerged in 1950s American suburbia when harried housewives realized stuffing bell peppers was bloody tedious—Hungarian immigrants in Cleveland's West Side had been doing unstuffed pepper casseroles for decades, but it took post-war America's obsession with one-pot efficiency to turn their paprika-laden comfort food into this skillet sensation that delivers all the flavor without the fiddly pepper-hollowing nonsense.
Regional Twist
In Louisiana's Acadiana parishes, they swap the cheddar cheese for sharp white cheddar mixed with Creole cream cheese, then spike the Worcestershire sauce with a hefty glug of Crystal hot sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 TBSP (15 ml) ground meatd garlic
- 2 cups (473 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) steak seasoning
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) beef broth
- bell peppers (to taste)
- 15 oz (425 g) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup (185 g) long grain white rice
- onion (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Brown ground beef in a skillet, add all seasonings, onion, and diced bell peppers.
- 2
Let that cook until beef is cooked through and peppers/onions have softened.
- 3
Drain any grease from the skillet.
- 4
Add diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, beef broth, and uncooked rice.
- 5
Stir well, bring to a boil, lower heat to about medium low, and cover with a lid.
- 6
Cook about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked, stirring once or twice during this time.
- 7
Mix in one cup of cheddar cheese.
- 8
Top with the rest of the cheese and let sit until cheese melts or pop under the broiler until melted.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the ground beef at medium-high heat (325-350°F surface temp) without stirring for 3-4 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper flavor complexity.technique325-350°F surface temp
- ✓Add bell peppers after the beef has released most of its moisture (about 5-6 minutes) because peppers contain 92% water and will steam the meat instead of browning if added too early.timing92% water content
- ✓Use a 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio (if using long-grain white rice) and maintain gentle simmer at 185-190°F to prevent rice from becoming mushy while ensuring complete starch gelatinization.technique2:1 ratio, 185-190°F
- ✓Reserve 1/3 of the cheese for topping because aged cheddar loses 15-20% of its sharp flavor compounds when fully melted into the dish versus when melted on top.ingredient15-20% flavor loss
- ✓Let the skillet rest off heat for 3-4 minutes before adding the first cup of cheese so the temperature drops to 160-170°F, preventing the cheese from breaking and becoming grainy.timing160-170°F
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Bell peppers lose 40% of their vitamin C when stuffed and baked—skillet cooking preserves nutrients in 8 minutes.
Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
Dive into a delightful one-pan wonder with our Unstuffed Pepper Skillet! This vibrant dish combines tender bell peppers, hearty ground beef, and fluffy rice, all simmered in a savory tomato sauce for an explosion of flavor. Perfect for those hectic weeknights, it’s a simple yet satisfying meal that brings the family together around the table!
The Story
This deconstructed masterpiece emerged in 1950s American suburbia when harried housewives realized stuffing bell peppers was bloody tedious—Hungarian immigrants in Cleveland's West Side had been doing unstuffed pepper casseroles for decades, but it took post-war America's obsession with one-pot efficiency to turn their paprika-laden comfort food into this skillet sensation that delivers all the flavor without the fiddly pepper-hollowing nonsense.
Regional Twist
In Louisiana's Acadiana parishes, they swap the cheddar cheese for sharp white cheddar mixed with Creole cream cheese, then spike the Worcestershire sauce with a hefty glug of Crystal hot sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 TBSP (15 ml) ground meatd garlic
- 2 cups (473 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) steak seasoning
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) beef broth
- bell peppers (to taste)
- 15 oz (425 g) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup (185 g) long grain white rice
- onion (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Brown ground beef in a skillet, add all seasonings, onion, and diced bell peppers.
- 2
Let that cook until beef is cooked through and peppers/onions have softened.
- 3
Drain any grease from the skillet.
- 4
Add diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, beef broth, and uncooked rice.
- 5
Stir well, bring to a boil, lower heat to about medium low, and cover with a lid.
- 6
Cook about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked, stirring once or twice during this time.
- 7
Mix in one cup of cheddar cheese.
- 8
Top with the rest of the cheese and let sit until cheese melts or pop under the broiler until melted.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the ground beef at medium-high heat (325-350°F surface temp) without stirring for 3-4 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper flavor complexity.technique325-350°F surface temp
- ✓Add bell peppers after the beef has released most of its moisture (about 5-6 minutes) because peppers contain 92% water and will steam the meat instead of browning if added too early.timing92% water content
- ✓Use a 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio (if using long-grain white rice) and maintain gentle simmer at 185-190°F to prevent rice from becoming mushy while ensuring complete starch gelatinization.technique2:1 ratio, 185-190°F
- ✓Reserve 1/3 of the cheese for topping because aged cheddar loses 15-20% of its sharp flavor compounds when fully melted into the dish versus when melted on top.ingredient15-20% flavor loss
- ✓Let the skillet rest off heat for 3-4 minutes before adding the first cup of cheese so the temperature drops to 160-170°F, preventing the cheese from breaking and becoming grainy.timing160-170°F