Description
Unstuffed Peppers is a delicious and convenient twist on the classic stuffed peppers recipe, featuring ground beef, bell peppers, rice, tomatoes, and a blend of spices all cooked together in one skillet. Topped with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese, this hearty and comforting dish is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The peppers are sautéed to a slight char, then combined with savory beef and tomato mixture simmered with rice until tender, finished under the grill for a cheesy melt.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Unstuffed Peppers
- 1 lb / 500 g Ground Beef (low fat, preferably 5%)
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 - 1 1/3 cups / 375-400 ml Beef Stock
- 1/2 cup / 100 g Long Grain Rice (uncooked)
- 3 tbsp Tomato Puree (tomato paste)
- 3 Bell Peppers, diced into large chunks
- 1 medium Onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1.5 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1.5 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder (hot or mild, to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup / 100 g Mozzarella
- 1 cup / 100 g Cheddar
- Olive Oil, as needed
To Serve
- Finely diced Fresh Coriander / Cilantro
- Diced Avocado (optional)
- Sour Cream (optional)
Instructions
- Char the Peppers and Cook Aromatics: Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the diced bell peppers and fry until they are lightly charred. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the finely diced onion and cook until soft. Stir in the finely diced garlic and cook for another couple of minutes until fragrant.
- Brown the Beef and Add Tomato Paste: Add the ground beef to the skillet and fry until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a couple of minutes, allowing the flavors to deepen.
- Add Liquids and Spices: Pour in the beef stock and canned chopped tomatoes. Add the dried oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together well to combine.
- Simmer with Rice: Stir in the uncooked long grain rice. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially if needed, and cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Stir occasionally and add more stock or water if the mixture gets too dry during cooking.
- Top with Cheese and Grill: Use a wooden spoon to level out the cooked mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the top. Place the skillet under a preheated grill (broiler) set to high and cook until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the grill. Sprinkle over plenty of freshly chopped coriander or cilantro. Serve hot with optional diced avocado and sour cream on the side for a creamy finish.
Notes
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a large oven-safe pan or a baking dish can be used to cook and melt the cheese under the grill.
- This recipe can be made ahead of time. Cool completely, then store tightly covered in the refrigerator or freezer. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
- Use lean ground beef to avoid greasy texture. If using fatty beef, drain excess fat after browning.
- Calorie estimate is based on the whole recipe divided into 4 servings with no sides.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
