Unstuffed Bell Peppers Skillet (One Pan)

Name: Unstuffed Bell Peppers
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey); 1 small onion (diced (or one teaspoon of onion powder)); 3 bell peppers; 2 garlic cloves (minced (or one teaspoon of garlic powder)); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 ½ teaspoons salt and pepper; 1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes; 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce; 1 cup long-grain rice (uncooked); 2 ½ cups chicken broth; 1 cup shredded mozzarella; ¼ cup Parmesan cheese; Fresh parsley (chopped for garnish )

Stuffed peppers are a classic dinner recipe full of rich, comforting flavors that even the pickiest eater will love. The only thing we don’t love about them is they use a lot of pots and pans and also require stuffing (a lot of work for a weeknight!). That’s why we came up with our version of an unstuffed bell pepper skillet and we think it’s pretty genius.

It has all of the same flavors and textures but uses only a single skillet. Better yet, it comes together in 30 minutes (almost half of the time of regular stuffed peppers!). Now it’s one of our regular dinners on our meal plan rotation since all of the ingredients are pantry-friendly. If you love these traditional flavors, try our other easy spin on stuffed peppers with leftover chili.

Unstuffed pepper skillet in a large white skillet with a small white plate on the side with a single serving. — 📸 Photography by **Jenni Margaret**

Why you’ll love this recipe

Easier to make than regular stuffed peppers. This unstuffed version has minimal mess and only uses one pan. No more stuffing, filling, and baking the peppers. Plus it’s easier to eat too!
Affordable, easy to find ingredients. This is a dinner that’s quick to shop for and even faster to prep. Plus, it won’t break your wallet.
Great as leftovers. It’s one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day (in our opinion). Your family is sure to love it.

Tips for Busy Cooks

These deconstructed bell peppers are a pantry-friendly recipe when you’re in a pinch to make dinner. We always like to keep these ingredients stocked in our kitchen so a homemade meal is no more than 30 minutes away.

Ingredients for unstuffed pepper skillet.

Key Ingredient Notes

Ground beef – We love using lean ground beef in this recipe. You can also swap in ground turkey for a leaner option if you’d like.
Small onion – A great base vegetable for the deconstructed peppers. If you don’t have an onion at home, onion powder works nicely too.
Bell peppers – Key to any stuffed pepper recipe and an essential ingredient in our unstuffed version.
Garlic cloves – Always a required ingredient for this recipe in our book. Garlic powder can work too if you’re in a pinch.
Italian seasoning adds rich flavor and herbal notes.
Diced tomatoes add moisture and rich tomato flavor to the skillet.
Tomato sauce – We love the canned sauce here for its nice flavor and lighter consistency.
Long-grain white rice – A staple in a classic stuffed pepper that we also use in this skillet recipe.
Chicken broth – Cooking liquid for the rice that adds comforting flavors in every bite.
Shredded mozzarella – The cheesy component for a stuffed pepper.
Parmesan cheese – The best salty and cheesy garnish.
Fresh parsley adds a bite of fresh herb flavor before serving.

How to make unstuffed bell peppers

A large skillet with ground beef and peppers cooking.

Step 1: Heat a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook it for 2 minutes, breaking it apart.

Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for 3 minutes.

A large white skillet with ground beef, peppers, rice, and tomato sauce.

Step 2: Add the rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Mix well to combine.

A large white skillet with cooked peppers, rice, beef, and onions.

Step 3: Increase the heat and let it come to a full boil; then reduce the heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally.

A large white skillet with ground beef, peppers, onions, and melted cheese on top.

Step 4: Sprinkle cheese over the top, cover, let sit 2 minutes until melted.

Garnish with parsley, if you’d like. Serve hot right from the pan.

Expert Tips:

Layer the ingredients correctly for this one pan meal. When using a single skillet for something like this recipe, you want to make sure you layer the ingredients in the right order so they cook correctly. First is the beef, then the rice, and last the cheese.
Cook the beef all the way through before adding the rice. This is so important because this guarantees the meat is browned before adding the rest of the ingredients. It also adds flavor to the bottom of the skillet that adds richness to the rice.
Swap the beef for turkey or chicken. You can use ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option with this unstuffed pepper skillet.
Check the rice periodically, depending on how much liquid evaporates while it cooks on the stove, you may need a little bit more liquid.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

This recipe also freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat according to the instructions above.

A white plate with unstuffed pepper skillet and a fork.

FAQs

Does the rice need to be cooked before adding it to the unstuffed pepper skillet?

No, the beauty of this recipe is that everything cooks together in a single pan.

What other vegetables could I add to this skillet?

We love to add any seasonal vegetables. In the summer, this is zucchini, summer squash, and even corn. In the winter, we love adding sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

Can I swap the rice for brown rice or cauliflower rice?

Yes you can, but these two types of rice will take a different amount of stock. Brown rice will take longer to cook and cauliflower rice will take less time to cook than white rice.