Stuffed Pepper Casserole

My kids are obsessed with stuffed peppers. It is one of those things in parenting where I try to not make a big thing about it because I don’t want to jinx it. They literally do fist pumps when they see me making them.

So they absolutely love this Stuffed Pepper Casserole. It checks so many boxes for them. And it’s super easy to make, which is basically my only box. It is loosely based on my Italian Stuffed Peppers, but a little easier because it’s a one pot meal.

How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This whole recipe comes together in a large 12 inch oven proof skillet. As with all my recipes, please see the full recipe and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Brown the meat. We are using ground turkey in this recipe, so use a little olive oil. See the section below on using pork or beef.
2. Add seasonings.
3. Sauté the vegetables. We are adding onions and peppers. Cook them until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft.
4. Add the rice and the sauce. Then bring it all to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. The key to this recipe is to have the simmer strong enough that it cooks the rice in this time, but not too high that the liquid cooks off before the rice absorbs it. Read more on this below.
6. Add the cheese. Stir in the cheese, allowing it to melt, and then add some to the top. Put it under a broiler for a minute or two for it to melt.

Simmering this One Pot Casserole

As mentioned above, a key to this recipe is simmering at the correct heat level for 20 to 25 minutes. It is important that the heat is high enough that the rice cooks in 25 minutes, but not too high that the liquid cooks off before the rice can absorb it.

You want to look for consistent bubbles that are about pea sized. If you are seeing big roaring bubbles, like a boil, it is too hot. If you are seeing a lot of time between each bubble (more than 3 seconds), then it is not hot enough. This sounds far more complicated than it is, but it is something to watch for.

Using Pork or Ground Beef

If your family doesn’t love ground turkey, you can certainly make this with Italian sausage (pork) or ground beef. Because the fat content in those is higher, you can skip the olive oil if using those. When you are done sautéing the vegetables, drain the pan of any excess grease, and after that add the seasonings.

Freshly Grated Cheese

If you’ve been around these parts for a while, you know that one of my biggest tips is to skip the pre-shredded cheese sold in U.S. grocery stores. The reason for this is that cheese that you shred off the block melts infinitely better than shredded cheese you buy in the bag. Pre-shredded cheese is covered in preservatives that keep it from melting well.

While it is tempting to use the pre-shredded stuff to cut time from the recipe, it’s not worth it. Instead, shred the cheese while the recipe is simmering. It is well worth the added effort.

Freezing Stuffed Pepper Casserole

If you want to freeze this recipe, you will want to make it through step 5. Then stir in half the cheese as called for in step 6. Transfer the casserole to a disposable casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Wrap the casserole dish several times with plastic wrap. Freeze for up to three months.

When you are ready to cook the frozen casserole, you can cook it right from frozen. Remove the plastic wrap and cover in aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 15 more minutes.