Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

The smell of bell peppers hitting hot oil still takes me back to my first tiny apartment kitchen, where I discovered that stuffed peppers didnt actually need to be stuffed at all. I was tired, hungry, and absolutely refused to spend an hour par-boiling peppers and carefully spooning filling into those wobbly vegetable containers. That night, everything went into one pan, and honestly, Ive barely made stuffed peppers the traditional way since.

My sister was skeptical when I first served this to her, insisting it wasnt real stuffed peppers without the tedious assembly process. Then she took a bite, went back for seconds, and asked for the recipe before shed even finished her plate. Now she makes it for her family on busy weeknights and tells everyone it was my idea all along.

Ingredients

• Lean ground beef: Brown rice can work but needs extra liquid and about 10 more minutes of simmering time, plus a bit more broth to keep things from getting too dry
• Bell peppers: I like using different colors because it makes the dish look vibrant, but any combination works perfectly fine
• Long-grain white rice: The broth choice matters here, beef adds richness while chicken keeps it lighter, both work beautifully
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Regular tomatoes are fine but fire-roasted ones add this subtle smoky depth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is
• Smoked paprika: This is the flavor powerhouse that gives the dish that classic stuffed pepper taste without needing hours of cooking

Instructions

Brown the beef:

Cook the ground meat in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon as it browns, about 5 minutes until no pink remains, then drain any excess fat

Soften the vegetables:

Toss in the diced peppers, onion, and garlic, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until they start smelling fragrant and slightly tender

Add everything else:

Pour in the uncooked rice, tomatoes with their juices, broth, and all the seasonings, stirring until everything is well combined

Simmer it together:

Bring to a bubble then turn the heat down to low, cover tightly, and let it cook gently for 15 to 18 minutes until the rice is fluffy and most of the liquid has disappeared

Melt the cheese:

Take the pan off the heat, sprinkle cheese over the top, cover again for a couple minutes, then watch it transform into a gooey, irresistible topping

Garnish and serve:

Scatter fresh parsley or cilantro on top and bring the whole skillet right to the table, letting everyone serve themselves family style

Save

Last winter, my neighbor came over smelling something delicious and ended up staying for dinner. She said it reminded her of Sunday suppers at her grandmothers house, which is pretty much the highest compliment a one-skillet meal can receive.

Making It Your Own

The beauty of this skillet is how forgiving it is. Swap ground turkey for beef, throw in some corn kernels, or use different colored peppers based on what looks good at the market. It adapts beautifully.

Serving Suggestions

This is hearty enough to stand alone as a complete meal, but a simple green salad with tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness nicely. Warm crusty bread never hurts either.

Storage And Leftovers

The flavors actually get better after a day or two in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and reheat with a splash of broth or water to bring it back to life.

• This freezes beautifully for up to three months if you want to batch cook for future busy nights
• Portion into individual containers before freezing for easy work lunches
• Let it cool completely before packing it away to prevent condensation from making the rice mushy

Save

Sometimes the simplest meals end up being the ones we crave most. This skillet has saved countless weeknights in my house, and I hope it does the same in yours.