Description
This Unstuffed Peppers recipe is a simple and flavorful one-skillet meal featuring ground beef, sausage, rice, and melted cheese. It's a perfect easy dinner loaded with savory herbs and spices, tomato-based sauces, and gooey cheese that the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 0.5 lb ground beef
- 0.5 lb ground sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 large bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Spices and Seasonings
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 0.75 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.75 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.75 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.75 teaspoon chili powder
Tomato and Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
Rice and Cheese
- 1.5 cups cooked white long grain rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375° F. Gather and measure out all the ingredients to streamline the cooking process.
- Cook Meat and Onions: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add beef, sausage, and diced onions. Cook and crumble the meat for 7 to 10 minutes until fully browned. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Cook Bell Peppers and Seasonings: Reduce heat to medium and add diced bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes to soften. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, dried basil, oregano, onion powder, and chili powder. Cook for an additional 2 minutes while stirring continuously to blend flavors.
- Add Tomato Base Ingredients: Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Mix well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Add Sauces and Simmer: Pour in marinara sauce and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Mix in Rice and Add Cheese: Stir the cooked rice into the skillet. Evenly top the mixture with shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven (or transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish if your skillet isn’t oven-safe). Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use all ground beef if preferred instead of mixing sausage and beef, but adding sausage enhances the flavor complexity.
- For sausage, Jimmy Dean’s regular breakfast sausage is recommended; hot, mild, or sweet Italian sausage also works well.
- Feel free to substitute white long grain rice with other rice types or cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.
- Shredding cheese from a block improves melt and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese; Cheddar and Monterey Jack provide the best results.
- High-quality marinara sauce, like Rao’s or Carbone, greatly elevates the taste.
- Use chicken broth for a balanced depth of flavor, but beef broth can be substituted if desired.
- To cook rice, steam 0.5 cup uncooked rice in 1 cup broth for 15 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork; butter is optional.
- For make-ahead, prepare meat mixture and shred cheese separately; store refrigerated up to 2 days, then bake covered for 18 minutes plus uncovered for 15 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
