Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Stuffed pepper casserole is an easy crowd-pleaser with bell peppers and Italian herbs that also makes for great leftovers.

Course: Main Course

Keyword: basil, beef broth, bell pepper, brown rice, casserole, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, easy dinner, freezer meal, fresh garlic, ground beef, ground turkey, kid-friendly, onion, oregano, paprika, parsley, shredded cheese, tomato sauce, white rice, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion diced (I used yellow)
3 large bell peppers diced (any color)
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup beef or chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheese I used Mexican blend

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a nine-by-13-inch baking dish, and set it aside.
Be sure to start your rice, cooking it according to package instructions. You’ll want to end up with two cups of cooked rice.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and ground meat to the pan. Brown the meat, breaking it apart as you go. When the meat is done and the vegetables are cooked through, drain off any accumulated fat, and add the garlic to the pan.
Saute until the garlic is fragrant, about two minutes, and then dump in the diced tomatoes (don’t drain them), tomato sauce, broth, oregano, basil, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper and your prepared rice. Stir to combine.
Once everything is mixed together well, pour all of it into your prepared baking dish. Cover the pan with foil and bake it for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil, sprinkle the top with cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and is just starting to brown.
Let the casserole cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving.