Today's recipe shares Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper, a famous fun weeknight dinner. This fresh spin on our much-loved classic stuffed pepper casserole recipe is also effortless and delicious, perfect anytime during the year.
There's no secret behind my deconstructed stuffed bell peppers recipe. Simply sauté peppers, onion, and ground turkey, then combine with rice and cheese. And Enjoy effortlessly!
I'm here to tell you there's no need to fuss with stuffing or baking the peppers. This easy recipe lets you enjoy the flavors without the extra work.
Plus, it's more convenient to customize by including our favorite ingredients.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
⭐️It's quick to make compared to other classic stuffed pepper recipes.
⭐️This one-pot meal is highly customizable and adaptable.
⭐️A delicious weeknight dinner for the family.
The Ingredients
- Bell peppers: Any color of bell pepper would work great, but opting for more colors like red, green, yellow, or orange makes it look more pleasing.
- Ground meat: I chose ground turkey, but you can substitute ground beef, chicken, or a plant-based alternative.
- Onion and garlic: Adds an irresistible depth of flavor.
- Cooked rice: You can use white or brown, depending on your preference.
- Diced tomatoes: I've canned diced tomatoes. For rich flavors, substitute fire-roasted crushed tomatoes.
- Italian seasoning: I've used the store-bought. However, you can make your own by combining dried oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
- Cheese: Use the combination of cheddar and mozzarella for a creamy, cheesy top.
How To Make Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper?
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté chopped peppers and onions until softened, then remove from the pan.
- In the same pan, add more oil and cook ground turkey/beef until browned, then stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add diced tomatoes, cooked rice, seasonings, and sautéed vegetables. Stir well and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add water or broth if needed.
- Sprinkle cheese over the mixture, cover, and cook on low heat until melted. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy hot!
♨️How To Adjust The Heat?
This deconstructed stuffed pepper recipe has mild heat, mainly from the ground black pepper(FYI, the bell peppers have zero heat level).
You can minimize the heat by adjusting the ground black pepper. To make this dish spicier, add red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeños.
Storage & Reheating
The leftover deconstructed stuffed peppers can be repurposed to make soup, taco filling, or quesadilla stuffing.
You can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them to use within three months.
To reheat, use the stovetop or microwave. Sprinkle some water while reheating to retain moisture, and stir occasionally for even heating.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- For a vegan option, substitute ground turkey with crumbled tofu in this deconstructed stuffed pepper recipe.
- Add vegetables like zucchini, corn, mushrooms, or turnips.
More Stuffed Pepper Recipes
FAQ
Deconstructed stuffed peppers are a simplified version of the classic dish. Instead of stuffing the peppers with the meat filling, the peppers are sliced and tossed directly into the meat mixture.
Serve with garden salad or roasted veggies(like this spicy roasted sweet potato), which make great sides. Coleslaw adds a crunchy contrast.
You can make this dish in bulk and store it in individual portions. Simply reheat whenever you’re ready to enjoy!
For a vegan version, use crumbled tofu and dairy-free cheese. For a Tex-Mex twist, add black beans and corn and top with sour cream and tortilla chips.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers any color, chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey /beef
- 1 onion medium sized & diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes canned
- 1 cup cooked rice white / brown
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning /divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped peppers and onion to the skillet, and sauté until they soften.
- And remove it from the pan.
- Now to the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil and ground turkey/beef to the skillet. Break it up as it cooks until no pink remains in the meat.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with their juice), cooked rice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to combine. If the mixture seems too dry, add some water or beef broth. Let everything simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the mixture. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Once the cheese is melted, remove the skillet from heat. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend together.
- Serve hot, and enjoy this deconstructed version of a classic stuffed pepper!
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
- When reheating, add a splash of water to retain moisture.
- Make it in bulk and portion it into individual containers for easy meal prep.
- For more heat, add red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeños.
Beth says
This is a great recipe. I made it last night, and it has all the flavor my family loves without all the extra effort of trying to get the peppers to stand up. It's a lot easier to eat, too!
Andrea says
What a great way to have all the marvelous flavors of stuffed peppers. It's easy to make and I know my family are going to love it.
Justine says
I love stuffed peppers, but they're kind of a pain in the butt to eat. This was AMAZING - everything I loved about a stuffed pepper all done in one pan! It's a win!
Erik says
Very easy to make and everyone really enjoyed it. Going to make it again for family dinner next week, too!
Dottie says
The flavors were delicious together and easy to make. Mine was a little dry perhaps because I used more beef. I just added tomato sauce with a bit of Italian seasoning and sugar to adjust it. I'll make this again.
Sujatha Muralidhar says
Thank you Dottie, for trying the recipe! I'm so happy you enjoyed the flavors. Adding tomato sauce with Italian seasoning is a smart idea. Love how you made it your own!