Ingredients
- Ground Meat: 1 pound of ground beef, turkey, or chicken. For a vegetarian option, you can use lentils or crumbled plant-based meat substitutes.
- Bell Peppers: 3 large bell peppers, any color you prefer (red, green, yellow, or orange – a mix is beautiful!). Diced into ½ inch pieces.
- Onion: 1 medium yellow onion, diced.
- Garlic: 2 cloves garlic, minced.
- Cooked Rice: 1 ½ cups cooked rice. White, brown, or even quinoa works well. Using pre-cooked rice pouches or leftover rice makes this recipe even faster.
- Diced Tomatoes: 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained.
- Tomato Sauce: 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce.
- Italian Seasoning: 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.
- Paprika: 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika adds a lovely depth).
- Salt: 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste.
- Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Shredded Cheese (Optional): ½ cup shredded mozzarella, cheddar, or a blend of your choice. For a dairy-free version, use nutritional yeast or a plant-based shredded cheese alternative.
- Fresh Parsley (Optional Garnish): Chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
Instructions
- Brown the Ground Meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease. Pro-Tip: For extra flavor, don’t overcrowd the pan. Brown the meat in batches if necessary.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add diced onion to the skillet with the cooked meat and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Sautéing the onion and garlic first builds a flavorful base for the entire dish.
- Add Peppers and Tomatoes: Stir in the diced bell peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they begin to soften slightly but still have a bit of bite. Add the diced tomatoes (undrained) and tomato sauce to the skillet.
- Season and Simmer: Stir in Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the peppers to soften further. Simmering is key to developing rich, cohesive flavors in this unstuffed pepper dish.
- Stir in Cooked Rice: Remove the lid and stir in the cooked rice. Mix well to combine everything evenly. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until heated through. Adding the rice at the end ensures it doesn’t become mushy and retains its texture.
- Cheese it Up (Optional): If using cheese, sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of the unstuffed peppers. Cover the skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and gooey. The melted cheese adds a delicious, comforting finish to the dish.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 350-450
- Sugar: 8-12 grams
- Sodium: 500-700 mg
- Fat: 15-25 grams
- Saturated Fat: 5-10 grams
- Carbohydrates: 30-40 grams
- Fiber: 5-7 grams
- Protein: 25-35 grams
- Cholesterol: 70-100 mg