Unstuffed Peppers
Updated Feb 08, 2026
This one-pan unstuffed peppers recipe combines beef, rice, bell peppers, and tomatoes for a simple weeknight dinner.
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Unstuffed peppers are soo good!
I really love stuffed peppers, but I don’t always feel like dealing with stuffing, baking, and waiting for them to soften just right. That’s how this unstuffed peppers recipe came to be. Same flavors, no stuffing the filling, and everything happens in one pan. I still get the ground beef, peppers, rice, and tomatoey base that makes stuffed peppers good, just chopped up and cooked together instead. I like that the rice cooks right in the pan and soaks up all the flavor, and there’s nothing to assemble or babysit in the oven. This unstuffed peppers situation is what I make when I want the comfort of the original without turning it into a whole production.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Unstuffed Peppers Ingredients
- Beef: Lean ground beef keeps it from getting greasy, but ground turkey or chicken works if you want something lighter.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice holds its shape best. I haven’t tested this recipe with brown rice, but I’m certain it will need more liquid and a longer cook time if used.
- Bell peppers: Green bell peppers gives you the classic stuffed-pepper flavor, but red or yellow are fine if that’s what you have.
- Vegetables & tomato base: Onion, garlic, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes. Tomato paste adds more oomph and keeps the dish from tasting watery. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes work well here, too.
- Seasoning: Olive oil, oregano, salt, black pepper. Oregano gives it that familiar stuffed-pepper vibe, but Italian seasoning can be swapped in.
- For serving: Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped parsley. Mozzarella or a cheddar blend also works.
How to Make Focus Unstuffed Peppers
Unstuffed Peppers Recipe
This unstuffed peppers recipe is made with ground beef, rice, bell peppers, tomatoes, and simple seasonings, all cooked in one pan.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 green bell peppers chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup long grain white rice uncooked, rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef, green peppers, onions, garlic, 3 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook until beef is browned, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and saute until well combined and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, diced tomatoes, remaining salt and water and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat but keep covered for an additional 5-10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork to separate.
- Serve in bowls garnished with shredded cheddar cheese and parsley.
Notes
My Top Tip: Check the liquid near the end: If the pan looks dry before the rice is fully cooked, add a splash of water or broth and keep simmering.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 2-3 days.
Freezing: These will keep well for around 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 815mg, Potassium: 701mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 819IU, Vitamin C: 57mg, Calcium: 160mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Variations
- Mix up your bowls. I love the flavor and texture of the traditional rice in these bowls, but you can easily swap it for quinoa or even pasta if you prefer.
- Add in other veggies. If you really want to load the veggies in, you can add in mushrooms, peas or beans when you cook the onions.
- Use spaghetti sauce. If you’re not a fan of tomato paste, you can easily use spaghetti sauce in its place.
- Leave out the meat. If you want to have a vegetarian unstuffed pepper, just leave out the meat and add in other peppers instead. Adding colored bell peppers can add a fun brightness to this dish!
Recipe Tips
- Brown the beef well before moving on: Let it cook until it’s properly browned, not just cooked through. That extra color adds a lot of flavor to the whole dish.
- Chop the peppers fairly small: Smaller pieces soften evenly and keep you from ending up with crunchy peppers mixed into soft rice.
- Stir in the tomato paste before adding liquid: Letting it cook for a couple minutes deepens the flavor and keeps the dish from tasting flat or watery.
- Keep the pan covered while the rice cooks: This helps the rice steam properly and cook through without drying out the mixture.
- Let it rest before serving: Giving it 5–10 minutes off the heat helps the rice finish absorbing liquid and makes the texture better overall.
Serving Ideas
- Side Salad: garden salad, kale Caesar salad, or simple green salad
Comments
Do you drain the meat after browning?
I use lean ground beef, so I don’t drain the fat for this recipe. If you use ground beef with a higher fat percentage, I do recommend draining it. Hope that helps!
So good!! Definitely adding this to my rotation! Would love more unstuffed ideas in the future (maybe Lebanese cabbage rolls ๐)
Yay, so glad you liked it!! Love that idea too. Thanks, Tia!
Update – made this with ground chicken, a variety of peppers, Jasmin rice and half the pepper. Delicious – thanks for another great recipe!
Yay! So happy you loved how they turned out!! Thanks, Amira!
Hi Yumna, Iโm hoping to try this recipe with ground chicken. Iโd also have to sub the rice for the Rooster brand jasmine rice, which needs to simmer for 10 minutes. Should I follow the cooking instructions for my rice instead of the 45 minute simmer as noted for the rice used in this recipe?
It will work great with ground chicken! Jasmine rice is a type of long grain rice so I would follow the directions exactly with those ingredients. Hope you enjoy!!
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