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 skillet. 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.
- Bell peppers: Use green bell peppers for the classic stuffed-pepper flavor, but red or yellow also work.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice holds its shape best and cooks the fasted.
- Vegetables & tomato base: Onion, garlic, canned diced tomatoes (regular or fire-roasted) and tomato paste (which is optional because sometimes it can make the end result just slightly less fluffy).
- 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.
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 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 green bell peppers chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 teaspoons oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste optional
- ½ cup basmati rice uncooked and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, green peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the beef is browned.
- Add the tomato paste, if using, and saute for 2-3 more minutes, until well combined and fragrant. Add the rice, diced tomatoes, and water and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without opening the lid.
- Remove from heat but keep covered for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork to separate.
- Serve in bowls garnished with shredded cheddar cheese and parsley.
Notes
My Top Tip: Don’t be tempted to peek inside the skillet until the cook time is done and the steaming time is done. That way you keep all the steam inside to fully cook the rice.
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: 428kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 982mg, Potassium: 658mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 823IU, Vitamin C: 56mg, Calcium: 194mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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 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. Don’t be tempted to peek inside until the cook time is done and the steaming time is done.
- 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
Hi Yumna! I’ve made this so many times and my family and I love it- so easy to make and very flavorful 🙂 Question- how do you feel about feta as a topper at the end instead of cheddar? Looking to try that next time (more mediterranean perhaps?). Thanks!
I think feta would be delicious here! It would give it a more Mediterranean twist and add a nice salty, tangy flavor. I’d probably sprinkle it on at the end instead of baking it like cheddar. So glad this has become a family favorite!
This was easy to make and is very tasty. I like a one pot meal.
I like a one-pot meal, too! Makes it so easy to clean up. So glad you liked this, Sherry!
If I were to double this recipe would I need to adjust cooking times at all?
Hi Joann, you can usually keep the cooking time about the same when doubling it, as long as you use a large enough pot. I’d start checking the rice at 20 minutes, then add a few extra minutes if needed until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. The biggest difference is that it may take a little longer to come to a boil before simmering. Hope that helps!
Delicious!!! Used Turkey & added some Worcestershire sauce to it. Wasn’t enough for seconds. I will double the rice & sauce next time!
Love that, Debbie! You know a recipe is a winner when there isn’t enough left for seconds! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this as a whim at the last minute and it was delicious. I adjusted the seasoning by adding Adobo in place of the salt, other than that addition I followed the recipe exactly. I really enjoy your recipes!
Thank you so much, Francine! Hearing that you enjoy my recipes really made my night. Love that you added Adobo seasoning and that it turned out delicious!
I made too much rice for dinner tonight… so I was looking for a recipe like this, can I use cooked rice?
Hi Sam, yes, that should work! Here’s what I’d do: Use about 1½ cups cooked rice in place of the ½ cup uncooked basmati rice. Make the recipe as written through cooking the beef and vegetables, then add the diced tomatoes and reduce the water to about ¼ to ½ cup, just enough to keep it saucy. Simmer for about 10–15 minutes so the peppers soften and the flavors come together, then stir in the cooked rice and heat everything through for 2–3 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Very tasty.
So glad you liked them!
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 😉)
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, I’m hoping to try this recipe with ground chicken. I’d 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!!
These reviewers who don’t follow the recipe, change everything and then complain that it wasn’t good are pretty obnoxious. You’re making something else, not the dish in this recipe. Which I happened to make this evening, only changes made were using red, yellow and orange peppers because that’s all I had on hand. Mine turned out delicious. So good that I forgot to add the cheese and didn’t even miss it. Thanks for sharing this easy weeknight meal. We loved it!
Aww, so happy it was a hit at your house!! Thanks so much, Melany!
Delicious and easy! I used a food chopper to make quick work of the peppers and onions. I didn’t have any fresh garlic on hand so I used freeze dried, and I omitted the parsley on top since I also didn’t have that on hand. Still turned out great, and will absolutely make again!
Love all of your tweaks! So happy you liked how it turned out, Sabrina. Thank you so much!!
In my opinion this recipe needs more green peppers and onions as the flavor is bland. The second time I made this I used 5 green peppers and quartered my onion to add. I skipped the oregano as my family disliked the taste of it. I threw in a large handful of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix instead of the oregano. Tweaked to what we liked and it is now a regular on out meal rotation. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Love the tweaks you made!! Thank you for sharing, Sammy!
Very good! I used Jasmine rice and it was done. I used beef broth instead of water, and I put about 1/2 TBsp in. It turned out great. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
So glad you liked it, Karen! Thank you so much!!
Same issue as a lot of other folks with the rice being undercooked. Taking forever.
Oh no, so sorry to hear that! What kind of rice did you use? Short grain white rice and long grain brown rice take more time to cook, which is why I recommend using long grain white rice for this recipe. Hope that helps!
This was pretty good. Some adjusting is needed. Nowhere in the recipe does it tell you to drain the fat from the meat. The oregano is way too high. I’m Italian but I don’t like that much oregano. I substituted Italian seasoning and added garlic powder and onion powder. The rice cooked but it was kind of mushy when it was done. I let it sit before opening and it was still mushy. I think it needs more rice. Next time I may make the rice separately and add it in to make the dish more fluffier.
Thanks for the feedback, Laura! Glad you were able to adjust the seasoning to your preferences and liked how it turned out. I use 93% lean ground beef and don’t usually find it needs draining, so that’s why there isn’t a step included in the recipe. As for the rice, did you make sure to use regular long-grain white rice? The type of rice will impact the cook time.
Awesome recipe! Easy, filling and delicious meal. A family favorite
Yay!! So happy you all loved it!
Made this tonight for dinner tonight and it turned out amazing. I did make a few changes to it. I used frozen mixed of peppers and onions for convenience added fresh mushrooms. Switch spaghetti sauce for the tomato paste and Italian sausage for ground beef. Will definitely be making this again.
Your tweaks sound awesome! So happy you liked the recipe!! Thank you, Jennifer!
So happy you liked it! Love hearing how you prepare it. Thank you!
It’s so much easier than oven-stuffed peppers–great for quick dinners and you can adjust seasonings however you like. I recommend cooking your rice separately to avoid overcooked or undercooked rice. Just start your rice in the microwave or on the stove as you start browning your meat and it shouldn’t add to the cooking time. Thanks again for posting!
So happy you liked it! Love hearing how you prepare it. Thank you, Marguerite!
Tried this using jasmine rice (my go-to) and it turned out great.
Yay, I’m so glad you liked it!!
Truly ‘so good’ – my kids loved it. I think we will eat it with yoghurt rather than cheese. Will try both!
Yum, that sounds great! Let me know how it turns out with yogurt instead!
Very flavorful and delicious. However as instructions followed, the rice doesn’t cook. I would recommend doing it separately and adding the rice after.
Thanks for the feedback, Chris. I am retesting this one to see why the rice isn’t cooking for some people. I appreciate your help!
I have tried this recipe twice now and both times the rice was still hard. I cooked it for the time indicated and thought the extra time off the heat would continue cooking it. It didn’t. I used short grain sprouted rice the first time and long grain brown rice the second time. The flavor is really good with the fresh vegetables. Maybe will make rice separately if I make it again.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Mary. So sorry to hear your rice didn’t cook properly either time you made this unstuffed peppers bowl. I’m in the process of retesting this recipe so your notes are very helpful!
This may be a silly question, but if I substitute the long grain rice for minute rice, would I just follow the instructions on the back of the box for cook time? I find it hard to believe a 45 minute simmer would be complete in 5?
Hi Tracy, I don’t recommend using minute rice for this recipe. It will cook in minutes (because it is pre-cooked and then dehydrated) but that 45-minute simmer time is needed to help the rice soak up all the flavors from the vegetables, beef, and spices.
Darn! Tripled the recipe since I had 3lbs of ground beef. Used the amounts as directed for that amount. Flavor was really bland and needed way more! Would try again but needs maybe Italian seasoning and more salt?
I really appreciate your feedback, Amber. So sorry it didn’t turn out how you had hoped. I hope you were able to add more seasoning to your taste preferences and save the dish!
I added a tsp goya adobo, about a tsp paprika sprinkle of chili flakes and sprinkle of cumin.
I tried this recipe and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Yay, so happy to hear that! You’re welcome!
These stuffed peppers were easy and amazing. I made the recipe as is extra cheese at the end plus some sriracha hot sauce. Rice cooked in about 20 minutes, I just made sure to boil it for a minute or two at first. I use medium grain, which is supposed to take the longest and had no issues. Definitely going in the recipe book!!
Yay, I’m so glad you liked this one!! Hot sauce and extra cheese are always winners. Thanks, Desiree!
Easy recipe, but a bit bland. I feel it needs more seasoning. I added a beef stock cube, cumin, and smoked paprika. I would’ve also added mild chili powder if I had it in the house. I also served with chopped cilantro on top in addition this the shredded cheese.
Thanks for the feedback, Sarah! I’m glad you were able to adjust the seasoning and make it your own. Love the cilantro garnish too!
This is simple to make and tastes delicious! I’m going to make it again today
So glad you liked this recipe and found it easy to make!! Thanks, Vickie!
In Tips, you mention loving quinoa in this dish. Do you simply swap out the uncooked rice for uncooked quinoa?
Thanks! Making it this week!
Yes, you can just use uncooked quinoa instead of uncooked rice. It’s so good, I hope you enjoy!!
Love this recipe
Yay, I’m so happy you liked it!!
Loves this!!! So easy and tasty
Thanks, Autumn!
Video says to simmer for 20 minutes. Recipe says to simmer 45 minutes. Recipe is the right time, not the video.
We enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Toni!
This was a hit with the family! Everyone had seconds and was requested to be added to normal dinner rotation. Easy to prep and easy to cook. Loved it! Followed recipe to the “t” x 2. Soooo good!
Yay! So glad to hear.
OMGosh this is outstanding – house smells delicious!!! I used ground turkey because it’s what I had, plus added corn for color. A real wower!!!
Aww thanks so much!
This is a great one pan meal! I used quinoa and added a can of corn and sliced mushrooms plus some harissa & topped it with a dollop of plain yougurt- it was YUMMY!
Sounds delicious, thanks for sharing!
I used the kind of rice that the recipe calls for. It never softened even after adding extra liquid and cooking for nearly twice the directed time. Still has good flavor, but next time I will make the rice separately.
So sorry about that, I appreciate you feedback. For 1/2 cup of rice the cooking time listed in the recipe should be more than enough time. Plus, the water called for in the recipe combined with the other ingredients has been the perfect amount of liquid for me to get the rice tender and fluffy. Did you bring the mixture all the way to a boil before cooking it at a simmer?
Very easy and very good I did not change a thing! I will be making this again!
Yay, so happy to hear!
I love a good one pot meal! The only thing I had to change was adding probably a cup and a half to two cups of liquid to cover the mixture. The rice was perfectly cooked after 30 minutes with the extra liquid. It also needs more seasoning than you think it will, but that’s probably bc of all the extra broth I added.
Thanks for sharing!
This has quickly become a family favourite in my house. I used basmati rice and it worked just fine! I added a lot more garlic and used turkey instead of beef. Still great!
Great, so glad you like it!
I used the rice as directed. Did not soften at all. Very disappointed.
Hi there,I’m very sorry to hear this didn’t come out as expected. What type of rice did you use? Cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice used. This recipe calls for regular long-grain white rice, you can use whatever type of rice you prefer, but it may take longer to soften.
I’ve made this twice now and both times the rice has turned out hard 🙁 I followed the recipe to a tee and tried cooking for longer the second time and adding a little extra water but no luck. Not sure what I’m doing wrong but I really wanted to like this recipe
So sorry to hear that! What type of rice are you using? Cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice used. This recipe calls for regular long-grain white rice, you can use whatever type of rice you prefer, but it may take longer to soften. You would just need to taste the mixture as you go and cook until the rice is soft.
I used Jasmine rice!
This is a family favorite! For nutrition facts, can you please tell me how many servings this makes? Thanks in Advance
This full recipe makes about 4 servings, each being roughly 2 cups. Thanks!
Absolutely a five star recipe!!! Not only is it delicious and nutritious but it’s a super easy one pot meal – highly recommend!!!
Thank you so much!!
OMGosh! My boys and i love this recipe ! And i feel like it is easier than stuffing peppers. I did make a couple changes according to what i had in the pantry: i used jar marinara sauce in place of the tomatoes ( one son has a LD and doesn’t like tomato chunks on his plate) and paste (just because i didn’t have any). It is definitely getting added to our dinner rotation!!
Yay, so glad you found a new recipe for the weekly dinner rotation! Always a win when that happens!!
This is one of my favorite weekday recipes! My husband and 2 year old love it, too!
I have one question: I’m dieting right now, so I’m trying to log this into my calorie counter app. I see the nutritional information, but not the serving size. Can you tell me the serving size for the 333 calories, please? TIA!
So happy to hear the whole family enjoyed this recipe! I would say one serving is roughly 2 cups.
Great recipe! Quick and easy to make. It needed a little more seasoning in my opinion, but overall very tasty (we added some extra salt).
So glad you liked it, Rochelle!
We made this recipe this weekend & it was so good! My husband is a plastic surgery resident & it was such a quick fix for when he needed to take food to work. And our toddler also loved it. Definitely on rotation in our household now
So happy to hear that everyone liked it!
I did this with pearl couscous and Italian sausage and it was amazing!
So glad you liked it, Tina!
OMG it tasted just like I wanted it to! I did add 1 tbsp of chili sauce and tbsp or so of brown sugar because I like a hint of sweetness in a stuffed green pepper. SO so good.
Love those additions! So glad you like them!
After 35 minutes, long grain rice still not cooked.
Sorry to hear that, how long did it end up taking?
This was SO delicious!!! I added a seasoned salt instead of retailer and a can of corn like stated from another review and couldn’t get enough! No leftovers in this household!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
You’re so welcome!
Yummy I made this has a last-minute dinner and I use Italian sausage and hamburger meat and then I was making enterprise but still the flavor was amazing
So glad you enjoyed it!
Do you think I could sub tomato sauce for the tomatoes? I don’t like the texture of tomatoes lol
I haven’t tried that before, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. The risk would be that it’s a little more watery than intended.
So good!
Thanks, Royshelle!
Rice was not cooked through 🙁
Oh no! I am sorry to hear that, Jessica. What type of rice did you use?
I used basmati, I had to double the time
Hmm, I am going to retest this recipe and see what is going on. Thank you for your feedback!
My rice didn’t cook enough either. I used the long grain like it called for.
I just made this tonight and rice also not cooked.
Ah – so sorry! What kind of rice did you use?
This was delicious and easy to make! I added some corn, dried parsley and Cajun spice. I used brown rice so it took an extra 15-20 minutes on simmer. Will definitely remake it!
Oh yum! Great additions! I am so glad you liked it!
I made Unstuffed Peppers last night. This is a delicious & easy recipe! I will have leftovers for at least 3 days, which is the whole goal to my single living! I am sure I will make it again, but first I want to get through more of these delicious recipes. Thank you!
Thank you so much! That is perfect. Hope you continue to enjoy!
LOVED this recipe! The peppers have such a better tasting role in this dish vs. the traditional method of stuffing them and not really seasoning. I followed this recipe to a tee and wouldn’t change a thing. There’s a lot of versatility with this dish though, I used ground beef but you can easily sub with another meat. I will definitely make this again and again. PS – it is even better the second day!
Thank you so much, Meagan! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe that much. Yay!!
I get a LOT of peppers from my CSA. This recipe is so good. I use all the different peppers and tonight I substituted ground pork (last time ground bison). I will make again and again.
Thank you so much! Yum!!
Made this recipe and it is excellent! Super tasty and easy to make. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow.
Thank you so much! Hope you continue to enjoy it!
This dish is amazing! It’s become a weekly dish in our household. Not only healthy but delicious. We always have leftovers because it makes a lot.
Thank you! That’s amazing to hear!
I have made this dish a few times now. My wife keeps requesting it. This last time I changed it up a little by using ground turkey in place of ground beef, and I always use whatever bell peppers come to hand. Delicious and easy to adapt to what is available.
Love the sound of that! This recipe is so versatile, so it’s hard to get tired of it.
Made these for dinner last night and it was FABULOUS! Lots of flavor…even better day 2 bringing it to work for lunch! It was very easy to make. This may be a normal rotation on our dinner menu. Thank you!
Thank you! That’s perfect. Hope you continue to enjoy!
I made these for my fussy teenage daughter and she loved them! Now we eat them once a week. Very easy.
That’s amazing!
Incredibly easy and absolutely delicious!! Your recipes never disappoint
Thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear!
I love it!! Thank you so much for another fantastic recipe😍
Yay!! You’re so welcome!
Genius, stuffed peppers …. But easy. So thankful for this recipe ❤️
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear! Yay!!
This was delicious and what little was leftover was even better for lunch today❤️
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it that much!
Amazing recipe! Such a great alternative to stuffed peppers!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed!