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If you love stuffed peppers, you’re going to love the idea of these Unstuffed Peppers! They have all the flavor and texture of traditional stuffed peppers but require less mess and less time to make. It’s a convenient quick recipe to make that’s loaded with so much goodness!
Unsuffed bell peppers are not only fast to make but they’re really delicious, too! Everyone in the family will love having this be what’s for dinner!
Perfect for a fast and easy weeknight meal or a fun way to cut out some carbs and focus on putting some good nutrition into your body.
Unstuffed versus stuffed peppers
- Less steps – Traditionally with stuffed peppers, you have to prepare the peppers in one dish, making the rice or quinoa in another pot, then core the peppers. Finally you bring all the ingredients together by stuffing them and baking them. Some nights that’s too many steps, and you just want to minimize the steps for making dinner.
- Less time – Instead of a 60 minute recipe, this one literally takes half the time from start to finish.
- Less clean up – Less cookware and bakeware involved when they’re not stuffed.
- Same amazing flavor – yes all the way!
IngredieNts to make Ground Beef unstuffed peppers
- Bell peppers: You can use green or any other color. The closer to red, the sweeter the pepper.
- Beef: It’s best to use lean ground beef for this recipe.
- Rice: Use any type of rice to make the unstuffed peppers more filling and substantial.
- Onions and garlic: For flavoring the ground beef and adding texture to the unstuffed bell pepper bowls.
- Seasonings: Oregano, salt and pepper.
- Tomato paste and tomato sauce: Tomato sauce brings the dish altogether. You can use canned or jarred and your favorite brand.
- For serving: The unstuffed pepper mix is served in a bowl and you can add any toppings you want. I usually just add shredded cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
HOW to Make healthy Unstuffed Peppers
- Cook the ground beef and peppers in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the tomato paste once the beef is browned.
- Put in the diced tomatoes, rice, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce.
- Make sure the mixture is stirred well so that the seasonings are dispersed.
- Let cool a bit to help the rice soak in the flavors.
- Fluff with a fork and serve!
Tips for making beef unstuffed peppers
- Use a different protein. You can easily make this with another ground meat like chicken, turkey, lamb or bison.
- Mix up your bowls. I love the flavor and texture of quinoa in these bowls, but you can easily swap it for rice 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 saunce in its place.
- Leave out the meat. If you want to have a vegeterian unstuffed pepper, just leave out the meat and add in other peppers instead. Adding colored belll peppers can add a fun brightness to this dish!
how to store ground beef bell peppers
Leftoves of this healthy pepper recipe are the best! Just add them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 2-3 days and reheat to perfection.
How to reheat unstuffed peppers with beef
The fastest way to reheat healthy unstuffed peppers is to use the microwave. Reheat in 30 second intervals until it’s hot. Make sure that you store in between times so that the heat gets dispersed all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! These unstuffed peppers are so great for meal prep. The beef and pepper mixture will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. You can then quickly reheat it and add it to your bowl.
Yes! You can make up a big batch of the ground beef mix and it makes for a great freezer meal. It will keep well for around 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it to serve.
You can use whatever color peppers you like in this recipe. I like to use a mix of red and orange for a sweeter flavor, but green will work just as well for a slightly more bitter flavor if you prefer. You can even use the sweet mini peppers.
This Unstuffed Peppers recipe is such a fun creative take on traditional stuffed peppers. And, like the other 74 bowl recipes in Lindsay’s book, it’s packed with superfoods and flavorful combinations of grain, protein, and vegetables! This is a whole complete comforting meal in just one bowl.
For more stuffed peppers recipes:
- Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Tuna
- Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Taco Stuffed Peppers
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Unstuffed Peppers recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Unstuffed Peppers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 green bell peppers chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 teaspoons oregano divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup long grain white rice uncooked
- 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 oregano and 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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?
Extremely easy and very good I did not change a thing! I will be making us 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? Hate 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 the bomb. 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!