This recipe takes all the best flavors from a stuffed bell peppers recipe and packs it into a casserole. Loaded with bell peppers, ground beef, and gooey melted cheese, everyone will be asking for seconds.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Add 1 lb lean ground beef to a frying pan over medium-high heat. Break apart into small pieces using the tip of a spatula. Sauté until the outside of the ground beef is browned outside, and pink inside. Use a folded piece of paper towel to swish around and soak up the excess grease.
Add 2 cloves garlic - minced, 1 cup yellow onion - chopped, and 3 cups bell peppers - chopped. Mix everything.
Next, add 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly then remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix 1 ½ cups beef broth, 15 oz canned diced tomatoes - liquid drained, 1 cup minute rice, and 5 oz tomato paste.
Add the ground beef bell pepper mixture to the bowl and stir.
Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella on top. Bake uncovered for another 15-18 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes, scoop onto plates and serve!
Recipe Notes:
• In STEP 2 the beef doesn't need to be fully cooked in the frying pan, give it a good sear on the outside, break it down into small pieces then move on to the next step. It will continue to cook when the other ingredients are added and when baked for 20 minutes in a casserole dish.• To Refrigerate – Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container, or a cling-wrapped dish for 2-3 days.• To Freeze – This is a great recipe for frozen dinners, you can prepare everything (except the cheese) without baking then freeze, or bake completely and freeze. If stored in an airtight container, both will stay fresh for up to 2 months.• To Reheat – If frozen allow to thaw in the fridge overnight.- To reheat the pre-cooked recipe, use a microwave and heat in one-minute increments until heated. In an oven, set to 350°F and reheat for about 15-20 minutes.- For the uncooked recipe, follow steps 7-8 to cook.