This post may contain affiliate links.
One Pot Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole is a zesty, comforting meal inspired by your favorite stuffed peppers. This one pot meal mixes a ground beef, a rainbow of bell peppers, rice, diced tomatoes and Mexican spices to create a comforting, easy casserole recipe.
When it gets cold in Cleveland all I want is comfort food. Something to warm my soul, and warm my heart! Casseroles fit right into that category. Not only are they hearty, but the rice helps them stick to your bones, if you know what I mean.
This One Pot Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole is packed with a rainbow of bell peppers, flavorful ground beef, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, long grain rice and warm, rich Mexican spices.
This one pot casserole will remind you of your favorite stuffed peppers. Of course another plus with this casserole is that it is a one pot {or skillet} meal meaning less clean up. You will sauté the vegetables, ground beef and spices in the pot and then add the remaining ingredients {except the cheese} and let it simmer on the stove for about 15-17 minutes. That is all it will take to have a hearty, comforting casserole on the table for your family.
If you like casseroles try this Doritos Taco Casserole, Mexican Chicken Casserole, Beef Enchilada Casserole, Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole or this Easy Mexican Noodle Casserole.
Recipe Ingredients
See full list of ingredients below in recipe card with exact measurements.
- Beef: This recipe uses ground beef. I suggest 80/20 for a little extra fat in the beef the helps with flavor. You can sub in ground turkey, ground sausage or ground chicken. Make sure to drain the fat after cooking.
- Vegetables: The vegetable mixture used in this casserole are onions, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and diced green chiles. I love this combination and it brings in a lot of great flavor similar to a traditional stuffed pepper.
- Spices: The spices used in this are chili powder, cumin, cayenne red pepper and Mexican oregano. I love this combination together. You also could sub in taco seasoning.
- Grain: Long grain rice is used and works nicely in this casserole.
- Cheese: Shredded cheese adds a cheesy component to the casserole. You can skip the cheese if you want!
If you like Mexican style recipes try this Slow cooker Mexican Beef, Chicken Tinga Recipe or these Authentic Chilaquiles Rojos (Red Chilaquiles Recipe).
Ways to Modify this Casserole
- Beans: add beans, like black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans.
- Vegetables: add additional vegetables, like canned corn or diced poblanos {add these when you add the bell peppers to the recipe}.
- Cheese: mix up your cheeses. I like to do a combination of sharp cheddar and pepper jack but you can do anything you fancy.
- Grains: you can try a different grain than rice, like quinoa. Just be careful with the cook time depending on how long that grain takes to simmer.
- Heat: if you want to spice this dish up add some chopped jalapeño or red chiles. If my family could handle more spice this would be my choice!
How to Make this Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Step 1: Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet or pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 1 minute.
Step 2: Cook Beef: Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until the ground beef is cooked through and not pink, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Add Bell Peppers: Drain the excess fat from the skillet. Stir in the diced bell peppers and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, until the peppers become tender.
Step 4: Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the diced tomatoes, green chiles, beef broth and rice. Add another dash of salt and pepper and stir everything together.
Step 5: Simmer: Bring to a boil, cover the skillet and reduce the heat, simmer until rice is cooked through, about 16-20 minutes {you just want to make sure the rice is cooked through and not hard}.
Remove the lid and stir in the cheese, return the cover and let sit for 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts. Garnish with fresh cilantro, tomatoes and red onion.
Storage Tips
- Store the leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat you can heat on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave.
- To freeze this casserole let it cool completely and then put in a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat you want to thaw overnight in the fridge and then heat on the stove or in the oven.
More Casserole Recipes
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below! Subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for the latest.
One Pot Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped {about 1 cup}
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, {optional for spice}
- 1 teaspoon oregano , {try Mexican oregano for more spice}
- 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 bell peppers, seeds removed, diced {I like to use a variety of colors}
- 2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup long grain rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cheese , {I used half cheddar half pepper jack}
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until the ground beef is cooked through and not pink, about 4-5 minutes.
- Drain the excess fat from the skillet. Stir in the diced bell peppers and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, until the peppers become tender.
- Add the diced tomatoes, green chiles, beef broth and rice. Add another dash of salt and pepper and stir everything together.
- Bring to a boil, cover the skillet and reduce the heat, simmer until rice is cooked through, about 16-20 minutes {you just want to make sure the rice is cooked through and not hard}.
- Remove the lid and stir in the cheese, return the cover and let sit for 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts. Garnish with fresh cilantro, tomatoes and red onion.
Notes
- Try fire roasted tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.
- Other good additions: black beans, corn, poblanos {add these when you do the bell peppers}.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i really wish recipes would include what size cans: diced tomatoes, green chiles, etc.
Sorry about that! I always include the size of cans but this recipe was an old recipe I hadn’t looked at in a while and I am not sure why it didn’t have can size. I just updated it. Hope you try it!
Easy weeknight meal option.
Can I use quinoa instead of the rice?
You could! I haven’t tried it. I would adjust the cook time as quinoa doesn’t cook as long as rice. I would also read the directions on the box for your quinoa and use that amount of broth. With rice I did 1 cup broth but quinoa sometimes uses less. Enjoy!
Tonight I tried this recipe… a deconstructed Stuffed Peppers Entree.
I had some cooked Basmati rice as well as cooked lean ground beef seasoned with Taco spices that I wanted to use up. I used a can of Rotel, a can of Fire roasted diced tomatoes and 4 oz of mild diced green chiles. I added Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning, onion salt, Pink Himalayan salt and black pepper. My husband shredded White Cheddar Cheese for the topping. We baked it in the oven to heat everything through & melt the cheese as the rice was already cooked. Surprisingly I found this dish quite bland. My husband liked it. Next time will definitely up the seasonings and use ground pork instead of beef. Thanks for this very adaptable recipe.
I am glad you liked it.
I made this and it was great….would be easy to make this vegetarian but using veggie ground and a veggie cube to replace the beef…..I used cheap medium ground beef and I used marble cheddar cheese
Thanks for the sharing! I agree-it could be made vegetarian easily! Glad you enjoyed it.
Did you drain the tomatoes and green chiles?
I drained the tomatoes. I will change that in the directions.
I liked this recipe, but turned it into a stuffed pepper soup, cooked in the pressure cooker. It was excellent. It probably was pretty much a taco soup, but no matter. I will make it again.
Oh I like that idea! I have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing!
Made it last night for dinner – it was a hit! Fairly easy with not too many dishes to do after. Used black beans, guacamole, pico, cilantro and sour cream as toppings. Had to add more broth, my rice was not getting done. Ended up cooking rice for 20-30 minutes. Great for leftovers at work!
Thanks for sharing! I am so glad you liked it. I love the toppings you added.
I haven’t had stuffed peppers in a while. They’re usually so time consuming. I can’t wait to try this casserole version. It has all the flavor in an easy casserole.
This is brilliant ~ stuffed peppers is one of my favorite meals, and this recipe makes it all so easy! Love Certified Angus Beef® brand!!
Thanks! Yes, it is one of my favorite meals too. I love it in casserole form too.