Cheesy Unstuffed Pepper Skillet (One Pan!)

Cheesy unstuffed pepper skillet is just like stuffed peppers, but in about thirty minutes! Make this deconstructed pepper skillet fast for a quick and easy dinner full of tender ground beef, colorful peppers all mixed in with a tomato flavored rice that is topped with gooey cheese, yum!

Scooping unstuffed pepper cheesy mixture from a pan on a counter with a wooden spoon.

Table of Contents

Why We Love Cheesy Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

All In One Pot– One pot meals make quick and easy dinners, and the cleanup is fast. This dish is perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Stuffed Peppers Deconstructed– This deconstructed version of stuffed peppers has all the flavors of stuffed peppers but is usually a little easier to convince my child to try, plus is faster to make. The classic flavors in this recipe make a great meal.
Easy Recipe A Busy Weeknight – Most of these items I have in my kitchen which means no special grocery trips. This easy stuffed pepper skillet is also great to make ahead as meal prep and reheat later for a busy night to have a complete meal ready.

Ingredients For Cheesy Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

Ingredients for unstuffed pepper skillet in bowls from overhead on a counter with tesxt labels.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

ground beef – I used a lean ground beef
onion diced
red bell pepper diced. You can swap in red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, yellow bell pepper and green bell peppers interchangeably.
green bell pepper diced
olive oil
chicken broth divided, low sodium, beef broth or vegetable broth also works
tomato paste
tomatoes diced You can use fresh tomatoes. You can also use canned tomatoes if you drain them well
rice white, long grain, uncooked rice
oregano dried, sometimes I’ll swap in Italian seasoning instead of just oregano
garlic powder
salt – if you use full sodium chicken broth I recommend leaving the salt out until after the rice is cooked. Then taste the rice and add salt to taste (about a 1/4 teaspoon at a time) before adding the cheese.
¼ teaspoon pepper
Worcestershire sauce (optional) Some people also like a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce, it’s common in traditional stuffed peppers recipes and is equally tasty in these deconstructed stuffed peppers. You can add it to the broth. My whole family doesn’t really care for it so I usually leave Worcestershire sauce out.
Monterey jack cheese – shredded, you can use cheddar cheese also

For more easy one pot meals, try some of my reader’s favorites including creamy parmesan chicken and rice, one pot cheese chicken broccoli rice, the beef burrito bowl, beef and broccoli, the one-pot smoked sausage and rice and the cozy ground turkey spaghetti.

How To Make Cheesy Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

In a deep, large skillet that is at least 10 inches wide, cook the ground beef on medium-high heat until brown and no longer pink. Drain any grease from the meat and set the meat mixture to the side.

Ground beef browned in the pan from overhead with other small bowls of vegetables nearby.

Add oil to the skillet and let it warm. Add onion and bell peppers, then saute until softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Peppers and onions being sauteed in a pan from overhead.

Place half of the chicken broth (about one cup) and the tomato paste into the pan with the red bell peppers, green bell peppers and onions. Mix well with a spatula until the tomato paste dissolves into the chicken broth.

Peppers and onions in a tomato chicken broth mixture in the pan from overhead.

To the skillet add the tomatoes, ground beef, remaining one cup of chicken broth, and rice. Season the mixture with oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well with a spatula.

Adding cooked ground beef and seasoning to the unstuffed pepper mixture.

Adding rice to the skillet full of tomato, broth and vegetables.

Bring the pan to a boil. Then cover the pan with a lid, and turn the heat down so the mixture simmers. Cook for 20-22 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is gone.

Cooked unstuffed pepper skillet mix in pan from overhead.

Turn off the burner and open the lid. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the mixture. Cover and let sit for 1-2 minutes to let the cheese melt. Then serve and enjoy!

Cheese melted on top of the cooked rice unstuffed pepper mixture in the pan from overhead.

I like to serve this recipe up in bowls, it feels cozy that way. You should also make an Unstuffed Pepper Soup served up in bowls for a similar cozy dinner that works great for a lighter meal, like lunch.

Recipe Substitution FAQ

Can I Substitute Brown Rice?

You can substitute brown rice. I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but brown rice usually needs a little more liquid and cooked a little longer. I would add 1/4 cup more broth. I would expect brown rice to need about 45 minutes to cook fully.

Can I Use Minute Rice or Instant Rice?

Instant rice like Minute Rice doesn’t substitute cup for cup unfortunately.

Minute rice needs a different amount of water, rice and a different cook time to make the same amount of rice as regular long grained rice. You’ll likely end up with a really mushy dish.

Minute rice is great for serving dishes with a side of rice because it is fast, but not so great for swapping into a recipe like this. You would need to adjust a lot of ingredients amounts and the cook time to make this dish with Minute Rice.

Can I Use Ground Turkey, Ground Chicken Or Ground Pork?

Ground turkey or even ground chicken can easily be substituted in this recipe. Make sure the ground meat is cooked all the way through until it is no longer pink. If using pork I recommend draining any excess grease after cooking like you would do with beef.

Can I Use Chicken Breast or Chicken Thigh?

Yes you can use chicken breast or chicken thigh. I recommend following the instructions for cooking chicken breast in my one pot cheesy chicken, broccoli and rice skillet recipe, and then continuing with the rice from this recipe to make a chicken version of this deconstructed unstuffed peppers.

What Can I Add To Make This Recipe A Little Spicier?

I usually add extra spice at the table so everyone can add their own preferred heat level. I like to sprinkle red pepper flakes, or add a good drizzle of hot sauce.

What Else Can I Garnish This Recipe With?

Try adding a little chopped fresh cilantro, some chopped fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream on this dish to finish it. Sometimes I will also add a sprinkle of extra chopped green peppers to the top to give the recipe a little extra crunch.

Close up of a wooden spoon scooping the cheesy rice mixture from the pan.

How Long Will This Cheesy Unstuffed Pepper Skillet Last?

Expect leftovers from this cheesy unstuffed peppers skillet to last for about three days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like this recipe just as much the next day, it has great flavors.

You can also freeze leftovers for up to three months in a freezer-safe bag. This recipe does freeze pretty well, though the texture of the peppers does change a little bit. I recommend dicing the peppers up small if you plan on freezing. I also prefer to add the cheese after reheating.