Dairy Free Stuffed Pepper Skillet
Stuffed pepper skillet is the perfect dish for anyone who loves the flavors of classic stuffed peppers but wants a quicker, easy weeknight meal the whole family will love. This recipe is dairy free and gluten free with a meat free option.
Looking for more one-pan meals? Try my one pot creamy lemon chicken orzo, dairy free one pot french onion pasta, or one pot creamy cajun chicken orzo.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this unstuffed pepper skillet:
- Olive oil
- Onion – white, yellow, or red.
- Ground meat – this can be ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. You can also use ground Italian sausage.
- Savory seasonings – nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- Red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers – any color is great.
- Diced tomatoes
- Uncooked white rice
- Beef broth or chicken broth – depending on what type of ground meat you’re using.
- Shredded dairy free cheese (optional)
- Fresh basil or parsley – for garnish.
How to Make Ground Beef Stuffed Pepper Skillet: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Saute the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, sautéing until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Brown the meat. Add ground beef or meat of choice to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Cook until browned and no pink remains.
- Add seasonings, bell peppers, & tomatoes. Stir in nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, and the chopped bell peppers, stirring to combine.
- Stir in rice & broth. Add the dry rice and broth. Mix well to combine then bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the rice is tender, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Still liquid in the pan? Remove the lid to let it cook off for another minute or two, stirring occasionally.
- Melt cheese & serve: Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top (if using), cover, and cook over low heat until the cheese melts. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- For a richer flavor, use fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead.
- Don’t add the peppers too early. Adding the peppers right before the rice prevents them from turning to mush.
Quick Tip: For best results, use the same type of broth as the ground meat you’re using.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this stuffed pepper skillet recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Swap the protein – use ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
- Make it plant-based – swap out the ground beef for lentils.
- Add more veggies – such as diced zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach
- Add-ins – red pepper flakes or a splash of coconut aminos or soy sauce for more depth of flavor.
- Make it Tex-Mex – add black beans, corn, and ground cumin. Stir them in after the rice has finished cooking before topping with cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The flavors get even better the next day when they flavors have had time to meld together.
Add diced jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce, to taste.
Absolutely. Use beans, lentils, or another meat substitute and vegetable broth for the cooking liquid.
You probably can, but I can’t say for sure. Just keep in mind that it may affect the cooking time since brown rice typically takes longer to cook than white rice.
More Easy Meals
I hope you love this Stuffed Pepper Skillet! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Dairy Free Stuffed Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium red, white, or yellow onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef or ground meat of choice
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt, to taste start with ½ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 bell peppers, any color cut into 1-inch pieces
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes don't drain
- 1 cup uncooked white jasmine rice
- 2 cups beef broth or broth of choice
Toppings (Optional)
- 1 cup shredded dairy free cheese or cheese of choice
- fresh basil or parsley minced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a deep large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, sautéing until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add ground beef or meat of choice to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Cook until browned and no pink remains.
- Stir in nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, and the chopped bell peppers, stirring to combine.
- Add the dry rice and broth. Mix well to combine then bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the rice is tender, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If there’s still liquid in the pan, remove the lid to let it cook off for another minute or two, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top (if using), cover, and cook over low heat until the cheese melts. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!