Greek stuffed peppers, also known as “Gemista” or “Yemista,” is a classic Greek dish that’s both flavorful and nutritious. It’s one of my favorite dishes but it’s also a bit labour intensive. When you are craving the same delicious flavors of stuffed peppers you make this unstuffed peppers recipe or Deconstructed stuffed pepper casserole. This untraditional yet fabulous recipe is made with the same great ingredients that the classic Greek meal is made of bell peppers with a mix of ground meat, rice, and herbs and spices baked to perfection! It’s an easy one-pot unstuffed pepper skillet recipe finished and on the table in approximately 30 minutes
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- GROUND BEEF: I like to use lean ground beef but you can also use ground turkey, ground chicken or even ground Italian sausage or a blend of ground beef and sausage/ground pork for extra flavour
- BELL PEPPERS: I like to use a variety of bell peppers – so you chose which ones you like and use those remembering that red bell peppers, yellow and orange bell peppers tend to be sweeter while green peppers are a bit more zesty. Feel free to add some jalapeños for some heat or even some poblanos if you are doing a tex mex version (Speaking of which I should get working on a taco version of this right?!)
- ONION & GARLIC: I use red or yellow onion and as much or little garlic as you like – I love garlic so I do the full 3 cloves
- SPICES: I use chili flakes, dried oregano and some paprika but feel free to switch things up by using some thyme or Italian seasoning or any spice blend you might like
- FRESH HERBS: Typically I use fresh mint, dill and parsley for this Greek version but feel free to switch up the flavors with some chopped basil or a blend of your favourites.
- MARINARA SAUCE: Instead of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce I use store bought or homemade marinara sauce for simplicity. It works really well for this quick recipe because there is no need to simmer it or reduce it. Simply stir it into the dish.
- RICE: I like to use either brown rice or white rice for this recipe. I pre-cook the rice so that the rice doesn’t end up too mushy – it just gets stirred into the dish. So really and truly you can use any rice you prefer – even quinoa or any other grain or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative. This dish is naturally gluten-free when using rice.
- CHEESE: I use shredded mozzarella for stirring into the casserole and topping it plus some grated parmesan cheese for topping the casserole and for serving I crumble on a little extra feta cheese. Feel free to use dairy-free alternatives for any of these cheese if preferred.
- OPTIONAL ADD INS: Add some extra protein and fiber by adding some black beans to the dish.
How to Make This Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper / Stuffed Pepper Skillet Recipe
- SAUTE onion and garlic
- BROWN the beef with the spices and seasonings
- SAUTE the bell peppers with the meat mixture
- STIR in the sauce, rice, ½ the mozzarella and fresh herbs
- TOP the mixture with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese
- BROIL in a hot oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden
- SERVE with crumbled feta and more fresh herbs
Stuffed Pepper Skillet Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezer Tips
- __STORAGE: Leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- REHEATING: Reheat the casserole in a skillet stovetop over medium-low heat until hot, or reheat in the microwave.
- FREEZING: Rice dishes are usually best eaten when they are cooked as the rice can change texture when frozen. That being said though you can freeze it if desired. Portion it out into airtight freezer friendly containers and freeze for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat same as stated above. Add a little chicken broth or beef broth if dish needs a little liquid while reheating.
- MAKE AHEAD: To make this dish ahead, chop all the fresh veggies and brown the meat. Store them in the refrigerator in separate containers until you’re ready to prepare the skillet rice. You can also cook the rice in advance and once cool store in an airtight container in the fridge. This dish comes to other pretty quickly so I usually don’t make much in advance other then the rice.
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