- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef*
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans or 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup (180g) long grain white rice
- 1 cup low sodium beef or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (could use a mix of fresh parsley, basil and chives)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Italian blend cheese
Unstuffed Pepper Skillet Dinner
Yield: 6 servings
This family-friendly, one-pan meal has all the flavor of the traditional preparation with a fraction of the work － and leftovers taste great!
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook until the beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks.
Stir in the bell peppers and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with juices, rice, broth and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. (I use 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. You may wish to add an extra pinch upon serving depending on type of broth and tomatoes used as well as personal taste.) Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. (Tip: For even cooking and to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, I stir halfway through and then twice more in the second half of cooking.)
When the rice is tender, remove from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs. Then top with the cheese, cover and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
*Ground turkey or chicken may be used instead of the ground beef. Italian sausage would be a slightly more decadent, albeit flavor-packed option. (Can’t decide? Try ½ pound of each!)
Helpful hint: If not using a kitchen scale to weigh the rice, make sure to level off the measuring cup with the straight edge of a knife. This will ensure the proper amount of rice is used, which assures the ratio of rice to liquid is correct. (In the event that you are reading this as you notice the rice is still somewhat firm and all the liquid has been absorbed, simply add a little extra broth or water to the pot.)