Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole | Easy Instant Pot recipe (2024)

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Instant Pot Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole is so much easier than traditional stuffed peppers, featuring all of your favorite flavors—a cheesy top, tender white rice, lean ground beef, and a savory tomato sauce!

Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole | Easy Instant Pot recipe (1)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pressure cooker recipe is so much easier than making individual stuffed peppers, but you still get all of the delicious flavors and textures from the original dish. Even better, you can get it on your table quickly .

My sweet friend Genene helped refine her family-favorite recipe to make it quicker and easier in the pressure cooker.

Since then, it’s become one of our favorites, so we included it in our first cookbook, the Electric Pressure Cooking Cookbook (published in 2017). Over the years, we’ve kept tweaking the recipe, so we thought we’d give this post a good update with our latest cooking methods, so you can make the best green pepper casserole at home.

This is one of our most popular Instant Pot recipes with ground beef, right up there with Easy Ground Beef Tacos and American Chop Suey (Beefaroni).

If you’re looking for a traditional stuffed pepper recipe, we also have you covered with this great stuffed pepper meal!

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INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

Here’s what you need for great Instant Pot stuffed pepper casserole:

  • Ground beef. We like to use lean ground beef for this casserole.
  • Onion and garlic. For a nice flavor base.
  • Peppers. Use green peppers for the classic flavor.
  • Spinach. We like to add spinach for extra veggies and color.
  • Tomatoes. You’ll need a can of diced tomatoes with their juices.
  • Tomato sauce. Use your favorite canned or jarred smooth sauce.
  • Broth. Beef broth is the most classic flavor, but in a pinch, chicken will work.
  • Rice. Use long-grain white rice so it cooks at the same rate as the veggies and meat.
  • Worcestershire sauce. This adds a ton of umami to the casserole.
  • Cheese. We top the dish with plenty of melty mozzarella.
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How to Make Stuffed Pepper Casserole in an Instant Pot

This easy recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.

First, you’ll brown the beef. Use the Sauté setting to heat the pressure cooking pot, then add the ground beef and diced onion and break it up into small crumbles. Cook until the beef is broken up and browned, then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until it’s fragrant.

Next, add the remaining vegetables (your green peppers and spinach), along with the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, rice, Worcestershire sauce, and some salt and pepper. Now you’re ready to cook on high pressure for four minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use a quick pressure release and open the lid.

Now carefully transfer the casserole into an oven-safe baking dish and cover it with the shredded cheese. Stick the baking dish under the broiler and broil (keeping a close eye on it) until the cheese is fully melted and starting to brown.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving it up and digging in!

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Important Tips for Making Rice and Pepper Casserole

  • The first step of browning the beef is important because it helps break the beef up for even cooking. Otherwise, you may end up with a burn notice or undercooked beef after pressure cooking.
  • If you don’t want to use the oven at all, you can keep the casserole in the Instant Pot, cover it with cheese, and put the lid on for a few minutes to let the cheese melt. It won’t get quite as browned and crispy, however.
  • Be sure to carefully watch the baking dish under the broiler, as all broilers differ and it can burn quickly.
  • You can use a different melty cheese if you prefer, such as cheddar or Monterey jack.
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Products

Here are some helpful products to use when making this Instant Pot ground beef recipe:

  • OXO Good Grips Ground Meat Chopper. We love this tool for easily breaking ground meat up into crumbles. It’s also safe to use in an Instant Pot and won’t scratch the bottom.
  • If you want to avoid the broiler, we love using our Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid to finish the casserole right in the pressure cooking pot.
  • On the other hand, this Pyrex square dish is our favorite oven-safe baking dish for broiling the casserole.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole

Can I use brown rice?

The cooking time for brown rice is 22 minutes, which is too long for the peppers. Instead of cooking the rice with the meat, I’d recommend cooking the rice first, then stirring in cooked brown rice at the before adding the cheese. Then just let it sit, covered, to allow the rice to absorb the flavors.

(If I want to make the casserole ahead of time, I’ll often stir in the brown rice, cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until I’m ready to finish the dish. )

Can I use other kinds of bell peppers?

Certainly, if you’re not a fan of green peppers, you can make this recipe with red, orange, or yellow bell peppers with no changes.

How should I store leftovers?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can reheat the casserole in the Instant Pot, in the oven, or in the microwave.

Can I freeze leftover casserole?

Yes, you can freeze leftovers for up to six months. Note that the rice may have a slightly softer texture after it’s defrosted.

Can I use an 8-quart pressure cooker?

This recipe is designed for a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you’d like to make it in an 8-quart pot, you’ll need to add more liquid. You could start with another 1/2 cup of beef broth to avoid the burn notice.

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MORE Instant Pot Casserole Recipes

Make these other crowd-pleasing casseroles next:

  • Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is a popular breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner) dish with golden hashbrowns and lots of cheese.
  • Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole is a creamy, cheesy rice dish with tender chicken and a crispy Rtiz cracker topping.
  • Instant Pot Caprese Breakfast Casserole is an eggy dish packed with tomatoes and mozzarella.

Do you LOVE this recipe?
Leave us a review below to tell us why!

Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole | Easy Instant Pot recipe (10)

Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

This Instant Pot Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole is a tasty dinner made with ground beef, white rice, tomato sauce, and lots of mozzarella on top. And it's SO much easier to make than traditional stuffed peppers!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 large green bell peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • Handful of spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. If using 85% lean ground beef, in a large bowl, combine beef, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Mix until well combined, then let sit for 20 minutes.(This step helps the beef release less liquid. If you're in a hurry or if your ground beef is leaner than 85%, you can skip this step.)
  2. Select Sauté to preheat the pressure cooking pot. When hot, add the ground beef and onion, and cook until the beef is browned and crumbled (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
  3. Stir in the beef broth, green peppers, spinach, diced tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
  4. Layer the tomato sauce on top and do not stir. Lock the lid in place, select High Pressure and 4 minutes cook time. When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release.

TO FINISH IN THE OVEN

  1. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and preheat the broiler. Transfer the casserole to the baking dish and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble and brown.

TO FINISH WITH AN AIR FRYER LID

  1. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the mozzarella cheese. Set the lid temperature to 350°F and bake for 2 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 316Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1064mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 27g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.

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Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole | Easy Instant Pot recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to boil peppers before stuffing them? ›

I definitely suggest par-cooking the bell peppers first, just a little bit before stuffing them. Not only does this help to soften the bell peppers, but it also cuts down on your cook time. As the bell peppers are cooking you can make the filling, shaving off about 20 minutes from your total cook time.

Should green peppers be blanched before stuffing? ›

ANSWER: Some recipes call for blanching the peppers to soften them slightly; others do not. Green peppers at a local store were stuffed with a raw ground meat mixture and looked as though they were not boiled or blanched. If you bake peppers this way, they will take longer to cook and will hold their shape better.

What pepper variety is best for stuffing? ›

  • Golden Treasure. ...
  • Jalapeno Dancing Spirits. ...
  • Jalapeno Mucho Nacho. Mucho Nacho Pepper Plant. ...
  • Jalapeno Rayados. Jalapeno Rayados Pepper Plant. ...
  • Kardoula. Kardoula Pepper Plant. ...
  • lesya Orange. Orange Lesya Pepper Plant. ...
  • Leysa. Leysa Pepper Plant. ...
  • Marconi Italian Red. Marconi Italian Red Sweet Pepper Plants.

Why do you boil green peppers before stuffing them? ›

Many recipes suggest blanching your peppers. In case you don't know, you can blanch vegetables by placing them raw in boiling water for a short period of time, then moving them to ice water to stop the enzymes from breaking down. This results in peppers that are soft and ready to be filled without them getting soggy.

Do you cook stuffing before you stuff? ›

If you're using raw meat, poultry or shellfish to make your stuffing, cook those first, add them to your stuffing mix and then immediately stuff your bird. If you're preparing the stuffing ahead of time, cool it immediately and placed it in shallow containers in the refrigerator.

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy? ›

To prevent it from happening, you should try to avoid or reduce excess moisture – here are three of the things you can do:
  1. Pre-cook Peppers. ...
  2. Use Leftover Rice. ...
  3. Save Cheese for the Topping.

What goes good with stuffed peppers? ›

Roasted or sautéed veggies side dishes would pair nicely as a light side dish for the Italian stuffed peppers: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Zucchini, or Sautéed Zucchini are three favorites. If you are roasting vegetables, you can place the sheet pan in the oven with the peppers. Salad.

How do you fix too much pepper in stuffing? ›

Sour cream, yogurt, ghee, butter and milk can all neutralize the pepper flavor, depending on the dish. Mix in a small amount of a dairy and see if you taste a difference.

What is a fancy name for stuffed peppers? ›

The chile relleno, literally "stuffed pepper", consists of a roasted and peeled/skinned green pasilla or poblano pepper stuffed with cheese (traditionally queso fresco) and, occasionally, minced meat, covered in an egg batter, and fried.

What type of tomato is best for stuffing? ›

Of all the stuffing tomatoes I have tried, the pleated, pink 'Zapotec Ribbed' has the best flavor. 'Yellow Stuffer' has four distinct lobes, like a bell pepper, and vibrant color. Other stuffing tomatoes, such as 'Liberty Bell', share the same shape, but 'Yellow Stuffer' is larger and more regular.

What pepper does Bobby Flay use? ›

Chipotles. It's no secret that Bobby loves spicy food, and his favorite pepper is the smoky chipotle. Use the peppers and the adobo sauce they're typically canned in to add loads of flavor to marinades, meats and side dishes.

Why do my stuffed peppers fall apart? ›

The problem stems from the common practice of boiling the peppers to start. The goal is to tenderize them before they're stuffed and baked, but generally the poor fellas are over-boiled, which results in their tendency to fall apart and, as noted, be flavorless.

Can you microwave peppers to soften them? ›

Remove seeds and membranes; rinse. Place peppers, with tops, upright in ungreased 9x12 inch glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave until hot, 3 to 4 minutes--(note: do NOT cook peppers until done, you are just blanching them, 3 to 4 minutes should be plenty, depending on the size of your peppers).

Do you have to cook peppers before canning? ›

Instructions for Canning Sweet Peppers: The skins of bell peppers or sweet peppers are more tender, so they generally do not need to be blistered and peeled (thank goodness). Simple quarter or roughly chop bell peppers and cover them with water in a pot. Boil for 3 minutes, then transfer to pint or half-pint jars.

How long to boil peppers when canning? ›

Fill jars with peppers; add hot, well-mixed oil/pickling solution over peppers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process half-pints and pints for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath at altitudes of less than 1000 feet. If at an altitude of 1001 to 3000 feet, process for 20 minutes.

How long do you boil peppers to soften them? ›

To boil bell peppers: Cook peppers, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. To sauté bell peppers: Heat a skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add bell peppers and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.

Should you cook or raw bell peppers? ›

Eating them raw provides maximum vitamin C content, but cooking bell peppers can increase the availability of other nutrients.

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