The dish in your photo looks like a cheesy ground-beef, bell-pepper and tomato bake: seasoned beef and colorful peppers in a rich tomato base, covered with lots of melted mozzarella and baked until golden and bubbly.
I’ve written a full, detailed version that gives a very similar appearance and texture. It is rice-free, matching the photo. Similar stuffed-pepper casseroles commonly combine ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
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THIS IS NOT DIET FOOD
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Recipe at a glance
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Oven: 375°F / 190°C
Dish: 9 × 13-inch baking dish or two smaller foil baking trays
Ingredients
Beef filling
1 lb / 450 g ground beef, preferably 80–90% lean
1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 cup / 150 g diced tomatoes
1 cup / 240 ml tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup / 60 ml water or beef broth
Cheese topping
1½ cups / 150 g shredded mozzarella
¼ cup / 25 g grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Optional additions
For a richer version, add:
½ cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup corn
½–1 jalapeño
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup cream cheese
½ cup cheddar mixed with the mozzarella
Full Instructions
1. Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to:
375°F / 190°C
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
If using disposable aluminum trays like the ones in your photo, place them on a sturdy baking sheet before filling them. This makes them much easier and safer to move.
2. Brown the beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
Cook until there is no pink remaining.
If there is a large amount of fat, carefully drain most of it.
For the best flavor, don’t completely dry out the beef. Leaving a small amount of the cooking fat helps the tomato mixture become richer.
3. Add onion and garlic
Add:
diced onion
minced garlic
Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
The onion should become soft and translucent.
4. Add the peppers
Add the:
red pepper
yellow pepper
green pepper
Cook for about 4–5 minutes.
Don’t cook them until completely soft at this stage. They will continue cooking in the oven.
This helps retain some texture rather than producing mushy peppers.
5. Make the tomato-beef mixture
Add:
diced tomatoes
tomato sauce
tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
Italian seasoning
paprika
smoked paprika
oregano
onion powder
black pepper
salt
red pepper flakes
water or beef broth
Stir very well.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 5–7 minutes.
The mixture should be thick and saucy rather than watery.
Taste it now.
This is the easiest point to adjust the seasoning.
Add more:
salt for overall flavor
paprika for warmth
chili flakes for heat
Worcestershire for savory flavor
tomato paste for a deeper tomato taste
6. Assemble
Transfer the beef-and-pepper mixture into your baking dish.
Spread it into an even layer.
Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top.
Then add the Parmesan.
Finally, sprinkle approximately ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning over the cheese.
For the appearance in your photo, don’t completely bury the filling under an extremely thick layer of cheese. Leave some colorful peppers visible around the edges.
7. Bake
Place the casserole in the preheated oven.
Bake uncovered for approximately:
20–25 minutes
The sauce should be bubbling around the edges and the cheese should be completely melted.
8. Brown the cheese
For the golden-brown appearance shown in your photo, switch the oven to broil/grill.
Broil for approximately 1–3 minutes.
Watch it constantly.
Cheese can go from golden to burned very quickly under a broiler.
You want:
melted → bubbling → golden brown
rather than dark brown.
9. Finish
Remove from the oven.
Allow the casserole to rest for 5–10 minutes.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serve hot.
How to make it look like the photo
For that particular presentation:
Use red, yellow and green bell peppers.
Keep some pepper pieces relatively large.
Don’t overcook the peppers before baking.
Use low-moisture shredded mozzarella for better browning.
Add Parmesan to the mozzarella.
Don’t cover the casserole while baking.
Broil briefly at the end.
Finish with finely chopped parsley.
Serve in small round aluminum trays if you’re preparing individual portions.
The combination of colorful peppers, seasoned beef, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella is consistent with several established stuffed-pepper casserole approaches.
T
THIS IS NOT DIET FOOD
+1
Want the rice version?
You can turn this into a complete stuffed-pepper casserole with rice.
Add:
1 cup cooked white/basmati rice
after the tomato mixture has simmered.
Stir it through the beef mixture, then transfer to the baking dish and top with cheese.
Using cooked rice is particularly convenient because you don’t need to calculate additional cooking liquid. Published stuffed-pepper casserole recipes also use cooked rice with ground beef, peppers and mozzarella.
T
THIS IS NOT DIET FOOD
For uncooked rice
Use approximately:
1 cup uncooked basmati/long-grain rice
about 2 cups beef broth
and cook the rice mixture until tender before adding the cheese. Recipes using uncooked rice require considerably more liquid and cooking time.
S
Spend With Pennies
+1
Meat substitutions
Ground beef
450 g / 1 lb
Best for the flavor shown in the photo.
Ground turkey
Use 450 g.
Because turkey is leaner, add about 1 tablespoon olive oil while cooking.
Ground chicken
Also works well. Increase the seasoning slightly because chicken has a milder flavor.
Beef + sausage
Use:
4. Add the peppers
Add the:
red pepper
yellow pepper
green pepper
Cook for about 4–5 minutes.
225 g ground beef
225 g Italian sausage
This produces a richer, more strongly seasoned filling.
Spice variations
Mild
Use no red pepper flakes.
Medium
Use ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Spicy
Use:
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 diced jalapeño
½ teaspoon chili powder
Smoky
Add:
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin
Cheese variations
You don’t have to use only mozzarella.
Extra stretchy
Mozzarella + provolone
More flavorful
Mozzarella + Parmesan
Cheesy and sharp
Mozzarella + cheddar
Italian-style
Mozzarella + Parmesan + provolone
For the closest visual result to the photograph, I’d use mostly mozzarella with a little Parmesan.
Make-ahead instructions
You can prepare the beef-and-pepper mixture 1–2 days ahead.
Cool it, refrigerate it in a covered container, then assemble with the cheese when ready to bake.
If baking directly from refrigerated:
add approximately 10–15 minutes to the baking time
make sure the center is thoroughly hot before serving
Freezer instructions
This casserole freezes well.
Before freezing
Prepare the beef/pepper mixture and allow it to cool.
Put it into a freezer-safe baking dish.
Add the cheese.
Cover very tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil, or use a suitable airtight freezer container.
Freeze for up to approximately 2–3 months for best quality.
Thawing
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Bake at 375°F / 190°C until hot and bubbling, then brown the cheese.
For best texture, fresh cheese can also be added immediately before baking.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container.
Refrigerator: approximately 3–4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole casserole covered in a 350°F / 175°C oven until hot.
Approximate Nutrition
Per serving, assuming 6 servings and the recipe above:
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 430–470 kcal
Protein 29–32 g
Total fat 27–30 g
Saturated fat 11–13 g
Carbohydrates 17–20 g
Fiber 3–4 g
Sugars 7–9 g
Sodium 750–950 mg
Calcium 250–300 mg
Iron 3–4 mg
Important: these are estimates, not laboratory measurements. Actual nutrition varies substantially with the fat percentage of the beef, amount/type of cheese, canned tomato products, Worcestershire sauce and how much salt is used.
If you use 90% lean beef, reduced-sodium tomato products and less cheese, calories, fat and sodium will be lower.
Allergens
This recipe may contain:
Milk/dairy: mozzarella and Parmesan
Wheat/gluten: potentially Worcestershire sauce, depending on brand
Soy: potentially present in some processed cheeses or sauces
For gluten-free preparation, use products specifically labeled gluten-free.
For dairy-free preparation, use a suitable dairy-free shredded cheese.
Recipe Q&A
Can I make this without rice?
Yes. The recipe above is already rice-free and is designed around the beef, peppers, tomato sauce and cheese seen in the photograph.
Can I use only green peppers?
Absolutely. Red, yellow and orange peppers are sweeter, while green peppers have a more pronounced earthy/bitter flavor.
S
Spend With Pennies
Why is my casserole watery?
The most common causes are very watery tomatoes, insufficient simmering, or excess liquid from the peppers.
Simmer the beef mixture uncovered for a few extra minutes before baking.
Why didn’t my cheese brown?
Use low-moisture mozzarella and finish under the broiler/grill for 1–3 minutes.
Can I use pre-shredded mozzarella?
Yes, although freshly shredded mozzarella generally melts more smoothly.
Can I make individual portions?
Yes. Divide the mixture among 4–6 small oven-safe foil trays, depending on their size.
Put the trays on a baking sheet before filling and baking.
Can I make it keto/low-carb?
Yes. Simply leave out the rice. The recipe above is already rice-free, so it is substantially lower in carbohydrates than a traditional rice-based stuffed-pepper casserole.
Can I add potatoes?
Yes. Small diced potatoes can be added, but they need enough time to become tender. Par-cooking them first is the safest way to avoid crunchy potatoes.
Can I add mushrooms?
Yes. Sauté about ½–1 cup sliced mushrooms with the onions before adding the beef mixture to the casserole.
What should I serve with it?
Good options include:
green salad
garlic bread
roasted vegetables
steamed broccoli
cucumber salad
coleslaw
plain yogurt or sour cream
rice, if you want additional carbohydrates
How do I get the restaurant-style golden top?
Use mozzarella + Parmesan, don’t cover the casserole, and finish with a short high-heat broil/grill. Keep your eyes on it because the cheese can burn quickly.
Chef’s version for the closest result
If I were making the dish specifically to reproduce the photograph, I’d use:
450 g ground beef + 1 red pepper + 1 yellow pepper + 1 green pepper + onion + garlic + tomato sauce + diced tomatoes + tomato paste + Worcestershire + paprika + Italian seasoning + 150 g mozzarella + 25 g Parmesan.
I’d cook the beef mixture until fairly thick, put it into two small round foil trays, cover generously—but not excessively—with mozzarella, add Parmesan, bake at 190°C for about 20–25 minutes, then broil until the cheese develops those browned spots.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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