You either love them or you hate them. If you love green peppers, you will love this WW friendly and gluten-free Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole! But if you don't, you likely aren't reading this post anyway. However, if it's your kid(s) that hate them, there is hope.
This healthy dinner is a simple and delicious unstuffed pepper casserole, made with instant rice, lean ground beef and smothered in gooey cheese (low-fat). It's easy to make, requires no stuffing and is so much easier than traditional stuffed peppers! It's also a great make ahead meal that can be frozen for a quick and easy weeknight family dinner.
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It took me 7 long years to get my kids to even consider eating onions, but it was worth every minute because I no longer have to listen to the whining and complaining when I cook with them.
🥘Ingredients
For this easy stuffed pepper casserole recipe, you'll need:
- instant brown rice * I use Minute Rice
- extra lean ground beef
- green bell peppers
- onion
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned corn
- ketchup
- canned mushrooms
- minced garlice
- sharp cheddar cheese *I use low-fat
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Rice: you can use any type of rice you prefer (white rice, cauliflower rice, basmati rice etc) but I use brown instant rice, as it's faster and healthier
- Cheese: I use low-fat sharp/old cheese which reduces the fat and calories and makes no difference in taste. You could also use non-fat cheese.
- Ground meat: you can use ground turkey or ground chicken to lighten it up even further and make even more WW friendly!
- Peppers: Use red, orange or yellow large bell peppers instead of green bell peppers if you truly have a die-hard hater on your hands.
- Spicy: use crushed red pepper flakes to spice it up!
🍽Equipment
You need a Dutch oven (affiliate link) or large skillet and casserole dish for this green pepper casserole.
🌡️Storage
To store this Cheesy Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole:
- To Make Ahead: Simply make the entire dish in advance, cool for 15 minutes, then cover in aluminum foil or plastic wrap (I use Glad press n' seal) and refrigerate or freeze.
- To Store in fridge: Place leftover casserole in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat the casserole in a moderate oven (325- 350 degrees F/165- 175 C ) until warmed through (20-30 minutes). You can also rewarm this casserole in the microwave until warmed through (this what I usually do.)
- To Freeze: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. *I do not recommend freezing it if you are using cauliflower rice, as it does not freeze well.
👪 Serving Size
This stuffed pepper casserole recipe makes 10 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This weight watchers stuffed pepper casserole is 6 WW points on my plan. You can plug it into the app to see how much it is on your plan. Make it even more WW friendly and low carb you can use Cauliflower Rice. Simply replace the rice with cauliflower rice. If you're looking for ww casserole recipes, you'll love the delicious flavors in this one!
💭 Top tip
My strategy was simple - put onions in everything and make the kids pick them out. Laziness will eventually prevail; that is human nature.
I really dislike those little baby corns that come in salads, but I'll often just eat them anyway because I am lazy and it's easier than picking them out. And if laziness doesn't prevail, then you know you have a die-hard hater on your hands and at least you can respect that. After all those years of offering green peppers, my daughter now loves them. She also now loves this bell pepper casserole. My son doesn't feel the green pepper love yet, but at least he will grudgingly eat them. He's too lazy to pick them out.
Do you love my cheerful orange casserole dish in the photos?
🍲Dutch ovens
It's actually a DUTCH OVEN. In fact, it's my very first Dutch oven! Now I'm wondering where it's been all my life only wishing I had bought one years ago. I love that Dutch ovens brown food on the sides when you are cooking on the stove top and then go straight to the oven. This makes for delicious and simple one pot casseroles, as well as easy clean up!
They are made of cast iron, then coated, so they also retain heat really well. They are heavy and last forever. BUT if you buy a color coated one (and why wouldn't you?!) just make sure you are very careful with it - the color can chip off pretty easily. You can learn more about the joys of cooking with Dutch ovens HERE!
So if you are looking for a healthy, easy, delicious and Weight Watchers friendly Stuffed Pepper Casserole, then give this one a try! And if you're looking for additional pepper recipes, try my Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mini Peppers!
You may also like this Weight Watchers Casserole: Healthy Turkey Shepherd's Pie
⭐ Reviews
Did you love this easy casserole recipe? Please leave a 5 star rating and comment below!
Here's what others are saying:
"We gave this a try the other night and found it to be very healthy and delicious. Simple to make, which for us, is a great benefit, it means more time focused on other activities!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📋 Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked instant brown rice * I use Minute Rice
- 1 -lb extra lean ground beef
- 3-4 large green peppers , diced
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 -29 oz can diced tomatoes , drained
- 1 -14 oz can corn , drained
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 -10 oz can mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar sharp cheese *
Instructions
- Brown meat and onion, over medium-high heat, in a large skillet, pot or dutch oven, then drain.
- Boil chopped green peppers in water until soft (10-15 minutes). Drain. You could also cook them for about 5 minutes in the microwave. Cook rice in separate pot. * I use brown minute rice to make it quicker.
- Mix cooked rice, green pepper, ground beef and remaining ingredients (except cheese) together and pour into prepared baking dish (dutch oven or oven safe casserole dish).
- Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Then turn it up to 500 degrees F and broil for 1-2 minutes until cheese is lightly brown and bubbly. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
🥘 More Weight Watchers Recipes!
Jhuls
This sounds like a perfect dish! 😀
Food Meanderings
Thanks- yes, it's easy and tasty! I hope you enjoy...
thefoodblognet
This is making me hungry! Thanks for posting!
Food Meanderings
Yes, it's pretty hearty!
janet @ the taste space
7 years. You are persistent. Or lazier than your kids. Love it. 🙂
Food Meanderings
Haha, I think it's a bit of both!
Mike Lafleur
We gave this a try the other night and found it to be very healthy and delicious. Simple to make, which for us, is a great benefit, it means more time focused on other activities!
Terri Gilson
I am so glad you guys liked it, Mike! I love that I don't have to stand there stuffing peppers. I can just chop them up and throw them in.
thanks!
Megan
Did you cook it ahead of time then freeze or dump all of the ingredients in a freezer bag and freeze for a make ahead meal?
Planning freezer meals before baby 🙂
Thank you!!!
Terri Gilson
Hi Megan: Yes, I cook the entire thing ahead, then freeze it in a big plastic tupperware container, defrost, heat and eat. Sometimes I portion it out inot smaller containers for lunches at work. Good luck with baby!
Terri
Julie
How important is the ketchup in this recipe? Im wondering if it would still taste good without it, since ketchup isnt all that healthy.
Terri Gilson
Hi Julie,
I'm sure it would still taste good. You can try it without or use less. Or even try making your own healthier homemade ketchup (there's a bunch of recipes online). I really like it with ketchup, as that's how I've always made it. You may need to replace a little of that sweet taste of ketchup with a bit of honey or brown sugar.
Enjoy!
Terri