Stuffed Peppers Pasta Casserole with Ground Beef

Some nights I want stuffed peppers but not the actual work of stuffing peppers. That’s really where this casserole came from. All the flavor of classic stuffed peppers — beef, bell peppers, tomato sauce, melted cheese — without hollowing out a single pepper or fussing over how they stand up in the baking dish.

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It’s an easy one to lean on for a weeknight. Everything cooks together in one skillet before it ever hits the oven, which keeps cleanup simple too.

Why You’ll Love This Dinner

Rotini turns out to be the right pasta shape here, since those little spirals catch the beefy tomato sauce and chopped peppers far better than a smooth noodle would. Using fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of plain ones adds a deeper flavor to the sauce with basically no extra effort.

Cooking everything in one skillet before transferring it to the baking dish means there’s no juggling multiple pots. And this one holds up well as leftovers, so it’s a solid pick if you’re trying to get ahead on a few dinners for the week.

Ingredients

Ground beef is the base here, and leaving a little of the rendered fat in the pan after draining helps carry more flavor into the sauce. Green and orange bell peppers bring that classic stuffed pepper taste, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes add more depth than a plain can would.

• 12 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini until al dente, following the lower end of the package’s suggested time — it’ll finish cooking a bit more in the oven, so pulling it slightly early keeps it from turning mushy later. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.

Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully browned. Drain the excess grease, but leave a little behind — that bit of fat carries flavor into the sauce.

Season with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, stirring to combine.

Add the tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes. Cover and let everything simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, so the flavors have a chance to come together.

Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce mixture until it’s evenly coated.

Transfer everything to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack evenly over the top.

Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Broil for 30 seconds to a minute, until the cheese turns lightly golden. This step goes fast, so stay close and watch it the whole time — it’s easy to go from golden to burnt in just a few extra seconds.

Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. It sets up a little as it rests, which makes it much easier to portion out. Garnish with parsley if you’d like, then serve.

What to Serve With It

A simple green salad balances out the richness of the cheese and beef nicely. Garlic bread is good for anyone who wants to catch extra sauce off the plate. Steamed green beans or roasted broccoli round things out if you want something a little lighter alongside it.

Variations

Penne, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta all work in place of rotini — just steer clear of very thin shapes, which can turn too soft after baking. Swapping in a spicier pepper like poblano for one of the bell peppers adds a little more heat if that’s what you’re after. For a lighter version, part-skim mozzarella can stand in for the Monterey Jack without changing the texture much.

Storage

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, let the casserole cool completely, then wrap tightly or transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

For reheating, individual portions do well in the microwave in 60-second intervals. For a larger portion, cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Penne, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta all hold up well in place of rotini. Avoid very thin pasta, since it tends to get too soft after baking.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the casserole up to a day ahead, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if it’s going in straight from the fridge.

Why do I need to broil it at the end?
That last minute under the broiler turns the cheese from just melted to golden and slightly bubbly on top. It only takes 30 to 60 seconds, so keep an eye on it.

Should I drain all the grease after browning the beef?
Draining most of it is a good idea, but leaving a small amount behind helps carry flavor into the sauce.

Can I use a different type of cheese?
Part-skim mozzarella works well if you’d like something a little lighter than Monterey Jack.

How do I keep the pasta from getting mushy?
Cook it to al dente, following the shorter end of the package’s suggested cook time, since it continues softening a bit more in the oven.

Warm Closing

This one’s an easy way to get stuffed pepper flavor on the table without any of the fuss. Scoop it up while it’s still bubbling, and dinner’s done.