Go Back

Meaty Stuffed Pepper Casserole

My husband loves this casserole; he has nicknamed it 'meat mountain.' Much easier to make than the usual stuffed pepper.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 people
Calories 4722.3 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot Heavy-bottomed for even cooking
  • 1 Large Baking Dish Approx. 9x13 inch, oven-safe
  • 1 Whisk For blending the soup base
  • 1 Spatula or wooden spoon For stirring and breaking up meat
  • 1 Oven Required for baking

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 6 small green bell peppers or 3 large, chopped
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch dried oregano or to taste
  • 1 pinch garlic powder or to taste
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 10.75 ounce cans condensed tomato soup
  • ΒΌ 10.75 ounce can water
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir green bell peppers, onion, and garlic in the hot butter until vegetables are slightly soft, 2 minutes. Stir sausage and ground beef into bell pepper mixture; cook until meat is crumbly and browned, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain grease. Season mixture with salt, black pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.
  • Mix diced tomatoes, rice, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce into meat mixture and bring to a simmer; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into a large baking dish.
  • Whisk tomato soup with water in a bowl until smooth; pour soup over meat mixture. Spread Cheddar cheese over casserole.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is heated through and Cheddar cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Notes

To elevate this casserole, consider roasting the bell peppers beforehand for a deeper, sweeter flavor profile; a quick char under the broiler will do wonders. Ensure you thoroughly drain the rendered fat from the ground meats to prevent a greasy final product. For an extra layer of umami, a splash of red wine can be deglazed into the meat mixture before adding tomatoes. Fresh herbs like parsley or basil stirred in at the end of cooking, or as a garnish, will brighten the dish. If you desire a crispier cheese topping, finish the last few minutes under a broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning.