Recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole

A "stuffed" casserole doesn't exactly sound healthy, but you're about to be pleasantly surprised! Made with lean ground beef and nutrient-rich ingredients, this dinner does a great job of satisfying hunger without packing on a ton of calories.

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Recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1⅓ cups

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 (8.8-ounce) pouches Uncle Ben's Ready Rice brown rice
• 1 (23.25-ounce) jar light traditional pasta sauce
• ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat four-cheese Italian blend

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 13x9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, bell peppers, onion, and garlic until the vegetables soften and the beef is no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef as it cooks. Drain any excess fat and return the skillet to the stovetop, turning the heat down to low.
3. Microwave the rice according to package directions.
4. Add the cooked rice, pasta sauce, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to the beef in the skillet and mix well. Transfer the skillet ingredients to the prepared baking dish.
5. Sprinkle the Italian cheese on top of the casserole.
6. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, 18-20 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving (1⅓ cups):
Calories: 359
Fat: 11g
Carbohydrates: 43g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 25g
WWP+: 9
SmartPoints: 10

The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.