This Unstuffed Pepper Skillet is everything you love about stuffed peppers, transformed into a fuss-free skillet meal that’s ready in under an hour! Make this for a delicious crowd-pleasing dinner, or prep and freeze it for an easy weeknight meal!

Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

If you love stuffed peppers but don’t want to go through the hassle of stuffing and baking them, this Unstuffed Pepper Skillet is the perfect solution! Packed with vibrant bell peppers, aromatic spices, and melty cheese, this dish delivers all the classic flavors in an easy, one-pan meal. Plus, it’s ready in under an hour, making it ideal for busy weeknights or meal prep! Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’!

Why You’ll Love This Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

• One-Pan Wonder: Minimal cleanup and maximum flavor in just one skillet.
• Meal Prep & Freezer-Friendly: Perfect for making ahead and storing for later.
• Family-Friendly: A comforting and crowd-pleasing dinner option – kids love it too!
• Customizable: Easily swap ingredients to fit dietary preferences.

Ingredients for Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

I love this recipe because it’s familiar (I used to love stuffed peppers, and made them often!), easy, and requires many ingredients I typically always have on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Vegan ground
• Peppers: I like to use a variety of bell peppers – green, orange, and red, but feel to use only one varietal, or a mix of your favorite!
• Aromatics: lots of fresh onion and garlic
• Seasonings: along with salt and pepper, I add Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes for a touch of heat!
• Fire roasted canned tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Vegan-friendly dry white cooking wine: you can sub equal parts vegetable broth if you prefer!
• Long grain white rice
• Vegetable broth
• Vegan Cheese shreds
• Parsley

Step-by-Step Instructions

Not only is this unstuffed pepper skillet delicious, it’s also so easy to prepare! Here’s how to make it in just 5 simple steps!:

1. Heat some oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the vegan ground and onion. Season with the salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the ground with the back of wooden spoon, until the vegan ground is heated through.
2.  Add the bell peppers and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until they’re slightly softened. Mix in the tomato paste, garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, and season with the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan, and simmer until most of the wine evaporates. 
4. Add the rice, broth, and 1 cup of the vegan cheese shreds. Stir to thoroughly combine, then sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top. Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer on low heat until the rice is fluffy and cooked through, stirring occasionally. This might take about 20-25 minutes. Adjust heat if needed to prevent sticking.
5. Sprinkle the remaining cup of vegan cheese on top. Cover and let it melt for a few minutes until the cheese is melty and bubbly.

Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy! 

Tips and FAQs

Storing:

Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.

Is This Unstuffed Pepper Skillet Freezer-Friendly?

Yes, it is! To freeze, simply follow the directions as stated. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, transfer the skillet to a freezer-friendly container and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and microwave for a few minutes, or bake in the oven at 350°F until completely heated through (times may vary depending one how much you’re reheating, so make sure to check every 15 minutes).

Do I Have to Use White Rice for This Recipe?

Short answer is yes. I only tested this recipe using uncooked white long grain rice. Other varietals, such as brown rice for example, have different cooking times, and require a different amount of liquid to cook. To ensure the rice is cooked and fluffy, I do not recommend using any other rice than long grain white rice.

Tools You Need:

• Large oven safe sauté pan, cast iron skillet, or baking dish
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

More Skillet Recipe to Try:

• Skillet Baked Ziti
• Cheesy Gochujang Skillet Fried Rice
• Potato Skillet Gratin
• Enchilada-Inspired Chick’n & Rice Bake
• Skillet Baked Vegan Sausage, Kale and Artichoke Gnocchi with Pistachio Pesto 

Skillet Meals FTW!!!

If you give my unstuffed pepper skillet a try, let me know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!

Til next time, friends!

xo!

Unstuffed Pepper Skillet Bake

This Unstuffed Pepper Skillet is everything you love about stuffed peppers, transformed into a d fuss-free skillet meal that’s ready in under an hour! Make this for a delicious crowd-pleasing dinner, or prep and freeze it for an easy weeknight meal!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Lunch/Dinner, Main, Main Course, Meal Prep

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound vegan ground
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 white onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 small bell peppers, diced (about 3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• ½ cup vegan-friendly dry white cooking wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can of fire roasted tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups vegan cheese shreds, divided
• Fresh minced parsley, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add the vegan ground, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the ground with the back of wooden spoon, until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the onion and bell peppers and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until they’re slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 
• Mix in the tomato paste and garlic, and season with the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. 
• Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan, and simmer until most of the wine evaporates.
• Next, mix in the fire roasted tomatoes, rice, broth, and 1 cup of the vegan cheese shreds. 
• Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Once at a simmer, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer on low heat until the rice is fluffy and cooked through, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust heat if needed to prevent sticking. 
• Sprinkle the remaining cup of vegan cheese on top. 
• Cover and let it melt for a few minutes until the cheese is melty and bubbly.
• Serve immediately with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Video

Keyword easy vegan skillet dinner, healthy stuffed pepper alternative, meatless stuffed pepper skillet, one-pan stuffed pepper skillet, plant-based stuffed peppers, quick vegan dinner recipes, unstuffed pepper skillet recipe, vegan one-pot meal, vegan stuffed pepper skillet

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